British Armed Forces Thread

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Parachute Regiment and 16 Air Assault Brigade

 

[HMS Astute]

On the western edge of Kabul stands the Afghan National Army Officer Academy, (ANAOA), which houses Camp Qargha, Multi National Mentioring HQ where Britih forces are based. The ANAOA is the Afghan Army's equivalent of Sandhurst where it trains it officers in all aspects of how to be a Army Officer. The Academy is not a blue print of Sandhurst but has taken many of it's lessons form the college.Kabul Support Unit, KSU, Coldstream Guards are giving force protection to troops in Kabul, including vehicle moves between all ISAF bases and gardian angels for ANAOA including on execise.Sniper pair.

Coldstream Guards based at Camp Souter, Kabul.Kabul Support Unit, KSU, Coldstream Guards are giving force protection to troops in Kabul, including vehicle moves between all ISAF bases and gardian angels for ANAOA including on execise.Gdsm Matt Irvine, Sgt Christopher Richardson, Gdsm Ashley Smith, practcing an attack on the Civilian Armoured Vehicles, CAV's.

Personnel from B Squadron, 9/12 Royal Lancers and Coldstream Guards,will form the basis of the 7 (Armd) Brigade Reconnaissance Force on Op Herrick 19. Troops have been preparing for the role with a bespoke training package delivered by the OPTAG Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing (SRW) that includes vehicle mobility drills on Jackal and Coyote at Branuton Burrows, in Devon, and surveillance and reconnaissance work at the Sennybridge Training Area in the Brecon Beacons.

Soldiers from A Company, The Highlanders, 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, are packed tightly together in a Chinook HC2 helicopter en route to an insurgent facilitation area in the southeastern corner of Nahr-e-Saraj district, Helmand province, July 2, at the outset of Operation ZMARAY SUK II. The operation aimed to disrupt insurgent activity in an area that had yet to see coalition or Afghan security forces.

Officers and soldiers from 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshire's) (1 PWRR) acclimatize to the soaring heat and prepare their equipment after recently deploying to Kenya on Exercise Askari Thunder 6.The aim of the exercise is to put the 1PWRR Battle Group through Hybrid Foundation Training(HFT) . The exercise consists of multiple stages and is conducted over a six week period.

 

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A soldier of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (1RRF), stands guard at Checkpoint Abpashak East with a Combat Shotgun in Helmand, Afghanistan.Soldiers of 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (1RRF) have handed over control of Check Point Abpashak East to the Afghan security forces.CP Abpashak East becomes the latest checkpoint in the Nahr-e Saraj district to be handed over to the Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP) as they continue to grow in strength.The Fusiliers have been deployed in the district since March, operating in support of their Afghan partners along the Helmand River valley, the key route Highway One and the Nahr-e Bugra (NEB) Canal.

A soldier on a quad bike looks on as a Royal Air Force Chinook lands at Forward Operating Base Shawquat to drop off troops, post and supplies off at the base in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Soldiers from 3 Regiment Army Air Corps are pictured on parade in Aldeburgh in Suffolk. Over100 soldiers marched through Aldeburgh with swords drawn, bayonets fixed, drums beating, bands playing and Colours flying. On Saturday 23 June the Freedom of the Town of Aldeburgh was received by 3 Regiment Army Air Corps, which is based at Wattisham and flies the Apache attack helicopter, from Aldeburgh Town Council. The granting of the freedom deepens relations between Aldeburgh and 3 Regt AAC, with the unit's 653 Squadron having a close affiliation with the town. The parade took the soldiers along High Street to the Moot Hall, where Mayor of Aldeburgh Cllr Peter Cox and Lieutenant General Sir Gary Coward KBE CB took take the salute. There was a presentation of Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medals and campaign medals earned from the Regiment's deployment to Afghanistan last year, before an Apache flypast.

