United Kingdom, Armed services of the. The United Kingdom’s armed services are responsible for defending the United Kingdom and its interests throughout the world. These services maintain the equipment, weapons, and troops necessary to protect the United Kingdom and to provide humanitarian and civil assistance in the United Kingdom and worldwide. In addition, the forces contribute to international peacekeeping and defense operations through alliances with other countries. All the armed services work in close cooperation within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a defense alliance of Canada, the United States, and many European nations. The armed services of the United Kingdom are divided into four major forces: (1) the Royal Navy, (2) the Royal Marines, (3) the British Army, and (4) the Royal Air Force.
The four services
The Royal Navy
is the oldest of the four services. It is thus affectionately known as the “Senior Service.” Because the United Kingdom is an island nation, the Royal Navy has always had an important role in defense. In 1588, the explorer and British fleet commander Sir Francis Drake and other Elizabethan sailors destroyed the Spanish Armada, a fleet of armed ships that tried to invade England (see Spanish Armada). Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson died during the British victory over a combined Spanish and French fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 (see Trafalgar, Battle of). During World War II (1939-1945), Royal Navy ships escorted cargo ships carrying vital war supplies in groups called convoys to protect them from attacks by German submarines. The Navy’s struggle to keep Atlantic shipping lanes open came to be called the Battle of the Atlantic.
The Royal Marines
serve both on land and on ships at sea. True to their motto, Per Mare Per Terram (By Sea, By Land), they can operate in any terrain and under the toughest of conditions. During the Falklands War (1982), the Commando Brigade of the Royal Marines played an important part in the recapture of the Falkland Islands from numerically superior Argentine forces.
The British Army
is the largest of the four services. Its soldiers have fought in battles throughout the world. At such battles as Blenheim (1704), against French and Bavarian troops, and Waterloo (1815), against the armies of the French Emperor Napoleon I, British soldiers won not only fame but also the respect of the enemy (see Blenheim, Battle of; Waterloo, Battle of).
The Royal Air Force (RAF)
was formed from the Army’s Royal Flying Corps in 1918, and it became the world’s first independent air force. Its most famous actions occurred during World War II. The RAF played a key role in the Battle of Britain (1940), a struggle to control the air over the United Kingdom, and in night bombing raids on Germany during the later years of the war (see Britain, Battle of; World War II (The air war). The RAF has also taken part in many smaller campaigns, including the Korean War (1950-1953), the Falklands War, and the Persian Gulf War of 1991.
People in the armed services
Recruiting and personnel.
About 150,000 men and women serve in the United Kingdom armed services. They are supported by 80,000 members of reserve forces and thousands of civilian personnel. Servicewomen make up about 10 percent of the total force. For many years, women were excluded from most posts in the armed services. In the 2010’s, however, all military roles—including close combat positions—were opened to women. Women, in general, receive the same training as men. They are eligible for promotion in competition with men.
The forces are based in the United Kingdom. The Royal Navy maintains small detachments in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and around the Falkland Islands. The Army and the RAF maintain bases in Belize, Cyprus, the Falklands, and Gibraltar. Forces are also deployed in Kosovo.
Officer training.
Officers in each of the four armed services are granted the king’s commission, a written order from the king giving them rank and authority as a military officer. The armed forces train officers to a high standard in leadership skills and personnel management.
Royal Navy officers.
Men and women who wish to become officers in the Royal Navy enlist as midshipmen at 17 to 19 years of age. University graduates generally join as sublieutenants at ages 21 to 26. Officer candidates receive training at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, Devon. Candidates receive a general education, but they also specialize in seamanship or engineering, or they train for the logistics branch, which is responsible for pay, administration, and food. After Naval College, the young officers join ships of the training squadron. After training at sea, they receive advanced shore training in their chosen specialist fields.
The Royal Navy’s career structure and promotion system for officers is based on a three-tier commission. All officer entrants join with an initial commission of 12 years. Officers with more than 5 years of service are eligible to apply for transfer to the Career Commission. The Career Commission extends service to 16 years from the age of 21 and qualifies an officer for an immediate pension. Officers with between 8 and 15 years of service are eligible to apply for the Full Term Commission. This commission extends the officer’s career to retirement at age 55.
Royal Marines officers.
All prospective Royal Marines officers first join the Command Wing at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines at Lympstone, Devon. They are trained at Royal Marines establishments, and they also attend Royal Navy and Army schools. The career structure of Royal Marines officers is the same as that of Royal Navy officers.
British Army officers.
