British army: it is possible to contract further

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British army: it is possible to contract further


The armed forces of Great Britain are able, together with the allies, to participate in interventions; priority area - amphibious assault

Although Britain is a nuclear power and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, its political weight, not only on a global, but also on a European scale, is completely incomparable with what it was at least in the first half of the 20th century. For two decades after the end of World War II, the country lost its gigantic colonial empire, with Washington taking the most active part in its dismantling. Now London is considered the most important ally of the United States, but it is impossible to call this union equal even if maximum political correctness is observed.

After the end of the Cold War, Britain’s military power also began to decline rapidly. The apotheosis of this process was the "optimization" of the armed forces (AF) in 2010, during which the planes that had just come off the assembly line went under the knife, while others were sold in the USA for spare parts. At the beginning of the 90s, the British Armed Forces had 1,2 thousand tanks, 3,2 thousand infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, about 700 artillery systems and almost 850 combat aircraft. Today, all these numbers have fallen dramatically.

What are the land forces

The British Ground Forces are divided into three main components.

The maneuverable forces (field army) include the 1 armored and 3 armored divisions and the theater of troops (support and support command). 1-I armored division deployed in Germany (headquartered in the city of Herford), its withdrawal to the territory of the United Kingdom is expected to carry out before 2016 year.

The joint helicopter command consists of the 16 th air assault brigade, the helicopter support command for the troops, and the helicopter units abroad.

Ground Forces in Great Britain - 2, 4, 5, motorized infantry divisions, command of support for troops in Germany, London Military District, organized reserve (territorial army).

The only tank of the British army is "Challenger 2" (288 machines in the ranks, up to 120 in storage). There 355 BMP "Warrior" and 126 different machines on its base, more than 1,1 thousand armored personnel carriers and armored cars (465 AFV432, 330 «Spartan", 20 "Stormer", 131 "Viking", 70 "Mastiff", 58 "Varthog", 163 "Sultan").


"Challenger-2". Photo: Joerg Sarbach / AP, archive


Artillery is represented by the 124 SAU AS90, 98 towed LG guns (105 mm), 26 self-propelled mortars (81 mm) on the AFV432 BTR and 39 MLRS MLRS.

Military air defense includes 24 air defense systems "Rapier" and 43 "Starstrik" on the chassis of an armored personnel carrier "Stormer".

Army aviation - 67 attack helicopters Apache, 54 multipurpose Lynks and 34 Gazelles.

Aviation in a state of reduction

The Air Forces organizationally consist of the 1 th tactical aviation aviation group, the 2 th aviation aviation support and support aviation group and the 22 aviation preparation group.

The main combat aircraft is the Typhoon, produced jointly with Germany, Italy and Spain. Initially, the British Air Force planned to acquire 250 of such machines, then these plans were reduced to 232, and then to 160. 114 “Typhoon” has already been received, including 22 combat training, three more are in storage.

The Tornado GR88 attack aircraft and one F4 Tornado interceptor remain in the 2 air force (another 44 Tornado GR and 16 F3 Tornado are in storage, but 30 and 12 of them are respectively for disassembly into parts or are already in its process), their number is gradually reduced. In addition, until 65 attack aircraft "Jaguar" is in storage.

The Air Force also has numerous auxiliary vehicles. These are DRLO airplanes - six E-3 (one more in storage). Aircraft reconnaissance and surveillance - five "Sentinel-R1", five "Shadow-R1", one BN-2, one RC-135W (there will be two more).

Transport planes and tankers - eight C-17, seven Tristar, two KS 2, five KC 3, six Bae 125, six Bae 146, 24 C-130 Hercules (another 24 in storage).

Training aircraft - 98 "Hawk" (another 13 in storage), 41 "Tukano" (another 13 in storage), 65 "Vigilant", 69 "Viking", 119 "Tutor".

Helicopters - 45 “Chinook”, 24 “Puma” (still 12 in storage), 27 “Merlin” HC3, 25 “Sea King” HAR3, 5 A-109E.

Combat UAV - 10 MQ-9 "Reaper".


"Typhoon". Photo: Alastair Grant / AP


In the UK, there are two active US air force bases, Leikenhit and Middledenhall. The first is based on the 48-e fighter wing (around 50 aircraft F-15C / D / E), on the second - the 100-e refueling wing and 352-I group of special operations (refueling agents KS-135, reconnaissance aircraft RC-135, special forces planes MS -130P / H). Nuclear weapon USA completely withdrawn from the territory of Great Britain.