Soldiers with 16 Air Assault Brigade are pictured attacking the enemy through smoke during Exercise Eagle's Eye in Italy.The eyes and ears of the British Army's rapid reaction force have been put through their paces on a demanding training exercise in Italy.Exercise Eagles Eye saw 16 Air Assault Brigade troops, who specialise in reconnaissance, work alongside the Italian Brigata Paracadutisti Folgore. The aim of the training was to test the full range of Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities and share techniques and tactics with their Italian counterparts.The exercise built up to a simultaneous parachute drop near Siena and helicopter assault on a strongpoint in Monte Romano, near Rome. Advance forces had secured and marked the drop and landing zones, checked the routes off and carried out surveillance of the strongpoint to identify targets to be hit by air and artillery strikes.

A soldier from Fiji serving with 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment, Army Air Corp (AAC) in Afghanistan, loads rockets into the launcher of an Apache helicopter at Camp Bastion.

Soldiers of the Royal Artillery are pictured firing 105mm Light Guns during an exercise.Commonly known as the 'Gunners', the Royal Artillery provides firepower to the British Army. They are responsible for finding the enemy using a variety of high-tech equipment and then, when required, striking them using everything from explosive shells to advanced precision rockets.

A soldier operates the remote controlled Mark 8 Wheel Barrow Counter IED Robot. The soldier is part of the EOD(Explosive Ordinance Device) and Search team based out of FOB (Forward Operating Base) Ouellette.The Mark 8 Wheel Barrow is used for remote clearance of IEDs (Improvice Explosive Devices) and it is remotely driven.

British troops are pictured boarding an RAF C-17 flight at 901 EAW (Expeditionary Air Wing) B Flt before the transit to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.The C-17 gives the RAF a longrange strategic heavy-lift transport aircraft that offers the ability to project and sustain an effective force close to a potential area of operations for combat, peacekeeping or humanitarian missions worldwide.

 

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RAF Atlas

The aircraft, which has until now been known as the A400M, will replace the RAF's existing C-130 Hercules fleet and, along with the Voyager and C-17, will provide the UK military's future air transport force. The UK is buying 22 of the aircraft from Airbus Military, and the first Atlas is expected to be delivered to the RAF in 2014. Able to carry twice as much as the Hercules, Atlas can transport 32 tonnes of cargo over a range of 4,500km, providing unprecedented capability to support the UK Armed Forces. It can move up to 116 paratroopers and large armoured vehicles such as Mastiffs as well as vast amounts of humanitarian and disaster relief. The aircraft's ability to land on semi-permanent runways and rough ground means Atlas can fly its cargo into the centre of operations, supplying tactical forward bases or evacuating casualties or refugees.Atlas, together with the C-17 Globemaster, C-130J Hercules and the new Voyager aircraft now entering service with the RAF, will give us the ability to rapidly move people and equipment around the globe for military and humanitarian operations for decades ahead.

 

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RC-135W Rivet Joint (Project Airseeker)

Boeing RC-135 is a family of large reconnaissance aircraft built by Boeing and used by the United States Air Force and Royal Air Force to support theater and national level intelligence consumers with near real-time on-scene collection, analysis and dissemination capabilities.

 

[HMS Astute]

Remembrance Sunday

In the United Kingdom, Remembrance Sunday is held on the second Sunday in November, which is the Sunday nearest to 11 November Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of hostilities in the First World War at 11 a.m. on 11 November 1918. Remembrance Sunday is held to commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts.

 

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First World War Centenary

'We salute those who died to give us our freedom. We will remember them': William and Kate join global commemorations to honour the brave men who fought in the trenches exactly 100 years after the Great War began

• Prince William and his wife's first appearance today was in Liege, Belgium - Germany's first obstacle after war began
• The Cambridges met Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of Belgium this morning in the city that was reduced to rubble
• Speaking at the Cointe Inter-Allied Memorial overlooking Liege, William thanked Belgians for their resistance in 1914
• Later they'll join Prince Harry and British Prime Minister David Cameron in the Belgian city of Mons for commemoration
• The Queen, Prince Philip and Prince Charles were attending similar events in Glasgow and London today
• Britain declared war on Germany at 11pm on August 4, 1914; 17 million soldiers and civilians died over next four years