Men and women between the ages of 17 years 9 months and 29 years may seek an officer’s commission in the Army. Most officer candidates apply after the completion of either secondary school or college. Some begin preparations earlier by completing their secondary education at the Army-sponsored Welbeck College. However, most attend the Regular Commissions Board (RCB) instead. This board establishes if a candidate has the potential to make a good officer. Those passed by the board attend an 11-month course at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst (RMAS) in Berkshire. On leaving Sandhurst, officers attend a special young officer course, which prepares them for their first posting in their chosen regiment or corps. All graduates of RMAS are granted a Short Service Commission for three years. On completion of this term, the officer may leave the Army, extend the commission up to a total of eight years, be granted an Intermediate Regular Commission with a pension after 16 years service, or be granted a full career Regular Commission.
RAF officers.
There are several methods of gaining a commission in the Royal Air Force. Cadet entry involves commissioning from the ranks. The sixth form scholarship scheme provides financial aid for RAF candidates attending a sixth form college, a school for the two final years of secondary education. University graduates and people qualified to practice certain professions, such as law or medicine, may also become officers. Officers may enter the RAF from the age of 17 years 6 months. All candidates go to the Aircrew Selection Centre at Cranwell, Lincolnshire, for intelligence, leadership, and medical tests. Successful candidates begin officer training at the RAF College at Cranwell.
After training, officers are assigned to the different branches. Pilots receive assignment to the General Duties Branch. Other officers are assigned to the Engineering Branch or Administration Branch, or to the RAF Regiment.
Training for enlisted volunteers
involves technical and specialist knowledge. Training varies considerably among the services.
Royal Navy volunteers,
called ratings, can enlist between the ages of 16 and 33. The career structure for ratings has two stages. The first stage, called Open Engagement, is for 22 years of service. But a rating can give notice at any time to end his or her service. The second stage enables selected ratings with critical skills to extend their careers by a further 10 years. Juniors enlist at 16, and they receive general education and professional training on land. Ratings enlisting for the artificer (technician) branch must pass qualifying examinations. They then receive up to four years of technical education and training in craftsmanship.
Ratings alternate between sea and shore duties. Most general ratings spend about half their time at sea. Specialists, particularly those in the radar and gunnery fields, spend most of their time at sea.
Royal Marines recruits
may join between the ages of 16 and 30. The Royal Marines accept some recruits older than 30 who transfer from other services. Recruits enlist on an open engagement for 22 years, but there are certain points at which they can take an option to leave service. Recruits take their training at the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone. Marine commando training is demanding, both physically and mentally. Only the fittest gain the Royal Marines’ Green Beret. Subsequent promotion is by examination and merit.
British Army recruits.
Young men and women enlist in the Army on a 22-year open engagement. The minimum length of service is 4 years 3 months. On rare occasions, noncommissioned officers (NCO’s) in certain specialist units serve longer than 22 years.
A new recruit undertakes basic training at an Army Training Regiment. Once the recruit has learned basic soldiering, including discipline and drill, he or she transfers to a regiment or corps. Since the end of World War II, British troops have served in many locations worldwide. However, most of today’s young soldiers go to posts within the United Kingdom. British troops may serve on short tours of duty in regions of hostile activity or long tours in other regions. Many take part in multinational peacekeeping forces.
Much of a soldier’s time is devoted to training to maintain efficiency. Soldiers take regular weapons and fitness tests. All soldiers learn tactics, battle skills, and marksmanship, and some are trained in vehicle maintenance, radio procedures, and specialist weapons. The British Army is world-renowned for good drill, discipline, and soldierly appearance, and soldiers take pride in this tradition.
The Army encourages young soldiers to develop individual skills and self-confidence. The training plan offers opportunities for a range of outdoor activities, such as mountaineering, skiing, and parachuting. Many soldiers participate in sports, and they often reach the highest levels of international sports competition.
RAF recruits.
The pilots who fly the RAF’s modern aircraft depend on the skill and thoroughness of people on the ground. Volunteers may serve in any of 40 individual trades. These trades include aerospace system operations, air electronics, air traffic control, aircraft maintenance, catering, ground electronics and general engineering, and photography. Some entrants train for work connected with mechanical transport or with dental, medical, or supply services. Others do accounting and administrative work, or serve with the RAF Police or RAF Regiment.
Air Force entrants join between the ages of 17 and 29. They enlist initially for 9 years, but they may apply to extend their service up to a total of 22 years.
