Tuesday 14th December 2010

(14 years ago)

Written Statements
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Liam Fox Portrait The Secretary of State for Defence (Dr Liam Fox)
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The next roulement of UK forces in Afghanistan is due to take place in April 2011. The UK’s current framework brigade in Helmand, 16 Air Assault Brigade, will be replaced by 3 Commando Brigade. The forces deploying include:

3 Commando Brigade Headquarters, Royal Marines

Elements of 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group, Royal Marines

Elements of the Royal Navy forming Headquarters Joint Force Support (Afghanistan) including members of the Maritime Reserve

Headquarters, 104 Logistic Brigade

Elements of 7 Armoured Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (207)

42 Commando Royal Marines including members of the Maritime Reserve

45 Commando Royal Marines including members of the Maritime Reserve

Commando Logistic Regiment, Royal Marines

Elements of the Royal Navy forming the in-theatre Medical Regiment and Field Hospital

Elements of 845 Naval Air Squadron including members of the Maritime Reserve

Elements of 846 Naval Air Squadron

Elements of 847 Naval Air Squadron

Elements of 857 Naval Air Squadron including members of the Maritime Reserve

Elements of 854 Naval Air Squadron

Elements of the Royal Naval Regulators

Elements of 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery

Elements of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys)

Elements of 9th/12th Lancers (Prince of Wales’s)

29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery

Elements of 5th Regiment Royal Artillery

Elements of 12th Regiment Royal Artillery

Elements of 16th Regiment Royal Artillery

Elements of 26th Regiment Royal Artillery

Elements of 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery

Elements of 39th Regiment Royal Artillery

Elements of 47th Regiment Royal Artillery

24 Commando Engineer Regiment

Elements of 12 (Air Support) Engineer Group

Elements of 22 Engineer Regiment

Elements of 28 Engineer Regiment

Elements of 32 Engineer Regiment

Elements of 36 Engineer Regiment

Elements of 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic)

Elements of 101 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal)

Elements of 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group

Elements of 3rd Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment

Elements of 10th Signal Regiment

Elements of 14th Signals Regiment (Electronic Warfare)

Elements of 21st Signal Regiment (Air Support)

Elements of 22nd Signal Regiment

4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Highlanders

3rd Battalion The Mercian Regiment

2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles

1st Battalion The Rifles

Elements of 1 Regiment, Army Air Corps

Elements of 3 Regiment, Army Air Corps

Elements of 2 Logistic Support Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 9 Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 17 Port and Maritime Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 23 Pioneer Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 24 Postal Courier and Movement Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 27 Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 29 Postal Courier and Movement Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps

2 Close Support Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Elements of 7 Air Assault Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Elements of 101 Force Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Elements of 104 Force Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Elements of 5th Regiment Royal Military Police

Elements of 111 Provost Company Royal Military Police

Elements of 114 Provost Company Royal Military Police

Elements of Special Investigations Branch United Kingdom

Elements of 1 Military Working Dogs Regiment

Elements of 1 Military Intelligence Brigade

Elements of the Military Stabilisation Support Group (MSSG)

Elements of 6th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (Volunteers)

Elements of 4th Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Volunteers)

Elements of 6th Battalion The Rifles (Volunteers)

Elements of 88 Postal and Courier Regiment (Volunteers), The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 151 Regiment (Volunteers), The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 158 Transport Regiment (Volunteers), The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 162 Postal Courier and Movement Regiment (Volunteers), The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 166 Supply Regiment (Volunteers), The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 148 Expeditionary Force Institute Squadron (Volunteers), The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 383 Commando Petroleum Troop (Volunteers), The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 395 Air Despatch Troop (Volunteers), The Royal Logistic Corps

Elements of 102 Battalion (Volunteers), Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Elements of the Military Provost Staff and Military Provost Staff (Volunteers)

Elements of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force

Number 6 Royal Air Force, Force Protection Wing Headquarters

Elements of HQ Royal Air Force Police Wing

58 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment

617 Squadron, Royal Air Force

31 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Elements of 5 (Army Co-Operation) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Elements of 18 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Elements of 24 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Elements of 27 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Elements of 28 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Elements of 30 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Elements of 78 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Elements of the Tactical Supply Wing, Royal Air Force

Elements of 1 Air Mobility Wing, Royal Air Force

Elements of 1 Air Control Centre, Royal Air Force

Elements of 90 Signals Unit, Royal Air Force

Elements of 2 (Mechanical Transport) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Elements of 5001 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Elements of 3 Mobile Catering Squadron

Elements of Tactical Medical Wing

Elements of 1 (Expeditionary Logistics) Squadron

Elements of 93 (Expeditionary Armaments) Squadron

Elements of Tactical Imagery Wing

Elements of Joint Ground Based Air Defence

Elements of Defence HUMINT Unit

Elements of the Joint Support Chain Services



Volunteer and ex-regular members of the reserve forces will continue to deploy to Afghanistan as part of this integrated force package, and we expect to issue around 786 call-out notices to fill some 676 posts. On completion of their mobilisation procedures, the reservists will undertake a period of training and, where applicable, integration with their respective receiving units. The majority will serve on operations for around six months. As part of this commitment, we expect up to 19 members of the sponsored reserves to be in theatre at any one time.

The deployment of 3 Commando Brigade and accompanying units will not result in any change to the UK’s established and enduring conventional force level of 9,500 personnel.

I shall make a further statement on the units we expect to serve under 3 Commando Brigade’s planned replacement formation, 20th Armoured Brigade, nearer the time of their deployment.