Paying tribute to those who died for us: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge exchanged smiles ahead of a commemorative service in the Belgian city of Liege today

Remembering the fallen: Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of Belgium pose with the Duchess and Duke of Cambridge in Liege today ahead of a commemoration service

Dignitaries from around the world: Prince William and Kate took their seats on the stage at Liege alongside (L-R, seated) France's President Francois Hollande, Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of Belgium, and German President Joachim Gauck

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were seen speaking with France's President Francois Hollande ahead of the commemorations in Belgium today

Giving thanks to Belgium: Prince William addressed the world leaders during the ceremony at the Cointe Inter-Allied Memorial at Liege in Belgium

Awe-inspiring setting: The Duke of Cambridge (at lectern, bottom left) addressed leaders from around the world at the Cointe Inter-Allied Memorial at Liege, Belgium

Salute: A New Zealand Army bugler plays the last post at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior during a ceremony to commemorate the centenary of the start of World War One in Wellington

At the going down of the sun: The sun sets behind the Black Watch Memorial last night. The memorial honours the 8,960 Black Watch officers and soldiers killed and more than 20,000 who were wounded in the course of the First World One

 

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First World War Centenary

The Prince of Wales, who is known as the Duke of Rothesay north of the border, attended a commemorative service at Glasgow Cathedral today alongside 1,400 guests

Day of commemorations: Prince Charles arrives at Glasgow Cathedral to attend a memorial service to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War

Never forgotten: Flowers are placed around the 'Grave of the Unknown Warrior' ahead of a candlelight vigil on August 4 at Westminster Abbey today. A candle to be lit there will be blown out as the war started 100 years ago

Carpet of flowers: Members of the National Association of Flower Arranging Societies dress the grave in flowers from the four nations including lilies, heather and roses are laid across the Abbey floor

Memorial: One hundred white crosses with names of some of those lost in the Great War stand in the New Zealand Parliament grounds in Wellington

Remembrance: The work, produced by artist Paul Cummins and theatre stage designer Tom Piper, is titled Blood Swept Lands And Seas Of Red, it will eventually include a poppy for every British or colonial military fatality of the war, which Britain entered 100 years ago today

 

[HMS Astute]

Challenger 2 (MBT)

The Challenger 2 is a British main battle tank (MBT) currently in service with the armies of the United Kingdom and Oman. It was designed and built by the British company Vickers Defence Systems (now known as BAE Systems Land and Armaments). Challenger 2 is an extensive redesign of the Challenger 1. Although the hull and automotive components seem similar, they are of a newer design and build than those of the Challenger 1, and fewer than 5% of components are interchangeable. Challenger 2 replaced Challenger 1 in service with the British Army and is also used by the Royal Army of Oman. It has seen operational service in Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq. The Challenger 2 has the latest Chobham armor and is one of the most protected MBTs in the world today. It offers very high level of protection against direct fire weapons. This British tank is armed with a very accurate 120-mm rifled gun. Its gun is rifled as opposed to smoothbore guns used by all other modern MBTs. Its maximum aimed range is over 5 km. Currently the Challenger holds the record for for longest tank-to-tank kill. The main armament of this tank is L30A1 120 mm rifled gun with 52 rounds. Challenger 2 entered the service with the British Army in 1998 and 446 units have been built.

 

[HMS Astute]

Astute-class nuclear hunter-killer submarines

The Astute class is the latest class of nuclear-powered fleet submarines in service of the Royal Navy. The class sets a new standard for the Royal Navy in terms of weapons load, communication facilities and stealth. The boats are being constructed by BAE Systems Maritime – Submarines at Barrow-in-Furness. Seven boats will be constructed. The first of class, Astute, was launched in 2007 and commissioned in 2010, and the second, Ambush, was launched on 6 January 2011, and commissioned on 1 March 2013. Astute was declared fully operational in May 2014, while Ambush is undergoing maintenance in preparation for operational deployment.