Control and organization
The reigning monarch is the head of the British armed forces. The secretary of state for defense, who is a government minister, heads the Ministry of Defence. This government department has its headquarters in Whitehall, London (see Whitehall). The secretary of state presides over the Defence Council and each of the three service boards: the Admiralty Board, the Army Board, and the Air Force Board. The Defence Council establishes the overall national defense policy. But each of the service boards is responsible for policy, planning, control, administration, and training relating to that service. Each board works closely with two ministers of state—one for matters relating to operational and policy issues and the other for defense procurement (purchase) matters. There is also an undersecretary of state for defense, who is responsible for personnel, estate matters, and veteran issues. The senior military commander is the chief of the Defence Staff. The chief has overall command of all forces. The heads of the three services are the chief of the Naval Staff, an admiral known as the first sea lord; the chief of the General Staff, an Army general; and the chief of the Air Staff, an air marshal in the RAF. These officers are the senior advisers to the chief of the Defence Staff and, ultimately, to the secretary of state, on all matters relating to the use of each of their services and its current and future effectiveness.
Royal Navy organization.
All activities of the fleet, at home and abroad, are under the control of the commander in chief of the Fleet, whose headquarters are at Northwood, West London. The commander in chief of the Naval Home Command is responsible for all naval establishments and personnel on shore in the United Kingdom, including reserve forces. Headquarters of the Naval Home Command are in Portsmouth, Hampshire.
On board ship,
the commanding officer is always referred to as the captain, no matter what the officer’s actual rank is. The commander of one of the larger ships, such as an aircraft carrier, holds the rank of captain. But the commanding officer of a smaller ship, such as a frigate or submarine, is more likely to be a commander, a lieutenant commander, or a lieutenant. When two or more ships travel together in convoy, the senior captain among all the ships’ commanders assumes responsibility for overall control of the entire convoy.
The second-in-command of a naval ship is known as the executive officer, also called “Number One.” He or she is responsible for discipline and general administration. Assisted by the master-at-arms, the executive officer organizes the various departments.
The numbers of departments on board ship vary with the ship’s size and role. The departments usually include executive, flight, marine engineering, logistics, warfare, and weapons engineering. Royal Marines, when on board, form their own department. Each department is headed by a senior officer who is responsible to the captain for efficiency, organization, and cleanliness.
The ship’s company (crew) is organized into divisions for administrative purposes. Administration and training are the responsibility of an officer, preferably one skilled in the same specialization as his or her subordinates in the division.
Within a fleet,
there are two types of organization: unit and task. In peacetime, the Royal Navy organizes its ships into units, or squadrons, commanded by a senior captain. A flotilla (small fleet) of squadrons is commanded by a rear admiral. For operational purposes, both in peace and war, the Royal Navy forms balanced forces made up of ships of various sizes carrying a combination of weapons. These task forces are divided into task groups, which are further divided into task units. A typical task group is commanded by a rear admiral. It may consist of an antisubmarine carrier, three or four antisubmarine frigates (small escort vessels usually equipped to destroy submarines), three or four antiaircraft destroyers, supply ships, and perhaps one or two submarines.
For administration,
the Royal Navy is divided into nine branches, also called specializations. The largest branches are: (1) warfare, (2) engineering, and (3) logistics (formerly called supply and secretariat). Other branches include aviation; chaplaincy; medical; the Royal Marines Band Service; and the Royal Marines and Royal Naval reserves. The majority of officers qualify as principal warfare officers. They later become specialists in above water warfare, underwater warfare, or communications and electronic warfare. Roles within the engineering branch include air engineering, information systems, mechanical engineering, training management, and weapons engineering. The engineering branch is responsible for all machinery, including ships’ engines, and for technical support. Logistics officers follow the same basic initial training as others before taking a professional qualification course. They serve in a wide range of appointments at sea or on shore, working in such areas as accounting, legal matters, supply, and personnel administration. Ratings are also employed in the three main branches, in the medical branch, and in the naval airman and aircrew branches.
Royal Marines organization.
The commandant general is the professional head of the Royal Marines. The commandant is a major general and is responsible for the recruitment, training, and operational readiness of the Royal Marines. This officer administers the Royal Marines at sea and in foreign countries through the Navy or Army commander under whose active command they serve. Royal Marines in the United Kingdom are administered through the Royal Marines Headquarters in Portsmouth, Hampshire. The commandant general also has an operational role as commander of the United Kingdom Amphibious Force. Amphibious warfare is the conduct of military operations by naval, air, and land forces for the purpose of seizing a beach or coastal area.