The power of amphibious assault increased

The British Navy has not been ruled by the seas for a very long time (even those directly adjacent to the British Isles). However, it is in them that the entire nuclear power of the country is concentrated. These are four submarines (ballistic missile submarine) of the Vanguard type with ballistic missiles Trident-2 (formally 16 on each, but in fact there are only 58 missiles). The UK is the only country in the world that has officially announced the size of its nuclear arsenal: 160 deployed and 65 non-deployed warheads for specified 58 SLBMs. There is an active discussion in the country on how to replace Vanguards and whether it should be done at all.

Adopting British fleet At present, multi-purpose atomic submarines (PLA) of the “Estuit” type are arriving. Two such boats have already been put into operation, three more are under construction, two have been ordered. Five submarines of the Trafalgar type also remain in service. In addition, four SSBNs of the “Resolution” type, two submarines of the Trafalgar type, six submarines of the Swiftshur type and six submarines of the old types were withdrawn from the Navy. The Navy command has announced a tender for the cheapest option for their disposal.

The only remaining in the ranks of the aircraft carrier of the British fleet is the Illustries, but all of the vertical take-off and landing aircraft (VTOL) Harrier (both ship-based and ground-based) in 2011 were sold in the US for parts. Accordingly, the "aircraft carrier" "Ilustries" is a formality, it can carry only helicopters.

Two aircraft carriers such as the Queen Elizabeth are being built, which will become the largest ships in stories British Navy. For them, it is planned to purchase the X-NUMX of the US VTOL F-138, while only three such aircraft have been purchased. At present, the fate of both the new aircraft carriers themselves and their aircraft is uncertain. Especially since for them there will be a shortage of escort ships.

The structure of the British fleet just introduced six newest destroyers such as "Daring". The Navy is armed with 13 frigates of the "Norfolk" type. In the indefinite future, it is planned to replace them with a similar number of frigates of the new 26 project, but so far this program is at the discussion level.

Mine-sweeping forces include 15 minesweepers: eight of the Hunt type, seven of the Sendown type.


Submarine "Estyut". Photo: JJ Massey / AP


With an overall significant reduction in the British fleet over the past two decades, its amphibious capabilities have increased over this period. There is one universal amphibious assault ship (UDC) “Ocean” (today it is the largest ship of the British Navy), two amphibious helicopter carriers of the Albion type, three amphibious transport docks (TDC) of the Bey type, and the TDC Sir Tristram "Used as a training. The Marine Corps consists of three battalion groups, one group of defense of naval objects, one assault landing group and a number of support units.

After the sale of the Harrier, there were no aircraft left in the naval aviation, there are only helicopters - 38 "Merlin" (four more in storage), 55 "Sea King" (another 27 in storage).

Falklands will be able to defend

In general, the British military capabilities in recent years have been very significantly reduced, and this process continues. However, as is the case with other NATO countries, for Britain there is no threat of external aggression. The interventionist capabilities of the British Armed Forces are sufficient for participation in collective police-peacekeeping operations in alliance with the United States and / or European countries in the framework of NATO, the EU and the informal Anglo-Saxon alliance.