Characteristics
The boats of the Astute class are powered by a Rolls-Royce PWR2 (Core H) (a pressurised water) reactor and fitted with a pump-jet propulsor. The PWR2 reactor was developed for the Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines. As a result the new submarines are about 30 per cent larger than previous British fleet submarines, which were powered by smaller-diameter reactors. Like all Royal Navy submarines, the bridge fin of the Astute-class boats is specially reinforced to allow surfacing through ice caps. These submarines can also be fitted with a dry deck shelter, which allows special forces (e.g. SBS) to deploy whilst the submarine is submerged. More than 39,000 acoustic tiles mask the vessel's sonar signature, giving the Astute class a better stealth quality than any other submarine previously operated by the Royal Navy. Speculation released by the media stated that by using advanced stealth technology Astute "makes less noise than a baby dolphin, making her as good as undetectable by enemy ships."


Weapons and systems
The Astute class has stowage for 38 weapons and would typically carry both Spearfish heavy torpedoes and Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles, the latter costing £870,000 each. The Tomahawk missiles are capable of hitting a target to within a few metres within a range of 1,240 miles (2,000 kilometres). The Astute class will also be able to fire the new "tactical Tomahawk" currently under development. The Astute Combat Management System is an evolved version of the Submarine Command System used on other classes of British submarine. The system receives data from the boat's sensors and displays real time imagery on all command consoles. The submarines also have Atlas Hydrographic DESO 25 high-precision echosounders, two CM010 non-hull-penetrating optronic masts—in place of conventional periscopes—which carry thermal imaging and low-light TV and colour CCD TV sensors. The class also mounts a Raytheon Successor IFF system.

For detecting enemy ships and submarines the Astute class are equipped with the sophisticated Thales Underwater Systems Sonar 2076, an integrated passive/active search and attack sonar suite with bow, intercept, flank and towed arrays. BAE claims that the 2076 represents a "step change" over previous sonars and is the world's most advanced and effective sonar system.

In 2012, during simulated battles with the United States Navy's latest Virginia-class submarine (the USS New Mexico), it was reported that the Americans were "taken aback" by Astute's capabilities. Royal Navy Commander Ian Breckenridge was quoted saying: "Our sonar is fantastic and I have never before experienced holding a submarine at the range we were holding USS New Mexico. The Americans were utterly taken aback, blown away with what they were seeing."

 

[Ray]

Afghan soldier attacks Nato troops at UK army academy

5 August 2014 Last updated at 14:48

A man in Afghan military uniform opened fire at a British-run military academy near Kabul, killing one soldier and wounding at least 14, officials say.

The Nato soldier who was killed is thought to be from the US, while a German general is among those wounded.

The BBC understands the shooting at Camp Qargha happened after an argument broke out.

Afghan Defence Ministry sources told the BBC the attacker was a soldier who was recruited three years ago.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AP news agency that one US soldier was killed and "about a dozen" of the wounded were Americans.

Afghan 'Sandhurst'
The training academy is modelled on UK military academy Sandhurst and will be the only British military presence in Afghanistan when operations end this year.

It first took cadets last October.

BBC News - Afghan soldier attacks Nato troops at UK army academy

If this is the state of affairs in Afghanistan now, when the ISAF and the US Forces are still present, one wonders what will happen when the Western Forces withdraw.

 

[Ray]

Afghan soldier attacks Nato troops at UK army academy

5 August 2014 Last updated at 14:48

A man in Afghan military uniform opened fire at a British-run military academy near Kabul, killing one soldier and wounding at least 14, officials say.

The Nato soldier who was killed is thought to be from the US, while a German general is among those wounded.

The BBC understands the shooting at Camp Qargha happened after an argument broke out.

Afghan Defence Ministry sources told the BBC the attacker was a soldier who was recruited three years ago.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AP news agency that one US soldier was killed and "about a dozen" of the wounded were Americans.

Afghan 'Sandhurst'
The training academy is modelled on UK military academy Sandhurst and will be the only British military presence in Afghanistan when operations end this year.

It first took cadets last October.

BBC News - Afghan soldier attacks Nato troops at UK army academy

If this is the state of affairs in Afghanistan now, when the ISAF and the US Forces are still present, one wonders what will happen when the Western Forces withdraw.