There are a number of Royal Marines bases in the United Kingdom. Recruit, commando, and specialist training are carried out at Lympstone. Detachments for sea service; some technical staff, such as carpenters and illustrators; and the Special Boat Service are trained at Poole in Dorset. Swimmer-canoeist and landing craft techniques are also taught at Poole. The main operational formation is the Royal Marine Commando Brigade, which has commando units at Plymouth, at Taunton in Somerset, and at Arbroath in Scotland. Specialist units, such as the Fleet Protection Group and the Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre, spend most of their time on tough training programs away from home.
British Army organization.
A force taking part in a campaign is made up of a varying number of corps. The force commander is usually a general, but in time of war the commander may be a field marshal. The force commander is responsible for the planning and conduct of the campaign. The corps commanders, normally lieutenant generals, control the tactical battles (individual parts of the campaign). Each corps consists of a number of divisions, commanded by a major general. Divisions are made up of several brigades, each of which is commanded by a brigadier.
A brigade consists of a combination of infantry battalions, armored regiments, and artillery regiments, each commanded by a lieutenant colonel. The brigadier divides the troops under his command into varying combinations of tanks and infantry, known as battle groups. A typical battle group has two companies of infantry and a squadron of armor made up of 16 tanks. Battle groups are further divided into combat teams, each commanded by a major.
The Army is organized into three areas. These areas are (1) staff, (2) teeth arms, and (3) support elements.
The staff
consists of staff officers who have attended junior and sometimes senior Staff College. They are responsible for planning operations and training. There are five basic categories or groups: manning and personnel, known as G1; intelligence, or G2; operations, or G3; logistics, or G4; and civilian liaison, or G5. There is no permanent staff corps. Officers generally rotate between staff and regimental appointments.
The teeth arms
of the British Army are the infantry, the Royal Armoured Corps, the Royal Artillery, the Royal Engineers, the Royal Corps of Signals, and the Army Air Corps. Each corps or regiment takes pride in its heritage, traditions, and seniority. The Royal Horse Artillery leads when parading with other units, and it is followed by the cavalry (armored) regiments. The Household Division is made up of the Household Cavalry, which is composed of squadrons known as the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals, together with the five regiments of foot guards—the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Irish Guards, and Welsh Guards. These soldiers retain a ceremonial role in addition to their fighting commitments, and they provide the guard for the sovereign on state occasions. All ceremonial troops in the Army, except the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, which has only a defensive role, are fully trained soldiers. The ceremonial troops regularly undertake conventional tours of duty alongside line troops. See Guards.
The Royal Artillery is responsible for supporting the battle with guns, mortars, and guided missiles. It ranks after the cavalry in seniority. The Royal Engineers build bridges, lay and clear minefields, and carry out demolitions.
Most infantry battalions are mechanized. Soldiers no longer march on foot, as infantry traditionally did, but instead travel in armored personnel carriers.
The support elements
of the Army include the Royal Logistics Corps, the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and the Adjutant Generals Corps. The Royal Logistics Corps is responsible for weapons and supplies, including rations (food and drink), fuel, and ammunition. It is also responsible for the transportation of the Army and its equipment. The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers repair, maintain, and recover equipment. The Adjutant Generals Corps is responsible for pay and administration, education and training, and other services.
RAF organization.
The main divisions of the RAF are called commands. There are two commands: (1) Personnel and Training Command and (2) Strike Command. Personnel and Training Command is responsible for all aspects of RAF recruiting, training, career management, conditions of service, welfare of personnel, and pensions. Strike Command is responsible for all air operations. The main divisions inside a command are called groups. There are two groups within Strike Command, referred to as No. 1 Group and No. 2 Group. No. 1 Group is responsible for all strike aircraft and offensive support aircraft. No. 2 Group operates all the aircraft and force elements that support front-line operations, including air transport and air-to-air refueling.
Both groups control units at several airfields. Each airfield has one squadron or more. The size of a squadron depends on its role. A squadron of strike aircraft generally has 12 aircraft. The major RAF bases are in the United Kingdom, but the Royal Air Force also maintains small bases in the Falkland Islands and on Ascension Island, Cyprus, and Gibraltar.
The names of ranks in the RAF do not indicate an officer’s appointment. A group captain may not command a group, and a squadron leader does not necessarily lead a squadron. Many flying officers do not actually fly.
Communications
The Royal Navy has ships stationed in many parts of the world and therefore needs efficient communications. The Navy uses radio and television to make worldwide communication possible. The Ministry of Defence works closely with BT Group, the United Kingdom’s largest telecommunications organization.
Naval ships at sea can communicate with one another or with merchant ships and aircraft by radio, either directly or via a communications satellite. However, flashing lights or flag signals are used for close-range messaging or during periods of “radio silence.”