Britain’s only theoretically possible independent war is with Argentina over the Falklands. The sharp reduction in the number of naval personnel and, most importantly, the complete loss of deck and strategic aviation (in 1982, the British, besides the Harriers, still had volcano bombers), significantly reducing the ability of Great Britain to recapture the islands in the event that they were seized by Argentines. But in fact, there is no need for London to be alarmed: The Armed Forces of Argentina for three and a half decades have virtually degraded to a complete loss of combat capability. Therefore, the British Armed Forces can be reduced further, the country is in no danger.
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19 comments
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  1. +5
    1 May 2014 09: 59
    Sick of these Anglo-Saxons by their bloated conceit ?? Tired of waiting for England to die out (((1854 years waiting!
    1. +4
      1 May 2014 14: 26
      Consider me a supporter of conspiracy theory, but for me, England and the United States are one state, or rather, England most likely rules the United States. And we are across their throats, because we don’t want to obey. IMHO. Yes, and she left the colony.
      1. +9
        1 May 2014 20: 19
        Interesting video. I would call it so "A fly in the ointment, smeared with a barrel of honey." When I got to watching the concluding part of this video, it became clear that the history of colonization by England is just an appendix to the Maidan agitation in Russia. Only now I have an interesting question for the agitators. Who else if not Putin? There will be no answer. Because the purpose of such agitation is not to elect a new president, but to arrange another turmoil. And although Putin is not perfect, he is still a fine fellow and there is simply no equal to him (in terms of benefits for Russia).
        In general - cheap video from 5 columns.
      2. -6
        1 May 2014 21: 31
        M-d ... Garbage type - Glory to Russia! Glory to the heroes!
  2. +3
    1 May 2014 10: 16
    British Army 2020 should not be overlooked when talking about the British Army
    ..hut..http: //www.army.mod.uk/structure/33449.aspx
    http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/defen
    ce-committee / inquiries / parliament-2010 / future-army-2020 /
    http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/defen
    ce-committee / news / 9th-report-substantive-pn /
  3. +3
    1 May 2014 10: 18
    England is such an unannounced 51 US state, they are simply struck by their common policy - where the mattresses climb there and the British. :)
  4. +1
    1 May 2014 10: 23
    Old England is not the same ... :)
  5. cat 1970
    -1
    1 May 2014 10: 35
    Ah, a fight ???? BADS, A ???
  6. 0
    1 May 2014 12: 16
    little is left of the great British world — they would still have peacefully dissolve the country into independent states and it would be like hundreds of years ago. Or let them enter Australia as an overseas government
  7. 0
    1 May 2014 12: 17
    Why do they really need an army?
  8. 0
    1 May 2014 12: 50
    Aust from Ukraine beaut example! And in general, an example in everything. We will be pleased.
  9. +1
    1 May 2014 14: 06
    The main thing is that the anglers of ya.tsa do not freeze up to diapers in the winter, and in the summer do not squish .... they are the ducks ...
  10. Leshka
    -1
    1 May 2014 14: 21
    England is a disappearing power with little left
  11. +7
    1 May 2014 14: 23
    Happy people! They can afford to support the army in the calculation of the war with Argetina! But there were other times. Let us recall the volcano Vulcan, a popular bomber in the post-war years, which was an example to follow. that their hypothetical adversary, Russia, is not going to fight them. In European countries, the same tendency is to reduce their own armed forces, as this allows significant budgetary funds to be saved.
  12. +7
    1 May 2014 16: 38
    For especially slow-witted idiots. I already wrote here, and again I write SPECIALLY FOR YOU, never think that your opponent is blind and deaf d_urak. And the British have never been fools. And they are an evil and skillful opponent, which means they are worthy and uncomfortable . And God forbid we will get in touch with them, it will be difficult. The Navy and the army are very well balanced in the current economic and political realities. Regarding the Falklands. Indeed, the Argentine forces have degraded even compared to 1982, and say that they supposedly Venezuela will help simply frivolously. The slogans are all and rallies. Yes and Hugo no longer. Well, and if it will be in real life ...., in this case, the British will help you, not in words, but in deed. And finally, I don’t an Englishman and not an alarmist, I try to really assess the current situation and the forces of the parties. PS The only minus of the article is that it was written by Khramchikhin.
    1. ICT
      0
      4 May 2014 08: 02
      Quote: Volozhanin
      For especially slow-witted idiots. I already wrote here, and again I write SPECIALLY FOR YOU, never think that your opponent is blind and deaf

      I will support with the help of video of one TV show

      http://newseriya.ru/serial-8655-Top_Gir-sezon21.html


      2 series

      watch on the topic of our site from 27 minutes, well, for fun, you can see the next series, waiting for the guest in the studio
  13. +4
    1 May 2014 16: 56
    The contraction of the British army should not mislead us. Although all NATO countries in Europe can be disarmed, the United States will remain behind them, to which they will provide military support. The Americans can use this trick for their own purposes: they say we are not going to fight - Europe is disarming, and you are disarming. It should not be fooled in the event of such negotiations to reduce the army should be the United States, and in proportion.
  14. Stasi
    +2
    1 May 2014 17: 00
    Maybe Russia should organize military cooperation with Argentina? In exchange for the creation of our military base in Argentina, we will be able to supply the Argentine army with our weapons and equipment, and train the officers of the Argentine army in our schools and academies. I am sure that this cooperation was beneficial both to Argentina and Russia.
    1. +2
      1 May 2014 19: 18
      I am sure that this cooperation was beneficial both to Argentina and Russia.

      And mattresses? They perceive Latin America as their backyard. Do not think that the "silvers" also have a keen desire to cooperate with us to the detriment of the A.M.U.A.M. But their people in the ruling class of Argentina They have enough, I think we need to deal with Ukraine ...
    2. 0
      8 May 2014 17: 28
      Never profitable. And the base, if we create, will be unprofitable. What are we going to base there? Two destroyers?
  15. necha265
    0
    6 May 2014 22: 10
    Yes Americans compared to the Britons, just lost sheep !!! All the misfortunes and wars of Russia from the British, that's who it was necessary to finish in 1945 and poher that they were allies, and Stalin struck something, oh yes they substituted the Japanese for themselves we didn’t get to them either !!! And the queen, like Don Carleone, knows how to make offers, but she didn’t regret her daughter-in-law !! SNAKE NEST !! bully feel
    1. 0
      8 May 2014 17: 25
      Are you raving?

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