 

[Ray]

It is good that UK is investing in submarines.

Being an island nation, it has no depth.

It has to extend its reach well before the enemy can join battle for the capture of UK.

From the naval standpoint, as also for having roving and near undetectable ballistic missile platforms, submarines are the answer.

Britain cannot afford to have another Dunkirk, which took the teeth off the German plan for an offensive on Great Britain or so it is surmised.

 

[HMS Astute]

UK F-35B Lightning II

One of the UK's F-35B Lightning II aircraft takes off from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Personnel from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force were familiarising themselves with the F-35 processes and procedures both in the air and on the ground at the US Air Force Base. The F-35B Lightning II will place the UK at the forefront of fighter technology, giving the Royal Air Force a true multi-role all weather, day and night capability, able to operate from well-established land bases, deployed locations or the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.

 

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A Warrior light tank with increased armour. This vehicle was taking part in the Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) Equipment Demonstration at Salisbury Plain.The Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle has the speed and performance to keep up with Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks over the most difficult terrain, and the firepower and armour to support infantry in any assault.The demonstration displayed the complete range of equipment that is in use by the Army, on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Involved in the display were actual soldiers who had used the equipment in an operational environment.

A Territorial Army reservist soldier on top cover of a Vector vehicle manning the General Machine Gun, protects a convoy on Highway One, Southern Afghanistan. The soldier was with Imjin Company 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment part of 16 Air Assault Brigades deployment to Afghanistan Helmand Province. Over 20 soldiers from Imjin Company, the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment have been working alongside the Afghan National Army in the Upper Gereshk Valley of Helmand Province of Southern Afghanistan.

Pictured are elements of the Manoeuvre Support Group MSG from 42 Commando Royal Marines, based at Bickleigh Barracks Plymouth, whilst conducting live firing of the new Light Forces Anti-Tank Guided Weapon (LFATGW) Javelin. 42 Commando Royal Marines were the first UK Armed Force to live fire the new Javelin system. The live fire demonstration was an early opportunity to see the Javelin being live fired in the UK. The future reliance on simulation,rather than live firing will mean that a demonstration such as this will be a rare event in the UK during the service life of the system.

Kosovo Battle Group Deploys. A Challenger 2 main battle tank leads Warrior Infantry Fighting vehicles over a bridge during battle group manoeuvers in Kosovo.The tanks and Warrior APC,s come under the command of Brig. Fry Royal Marines, commander of KFOR.

Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks of the Royal dragoon Guards honing their skills in the sands of the Omani desert - at the training area north of Thumbrait. The Regiment is part of Exercise Saif Sareea II, a bi-lateral military Exercise in Oman. More than 20,000 troops have been deployed from the UK and Germany to train alongside Omani forces in a variety of roles.

HMS Enterprise was launched at Appledore in Devon in 2002 and is designed to carry out a wide range of survey work, including support to submarine and amphibious operations. Hydrographic ships work in a variety of sea areas to gather and process hydrographic and oceanographic data for planning and operational purposes. In addition this data will be dispatched to the UK Hydrographic Office for analysis and inclusion into navigational charts and other navigational safety publications. The ships also closely monitor other vessels whilst deployed and deterring any potential illegal activity.

 

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The Lynx Mk8 helicopter from Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster leaves RFA Wave Knight. The Lynx is the backbone of the Fleet Air Arm and front-line operations by the frigate and destroyer fleets, operating over the ice of Antarctica and the sands of the Gulf, the expanse of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, the confines of the Strait of Gibraltar or English Channel.

South African Navy submarine SAS Charlotte Maxeke cuts through the surface ahead of Type 23 frigate HMS Portland during an exercise off the coast of South Africa.

A Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank of the Royal Welsh Battle Group on Exercise Prairie Storm at the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) in Canada. The prairie of Alberta has provided an excellent opportunity for the British Army to train on a large scale since 1972. The British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) is an organisation situated on one of the most sparsely populated areas of the Alberta plain. BATUS is equipped with in excess of 1000 vehicles including a full complement of Challenger 2 tanks and Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Each year a Regiment is sent there for six months to take the part of the 'enemy' for the other Regiments that are there to train each year.