Naval ships and RAF and naval aircraft rely heavily on radar for navigation. At night or in fog, radar can show the presence of other aircraft, ships, harbor entrances, and landing strips. Some guided missiles use radar to “home in” on their targets (see Radar).
In the Army, every formation of brigade size and larger has its own communications center. A communications center can receive and send signals to every other formation or major unit within its area of operation. Signal messages received from higher command are relayed to subordinate units. Every mechanized company, tank, armored reconnaissance (information gathering) vehicle, and artillery battery has its own radio, and so it can receive up-to-date orders with the minimum of delay. Companies also communicate via teletype, fax, and the internet.
Rank and badges
Officers and noncommissioned officers of the Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force wear different insignia (badges of rank). The Royal Marines, despite their close ties with the Royal Navy, wear an Army-style uniform and Army badges of rank.
Officers of the Army and Royal Marines wear badges of rank on their shoulders. Officers in the other services wear them on their lower sleeves. Warrant officers in the Army and the RAF, and petty officers in the Royal Navy, wear their rank on their lower sleeve. Junior noncommissioned officers of all three services wear their insignia on their upper sleeves.
Weapons and equipment
Royal Navy equipment.
The Royal Navy has light aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, frigates, destroyers, submarines, and minesweepers and minehunters. All frigates and larger vessels have helicopter-landing facilities.
Aircraft carriers
can carry conventional airplanes, helicopters, and V/STOL (Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft. Their roles include attack of surface shipping; battlefield interdiction, which involves hindering the movement of the enemy; reconnaissance; and antisubmarine warfare. See Aircraft carrier.
Assault ships
can carry a military force complete with support and attack helicopters and landing craft. They can deploy amphibious assault forces and land troops and equipment directly onto a beach.
Frigates,
originally designed for antisubmarine warfare, today serve as multipurpose warships. They can operate anywhere in the world. Royal Navy frigates have substantial antimissile, antisubmarine, and antiaircraft capabilities. They are outfitted with missile launchers, antimissile systems, torpedo tubes, a range of guns, and attack helicopters. See Frigate.
Destroyers
form the backbone of the Royal Navy’s antiaircraft capability. They are equipped with medium-range air-defense missiles, which are also effective against targets at sea. In addition to guns and torpedoes, the destroyers carry attack helicopters. See Destroyer.
Submarines.
The Royal Navy has Vanguard-class submarines, which carry Trident strategic nuclear missiles. Other submarines undertake antisubmarine and surface warfare roles, or perform surveillance and reconnaissance. They can provide coordinated strike support to land battles using Tomahawk cruise missiles. Most of the Royal Navy’s submarines are nuclear powered and can stay at sea for months. Most carry torpedoes. They use sonar detection equipment to locate enemy submarines (see Sonar).
Minehunters and minesweepers
are small ships used to locate and destroy enemy mines. Modern minesweepers are built of plastic and glass, and so they do not set off magnetically operated mines.
The Fleet Air Arm
provides the Royal Navy with many kinds of aviation combat capability. It operates some 200 combat aircraft and more than 50 support and training aircraft. Helicopters are also necessary to the service.
Royal Marines equipment.
The Royal Marines use such Army infantry weapons as rifles, machine guns, mortars, and light antitank weapons. They also have their own artillery regiment. The marines can call upon the support of gunfire from Royal Navy ships when operating close to shore.
British Army equipment.
Weapons used by the Army are mostly light and easily carried. The SA-80 Individual Weapon is the British Army’s standard combat rifle. The 5.56-millimeter Light Support Weapon provides light, sustained fire. It takes the same ammunition magazine as the SA-80. The Army’s antitank weapons include the 60-millimeter Light Anti Tank Weapon (LAW) and the Milan missile.
Artillery.
The Royal Artillery has field regiments equipped with AS-90 155-millimeter guns. Some “depth fire” regiments are equipped with the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), which can hit targets at ranges of more than 25 miles (40 kilometers). Air-mobile and commando field regiments use the 105-millimeter light gun. Two regiments are deployed with high velocity missiles and air-defense missiles. A Surveillance and Target Acquisition regiment helps locate and target enemy artillery and other enemy assets.
Vehicles
used by the Army range from motorcycles and trucks to tanks. The Challenger Mark 2 is one of the most powerful tanks in the world. See Tank.
Other armored vehicles include armored personnel carriers and a series of vehicles based on the Command Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), or CVR(T). Variants include light tanks, armored troop carriers, command vehicles, and armored recovery vehicles.
