Overseas military bases of the United Kingdom

A view of RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands

This article details the various overseas military bases of the United Kingdom. The maintenance of overseas military bases enable the United Kingdom to conduct expeditionary warfare, and often tend to be located in areas of strategic or diplomatic importance. Oftentimes they act as staging areas for the buildup or resupply of military forces, as was seen during the 1982 Falklands War and the use of RAF Ascension Island. All of Britain's permanent military installations are located on British Overseas Territories (BOTs) or former colonies which retain close diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom.

Overseas military installations

The British Armed Forces maintain a number of garrisons and military facilities around the world:

Location Details Note
Ascension Island RAF Ascension Island: The RAF maintains an airbase on Ascension Island, notable for use as a staging post during the 1982 Falklands War, the territory is also the site of a joint UK-US signals intelligence facility. [1]
Bahrain Britain's return East of Suez was marked with the establishment of a large Naval Support Facility (NSF) in 2016. The base is able to support naval vessels up-to the size of aircraft carriers. Bahrain is also home to the UK Maritime Component Command (UKMCC), which supports Royal Navy mine countermeasures vessel deployed in the wider Middle East region. [2]
Belize British Army Training and Support Unit Belize: Used primarily for jungle warfare training, with access to 5,000 sq mi of jungle terrain. Although British facilities were mothballed in the 2010 SDSR, BATSUB is still seeing increased usage. [3]
British Indian Ocean Territory British Forces British Indian Ocean Territories: A Permanent Joint Operating Base (PJOB). Although the naval and airbase facilities on Diego Garcia are leased to the United States, the United Kingdom retains continual access. The small but permanent British garrison, known as Naval Party 1002, forms the civil administration on the territory. [4]
Brunei British Forces Brunei: A British Garrison consisting of one battalion from the Royal Gurkha Rifles and No. 7 Flight AAC. The garrison also hosts routine jungle warfare courses for the British Army and Royal Marines. [5]
Canada British Army Training Unit Suffield: BATUS is home to a large contingent of in service British Army vehicles such as the Challenger 2 and Warrior IFV. It is the British Army's largest armoured warfare training facility, training up-to five battlegroups, each consisting of 1,400 personnel, every year. [6]
Cyprus British Forces Cyprus: A Permanent Joint Operating Base (PJOB) with significant garrisons located within Akrotiri and Dhekelia. These include a large airbase (RAF Akrotiri), the joint signals intelligence stations (RAF Troodos & Ayios Nikolaos) and facilities to support two resident infantry battalions and supporting British Army units. [4]
Falkland Islands British Forces South Atlantic Islands: BFSAI is categorised as a Permanent Joint Operating Base (PJOB). The British garrison is centred around RAF Mount Pleasant (the Mount Pleasant Complex) and includes commitments from all branches of the Armed Forces, most notably; No. 1435 Flight RAF (4 x Typhoons), No. 1312 Flight RAF (1 x Voyager and 1 x Hercules), a Type 45 destroyer or Type 23 frigate, HMS Clyde and some 1,000 British Army personnel. There are also several early-warning and airspace control radar stations placed at tactically critical locations, and East Cove Military Port, a deep-water port operated by Naval Party 2010. [4]
Germany British Forces Germany: Home of the 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade and supporting elements. In line with the announcements made in the 2010 SDSR, British Forces Germany will be rebased inside the UK by 2019. [7]
Gibraltar British Forces Gibraltar: British Forces Gibraltar one of the United Kingdoms four Permanent Joint Operating Bases (PJOBs). Britain has maintained a military presence in Gibraltar since its capture (1704) and the subsequent Treaty of Utrecht (1713). Facilities include (but not limited too) the airbase RAF Gibraltar and the Port of Gibraltar. [4]
Kenya British Army Training Unit Kenya: Used primarily for the training of British infantry battalions in the arid and rugged terrain of the Great Rift Valley. Routine Royal Engineers and Royal Army Medical Corps exercises also carry out civil engineering projects and health care assistance to the local communities. [8]
Nepal British Gurkhas Nepal: The British Army maintains a small outpost in Nepal for recruitment purposes to the Brigade of Gurkhas. [9]
Singapore Naval Party 1022: The Royal Navy retains a repair and logistics support facility at Sembawang wharf in support of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA). [10]
Qatar RAF Al Udeid: The RAF outpost at Al Udeid Air Base serves as the operational headquarters for No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group and its operations across the Middle East.

Locally raised units of British Overseas Territories

Four British Overseas Territories also maintain their own locally raised units for home defence and security:

Location Details Official website
Bermuda The Royal Bermuda Regiment : Formed in 1965. www.bermudaregiment.bm
Falkland Islands Falkland Islands Defence Force: Traces its origins back to 1847. The force consists of one light infantry company and trains once per week. It is manned entirely by the local population, following British Army doctrine, training and operations. www.fig.gov.fk/fidf
Gibraltar Royal Gibraltar Regiment: Raised in 1943. The regiment consists of one infantry battalion (1 x HQ company and 3 x infantry companies) and is regarded as a colonial force within the structure of the British Army. royalgibraltarregiment.gi
Montserrat Royal Montserrat Defence Force: Raised in 1899.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Status and Location of the Military Installations of the Member States of the European Union" (PDF). Policy Department External Policies: 13–14. February 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  2. ↑ "Royal Navy's new Bahrain base seriously enhances Britain's ability to defend the Gulf". The Telegraph. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "New Lease of Life for British Army Base in Belize". 7 April 2015. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Permanent Joint Operating Bases (PJOBs), www.gov.uk, 12 December 2012
  5. ↑ "The British Army in Brunei". www.army.mod.uk/. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  6. ↑ "The British Army in Canada". www.army.mod.uk/. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  7. ↑ "The British Army in Germany". www.army.mod.uk/. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  8. ↑ "The British Army in Africa". www.army.mod.uk/. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  9. ↑ "British Gurkhas Nepal". www.army.mod.uk/. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  10. ↑ Navy News (Magazine). United Kingdom: Royal Navy. June 2011. p. 11 Eastern Outpost. Retrieved 22 June 2016. ("The White Ensign is still flying above the operations of Naval Party 1022 (NP1022), based at Sembawang Wharves in Singapore.")

External links

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