RAF Regiment gunners with the Royal Air Force Reserves are pictured on exercise in Bardufoss, Norway. During the training exercise known as Arctic Kite, personnel from 606 (Chiltern) Squadron along with 2623 (East Anglian) Squadron, No 28 (AC) Squadron equipped with Merlin helicopters from RAF Benson and 244 Signal Squadron from the British Army undertook a variety of missions. As part of the RAF Reserves annual continuation training, 606 (Chiltern) Squadron have deployed along with personnel from both the British Army and Royal Navy to Bardufoss, Norway; the Royal Norwegian Air Force Base (RNoAF) famous for its Royal Navy Commando Helicopter Force training cadre (known as Clockwork) conducting Mountain and Cold Weather training for air and ground crews, 200 miles inside the Arctic Circle. The British personnel are due to be in Norway for approximately two weeks conducting training to test deployed field skills within a realistic austere environment, achieve and support joint evaluation training in a temperate location and promote further opportunities for both existing and potential reserves.

Royal Air Force personnel from MOD St Athan in South Wales, parade through the town of Barry as part of the 40th Anniversary of RAF St Athan being granted the Freedom of the Vale of Glamorgan.

Red berets of the Army's 111 Provost Company Royal Military Police holding British and German flags at a parade in Bergen, Germany. With a history that goes back to the end of the second World War, 111 Provost Company Royal Military Police, paraded in the nearby town of Bergen near Hannover for the final time. With visitors from the RMP association as guests, it was an event filled with mixed emotion. Sadness to see an end to the close ties with a community that began in occupation and developed into being allies and partners, to the joy and happiness of a safe return from operations in Afghanistan. The unit will now disband under the Army 2020 restructuring and the soldiers relocated to other established units mostly in the UK.

Red Berets of the Army's 111 Provost Company Royal Military Police are pictured at a parade in Bergen, Germany.

A British soldier is silhouetted at the Adazi Training Area in Latvia during the multi national Exercise Sabre Strike 2014. The exercise spans multiple locations in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, and involved approximately 4,700 personnel from 10 countries. It was designed to promote regional stability, strengthen international military partnerships, enhance multinational interoperability and prepare participants for worldwide contingency operations.

 

[HMS Astute]

Army Reservists of the The Royal Wessex Yeomanry (RWxY), the South West's Army Reserve Cavalry Regiment taking part in a Challenger 2 main battle tank training exercise.

The UK ordered 200 of the Foxhound Light protected patrol vehicles. Foxhound is at the cutting edge of protected patrol vehicle technology, providing unprecedented levels of blast protection for its size and weight. Featuring blast survivability close to that of a Mastiff - and just a little bigger than the Snatch Land Rover it replaces – the Foxhound is ideally suited for manoeuvring around the narrow backstreets of Helmand's towns and villages. Weighing in at six tones, it has a top speed of 70mph and can do 0-50mph in just 19 seconds. Four-wheel steering makes it extra agile, with a 40ft turning circle.

Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles are pictured during an exercise conducted by 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh (2 RWELSH).The Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle has the speed and performance to keep up with Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks over the most difficult terrain, and the firepower and armour to support infantry in the assault.

A Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle thunders across the prairies of Canada during a training exercise.Units from 12 Mechanized Brigade have been training at the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) on the prairies of Canada for the past three months in preparation for their deployment to Afghanistan. The exercise includes a live fire stage featuring multi-purpose machine guns, heavy artillery AS90 guns, Challenger 2 tanks and Warrior armoured vehicles, before switching to a Tactical Engagement Simulator Exercise (TESEX), which involves no live ammunition and aims to further develop the skills learnt during the live fire stage in a safe environment.