Observation and communications.
The British Army’s observation and communication equipment is among the best in the world. Light helicopters, such as Gazelle and Lynx, are used for observation, reconnaissance, and targeting enemy guns and positions. They can also be used for transporting troops and in an antitank role.
RAF equipment.
The Royal Air Force uses a wide variety of aircraft. It employs many multipurpose aircraft that can be used as bombers, fighters, or reconnaissance craft.
Offensive aircraft
are armed with high explosive gravity bombs, and, increasingly, with stand-off missiles, long-range weapons that stand a great distance off and can be fired hundreds of miles or kilometers from the target to avoid antiaircraft fire. The swing-wing Tornado, whose wings are perpendicular to the airplane at take-off but sweep back for supersonic flight, can attack at high or low altitude and in all weather. It can follow the contours of the land closely in flight, and it uses electronic jamming devices to avoid detection by enemy radar.
Defensive aircraft
used by the RAF are the Sentry AEW1 (Airborne Early Warning) and the Tornado F3. The Sentry carries radar and sensor equipment that extends the range of ground-based radar, providing longer warning time of the approach of aircraft. The fast, heavily armed Tornado F3 aircraft carry air-to-air missiles and a 27-millimeter cannon for use against enemy aircraft.
Reconnaissance aircraft
used by the RAF include Canberras, Jaguars, and Tornados. These aircraft are fitted with high-resolution cameras and other equipment to photograph potential targets. The RAF is developing ASTOR (Airborne STand-Off Radar), a system that can provide radar images of battlefields at ranges of up to 100 miles (160 kilometers) from an altitude of 47,000 feet (14,300 meters). It will provide essential information regarding deployment and movement of enemy forces. The RAF plans to put aircraft carrying ASTOR into service by 2005.
Flight refueling tankers
extend the range of other aircraft by refueling them in the air. The RAF uses VC-10 and Tri-Star aircraft as tankers.
Maritime patrol.
Nimrod aircraft operate from shore bases. They can track submarines and surface ships and perform air-sea rescue work, such as dropping life rafts, food, and other supplies to survivors.
Transport aircraft
include the C-17A Globemaster and the C-130 Hercules. A fleet of C-17A Globemasters carry personnel from all four services around the world. C-130 Hercules transport planes have a long range, and they move all heavy goods needed by the services. The Hercules can also carry paratroops if required.
Helicopters.
Chinook and Puma helicopters transport troops and stores to the battlefield and evacuate casualties. Sea Kings and Merlin helicopters do search and rescue work, both over land and at sea.
Training aircraft.
RAF pilots learn to fly in a variety of training aircraft, including Hawks, Tucanos, and Tutors. Helicopter pilots train using Griffins and Squirrels. Pilots train extensively in simulators before they fly real aircraft.
Missiles.
RAF aircraft use a variety of missiles and guided rockets in different roles. Air-to-air weapons include heat-seeking and radar-guided missiles. Harpoon and sea-skimming missiles are used to attack surface shipping. Long range air-to-surface weapons include antiradar and antiarmor missiles and laser-guided bombs. The RAF Regiment uses surface-to-air missiles for airfield defense.
History
Origins of the Navy.
The Royal Navy is, by far, the oldest of the United Kingdom’s services. The origin of the English navy can be traced back to the reign of Alfred the Great. Alfred’s fleet defeated Viking invaders in a battle in 897. In the early 1500’s, King Henry VIII became the first English ruler to commission armed warships. Queen Elizabeth I inherited some of Henry’s warships but, because she had to pay for their upkeep, she preferred to use armed merchant ships owned by her subjects. In 1588, despite the relatively small size of the Elizabethan navy, English ships defeated the Spanish Armada, a fleet of heavily armed ships that tried to invade England (see Spanish Armada).
Between 1634 and 1641, King Charles I built a small navy by collecting a local tax known as ship money. In the mid-1600’s, Oliver Cromwell, who ruled England as lord protector, took measures to improve the navy and increased its size. He placed control of the navy under two parliamentary committees, called the Navy Commissioners and the Admiralty Commissioners. In 1660, under King Charles II, the navy became known as the Royal Navy.
When cannons became the main shipboard weapons, every maritime nation strove to build bigger and faster ships to carry the guns. By 1800, 100-gun ships were a common sight.
In the 1700’s, Admiral Lord Anson first classified British warships. He placed them in descending order of classes from I to VI according to their number of guns.
Origins of the Army.
