The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Philip Hammond)
The next roulement of UK forces in Afghanistan is due to take place in April 2013. Around half of these units will form Taskforce Helmand under command of 1 Mechanised Brigade. The remainder will deploy within Helmand and also to other locations in Afghanistan—particularly Kandahar and Kabul—as part of the UK’s overall contribution. The forces deploying include1:
1 Mechanised Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (215) |
847 Naval Air Squadron |
857 Naval Air Squadron |
Household Cavalry Regiment |
1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery |
2nd Royal Tank Regiment |
Elements of 5th Regiment Royal Artillery |
Elements of 16th Regiment Royal Artillery |
Elements of 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery |
Elements of 39th Regiment Royal Artillery |
Elements of 47th Regiment Royal Artillery |
22 Engineer Regiment |
Elements of 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault) |
Elements of 33 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) |
Elements of 36 Engineer Regiment (Search) |
Elements of 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographic) |
Elements of 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group |
Elements of 3rd (United Kingdom) Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment |
Elements of 10th Signal Regiment |
Elements of 14th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare) |
Elements of 15th Signal Regiment (Information Support) |
Elements of 21st Signal Regiment (Air Support) |
Elements of 1st Battalion Irish Guards |
The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland |
2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border) |
1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers |
4th Battalion The Rifles |
Elements of 1 Regiment Army Air Corps |
Elements of 3 Regiment Army Air Corps |
Elements of 9 Regiment Army Air Corps |
Elements of Joint Helicopter Support Squadron |
3 Logistic Support Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps |
9 Theatre Logistic 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 Control Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps |
Elements of 29 Postal Courier and Movement Control Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps |
5 Medical Regiment |
33 Field Hospital |
6 Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
Elements of 7 Air Assault Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
Elements of 104 Force Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers |
158 Provost Company Royal Military Police |
Elements of 156 Provost Company Royal Military Police |
Elements of Special Investigations Branch (United Kingdom) Royal Military Police |
Elements of Military Provost Staff Corps |
Elements of 1st Military Working Dog Regiment |
Elements of 2 Military Intelligence (Exploitation) Battalion |
Elements of 4 Military Intelligence Battalion |
Elements of The Military Stabilisation Support Group |
Elements of 15 (United Kingdom) Psychological Operations Group |
Elements of The Defence Cultural Specialist Unit |
Elements of The Royal Yeomanry |
Elements of 104th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) |
Elements of 106th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) |
Elements of 72 (Tyne Electrical Engineers) Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) |
Elements of 71st (City of London) Yeomanry Signal Regiment (Volunteers) |
Elements of 51st Highland, 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland |
Elements of 4th Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border) |
Elements of 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers |
Elements of 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment |
Elements of 7th Battalion The Rifles |
Elements of The Scottish Transport Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps (Volunteers) |
Elements of The Welsh Transport Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps (Volunteers) |
Elements of 88 Postal and Courier Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps (Volunteers) |
Elements of 159 Supply Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps (Volunteers) |
Elements of 148 Expeditionary Force Institute Squadron, The Royal Logistic Corps (Volunteers) |
Elements of 103 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (Volunteers) |
Elements of 3 Military Intelligence Battalion (Volunteers) |
Elements of 5 Military Intelligence Battalion (Volunteers) |
31 Squadron, Royal Air Force |
12 (Bomber) Squadron, Royal Air Force |
2 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment |
3 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment |
Number 3 Royal Air Force Force Protection Wing Headquarters |
Number 2 Tactical Police Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 47 Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 30 Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 5 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 32 (The Royal) Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 28 Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 216 Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 39 Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 13 Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 27 Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 18 Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 51 Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 99 Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 78 Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 33 (Engineering) Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 90 Signals Unit, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 1 Air Control Centre, Royal Air Force |
Elements of Tactical Supply Wing, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 1 Air Mobility Wing, Royal Air Force |
Elements of Tactical Medical Wing, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 2 (Mechanical Transport) Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of 93 (Expeditionary Armaments) Squadron, Royal Air Force |
Elements of Engineering and Logistics Wing, Royal Air Force Odiham |
In addition to the list of formed units, individual augmentees from each of the services will continue to deploy as part of this integrated force package. In total we expect around 910 individual augmentees to deploy on operations. This will comprise 146 Royal Navy personnel; approximately 4002 Army personnel and 364 Royal Air Force personnel. The Royal Air Force will provide the command element of Headquarters Joint Force Support (Afghanistan),with the wider headquarters manned by individual augmentees from all three 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 550 call-out notices. 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 although a small proportion of any force which is stood down due to force level reductions is likely to be reservist.
As the Prime Minister announced in December 2012, the UK’s conventional force levels in Afghanistan will draw down from 9,000 at the end of 2012 to around 5,200 by the end of 2013.
I shall make a further statement on 1 Mechanised Brigade’s planned replacement formation, 7 Armoured Brigade, nearer the time of their deployment.
1Where the contribution is 10 personnel or more.
2Although we expect this to rise to approximately 450 when the UK deploys personnel to the Afghan National Army Officers’ Academy during the Operation Herrick 18 period.