The British Army had its origins in the mid-1600’s. Before that time, permanent military forces were extremely small. They consisted of the King’s Bodyguard, the Gentlemen Pensioners, the Yeomen of the Guard, and the garrisons of a few castles and forts. When the king needed greater forces, he called upon his lords—and later, towns—to organize and provide troops. England’s first disciplined fighting troops were the parliamentary forces of Oliver Cromwell, who defeated the Royalists of King Charles I in the English Civil War of 1642 to 1646. Cromwell’s soldiers were mainly farmers and laborers, but they earned the nickname “ironsides” because they stood so firm.
King Charles II introduced a permanent standing army in 1660. The Grenadier Guards regiment was formed from troops who had fought as Royalist forces in the English Civil War. The Coldstream Guards and the Royal Horse Guards were formed from former parliamentary forces.
King James II created several new regiments during the Duke of Monmouth’s rebellion in 1685. Still more regiments were added during wars with France in the late 1600’s and early 1700’s. By 1704, when the Duke of Marlborough defeated the French at Blenheim, the Army had grown to a considerable size.
Origins of the Royal Marines.
From medieval times, British soldiers had served on board ship, both as boarding parties and sharpshooters, and to make landings on enemy shores. In 1664, Charles II ordered the creation of a specially trained regiment for service with the fleet. The regiment was named the Duke of York and Albany’s Maritime Regiment of Foot, but became known as the marines. In 1704, a mixed force of seamen and marines under Admiral Sir George Rooke captured Gibraltar from Spanish forces. This gave the marines the only battle honor to be depicted on their colors (flag). King George III granted the marines the title “Royal” in 1802.
Development of the services.
During the 1700’s and early 1800’s, each of the services developed its tactics, logistics, and support. In 1782, Admiral George Rodney introduced more flexible tactics into naval campaigns by freeing his commanders from the need to keep their ships in line during battle. His changes paved the way for the victories of Admiral Horatio Nelson, particularly that in the Battle of Trafalgar (1805). In that battle, the Royal Navy sailed directly at the French and Spanish center, splitting the forces. In 1799, the Royal Navy produced its first signal book, which instructed sailors in how to communicate over long distances with the assistance of flags and pennants.
The Duke of York, commander in chief of the Army, and Sir John Moore, a general who defeated the French at the Battle of Corunna (1809) in Spain, built up the Army. The Duke of Wellington led the Army to victory in the Peninsular War (1808-1814), when British troops joined Portugal and Spain in a fight against France, and at the Battle of Waterloo against French forces (1815).
During the 1800’s, the United Kingdom fought a series of colonial wars, but it rarely took part in wars on the European mainland. In the Crimean War (1853-1856), the allied armies of the United Kingdom, France, the Ottoman Empire, and Sardinia defeated Russia (see Crimean War). The war proved to military leaders that the armed services needed improvements, and they introduced a number of reforms. As a result of the efforts of Florence Nightingale, an English nurse, the military improved medical and nursing services. The Navy was modernized, passing from the age of wood and sail to that of iron and steam.
Beginning in 1870, Viscount Cardwell reorganized the Army. Cardwell’s reforms introduced county regiments, regiments with county or other regional ties, such as the Lincolnshire Regiment and the Norfolk Regiment. Most importantly, Cardwell stopped the purchase of commissions and established a shorter term of enlistment. He prohibited flogging during peacetime, and the Army later abolished flogging as a form of punishment.
In 1905, Lord Haldane became secretary for war. He introduced the General Staff, and in 1907, the Territorial Army was formed. Haldane created the potential for an expeditionary force of six infantry divisions and one cavalry division. The German Kaiser (Emperor) Wilhelm II referred to the British Army in 1914 as a “contemptible little army.” But thanks to Haldane’s reforms, British troops fought well during World War I (1914-1918) and proudly called themselves the “old contemptibles.” During the early stages of the war, the British Expeditionary Force was reinforced by units called territorial battalions. The territorial battalions usually served in the United Kingdom to defend the homeland, but large numbers of the men volunteered to fight overseas during the war. The government introduced a military draft in 1916.
Parliament passed the Naval Defence Act of 1889. This act authorized the building of 10 battleships, 42 cruisers, and other vessels over the next five years. The Dreadnought, launched in 1906, was the world’s first modern battleship. By 1914, the United Kingdom boasted by far the largest fleet in the world.
Military aviation.
The United Kingdom’s first military flying unit was formed in 1878. The Army used observation balloons in South Africa during the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902. The balloons helped the forces avoid ambushes. In 1908, S. F. Cody, an American, built an airplane for the Royal Engineers. This craft, known as British Army Aeroplane No. 1, made the first recognized powered flight in the United Kingdom.
In 1911, a small group of Royal Navy and Royal Marines officers learned to fly, planning to form a naval aviation unit. Soon afterward, the Balloon Section of the Royal Engineers became the Air Battalion. On May 13, 1912, all military flying forces in the United Kingdom came under the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). The RFC had separate naval and army wings. In 1914, the naval wing became the Royal Naval Air Service, which was controlled by the Admiralty. The RFC became entirely an Army service. At the start of World War I, it had 63 airplanes.
German bombing raids on London in June and July of 1917 and slow production of British fighter aircraft led many people to demand a reorganization of military flying. As a result, the RFC and the RNAS were combined in April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force, the world’s first major independent air service. At the end of World War I, the RAF had 22,647 aircraft and 291,170 serving personnel.
In 1916, the British government began organizing women’s auxiliary military services so that women could replace men in noncombat roles and thus free men for combat duty. The Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) and the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) were established in 1917. That same year, the RFC established all-female companies. The Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF) was formed in 1918, at the same time as the RAF. Also in 1918, the WAAC was renamed Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps.
World War II.
Between the world wars, the British armed forces were reduced in strength. The WRAF disbanded in 1920, and Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps and the WRAF followed in 1921. Few politicians called for large military forces.
At the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the Army and Air Force were not prepared for modern warfare. Fortunately, the Royal Navy had one of the largest and most modern fleets in the world.
The Army had reestablished a women’s auxiliary, the Auxiliary Territorial Service, in 1938. In 1939, women’s auxiliaries were reestablished by the Royal Navy as the WRNS and by the RAF as the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.
During World War II, Royal Marines units fought in virtually every major battle. They took part in raids on St.-Nazaire and Dieppe in France. They provided more than 16,000 men for the Allied D-Day landing in northern France on June 6, 1944.
The Army fought in campaigns in every continent. Under General Bernard Law Montgomery, the 8th Army defeated German forces led by General Erwin Rommel in North Africa. General William Slim led the 14th Army to victory against the Japanese in Burma (now Myanmar). Between June 1944 and the end of the war in 1945, United Kingdom troops participated in Western European campaigns that led to the defeat of the German Nazi dictator, Adolf Hitler.
In 1940, RAF fighter pilots defeated the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, a struggle for control of the air over the United Kingdom. As World War II progressed, Bomber Command made massive night bombing raids on Germany and German-occupied Europe.
The armed forces since World War II.
After World War II, the armed forces were reduced in size from wartime levels. However, a large conscript force remained in place, due to a threat in Europe from the Soviet Union and its allies. The rivalry between Communist and non-Communist nations after the war was known as the Cold War (see Cold War). In 1949, the women’s auxiliary services were disbanded, and women’s corps were established for each of the armed services.
During the 1950’s, British forces were involved in the Korean War (1950-1953); the Emergency (1948-1960), a Communist uprising in Malaya (now part of Malaysia); and campaigns in Africa and the Middle East. By the end of the 1950’s, the Royal Navy, Army, and RAF were equipped with nuclear weapons. Conscription was abolished, and the United Kingdom developed smaller, but better trained and equipped, professional forces. Since 1969, the United Kingdom has had a commitment to security duties against terrorism in Northern Ireland. In 1982, units of all the forces took part in the campaign to recapture the Falkland Islands from Argentina. After Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait in 1990, British armed forces fought in the Persian Gulf War of 1991 as part of a multinational force. In the late 1900’s, nearly all of the United Kingdom’s nuclear weapons came under the command of the Royal Navy.
Following the end of the Cold War in the early 1990’s, the government began reducing the size of the forces to create a “fire-force” that could react speedily to an emergency anywhere in the world. By 1994, the separate women’s services had all been disbanded and women had been integrated wholly into the Army, the Royal Navy, and the RAF. Women and men now serve on equal terms, and women compete for the same jobs as men.
Since the mid-1990’s, the armed forces have been deployed on peacekeeping operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, in air patrols over the “no-fly” zones in Iraq, and in naval patrols in the Persian Gulf. They have also served in Sierra Leone, helping local armed forces to bring peace after years of civil conflict, and in Afghanistan as part of a war against international terrorism. During the Iraq War (2003-2011), the United Kingdom’s armed services helped overthrow the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. They remained in the country until 2009 to help with peacekeeping operations. In 2011, RAF warplanes attacked the Libyan government and military during a popular uprising against the country’s dictator, Mu’ammar al-Qadhafi.