A Mastiff 2 Armoured vehicle leads the way at the Leconfield testing track in North Yorkshire.Mastiff is a heavily armoured, 6 x six-wheel-drive patrol vehicle which carries eight people, plus two crew. It is currently on its third incarnation.It is suitable for road patrols and convoys and is the newest in a range of protected patrol vehicles being used for operations.

Soldiers from 13 Close Support Logistic Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, mount a combat logistic patrol (CLP) to a Forward Operating Base.Combat logistic patrols are always amongst the most complex ground manoeuvres conducted, and this was no exception. The six-day operation involved 76 British vehicles and 22 Afghan vehicles, with 222 soldiers in total. The patrol covered a distance of 2.2 miles, reaching speeds of no more than 5mph due to the terrain of the desert.

A member of the BRF fires a .50cal Heavy Machine Gun during a night range package from a Jackel vehicle. The long exposure used by the photographer traces each round leaving the weapon.Soldiers from 4 Mechanised Brigade's Brigade Reconnaissance Force (4 Bde BRF) took part in Exercise Jordan Express. The exercise in the south of Jordan was based in the desert and was intended to prepare the BRF in readiness for a future deployment to Afghanistan.Over 120 troops took part in the exercise which lasted approximately 4 weeks and involved various Mission Specific Training (MST) in readiness for their deployment in 2010. The arduous and demanding exercise involved several range packages, mines awareness training, physical training, reconnaissance training and signals training, as well as more conventional infantry training.4 Bde are based in Catterick, North Yorkshire, and are due to replace 11 Bde in March/April 2010 for Herrick 12. This will be 4 Bde's first tour of Afghanistan, they will be lead by Brigade Commander Brigadier Richard Felton.

Moments before a contact from the enemy, a column of Viking armoured vehicles led by a Ridgback Armoured Fighting Vehicle rolls up to checkpoint Yellow 7 on the Shamalan Canal in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. During Operation Panchai Palang 2 (Panthers Claw), the men of 2 Company 1 Battalion Welsh Guards (2 Coy 1WG), occupied a compound overlooking Checkpoint Yellow 7, a volatile bridge crossing which had been denied to the insurgents by the introduction of obstacles and men.

 

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A reservist soldier with the Territorial Army (TA) is pictured on patrol in Afghanistan.There are around 30,660 Volunteer Reservists in the UK. Coming from all backgrounds, regions and jobs, these are ordinary men and women who give up their time to train and serve alongside the Regular Forces.Volunteer Reservists are called out to supplement the Regular Forces whenever Operational demands require it. If they're mobilised they'll carry out the same roles to the same high standards as their Regular counterparts. They also receive the same world-class training and develop the same skills.

Soldiers Night Firing .50 Cal Weapon in Jordan
A member of the BRF fires a .50cal Heavy Machine Gun during a night range package from a Jackal vehicle. The long exposure used by the photographer traces each round leaving the weapon.Soldiers from 4 Mechanised Brigade's Brigade Reconnaissance Force (4 Bde BRF) took part in Exercise Jordan Express. The exercise in the south of Jordan was based in the desert and was intended to prepare the BRF in readiness for a future deployment to Afghanistan.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary support vessel RFA Fort George is pictured at sea, following a refuelling operation with a Royal Navy warship.

Pictured is Royal Navy Type 45 Destroyer HMS Daring shortly after breaking away from a Replenishment at Sea (RAS) with Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel RFA Wave Knight, which can be seen in the background.

Soldiers file away after disembarking a Royal Air Force Chinook helicopter during Operation Banbarac 3 in Afghanistan. The Royal Welsh Fusiliers (The Royal Welch Fusiliers 23rd Foot) took part in Operation Bambarac 3 in the "Pear", in North east Nad-e-Ali Region of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The Operation was conducted using a combination of foot and helicopter insertion.

Royal Air Force Merlin helicopters soar over Jordan during Exercise Desert Vortex.250 Royal Air Force personnel from RAF Odiham and RAF Benson undertook a training exercise in the Middle Eastern country. It was the first time that 6 Chinook and 3 Merlin helicopters had trained together in a desert environment, as their crews prepared for deployment to Afghanistan.

A Royal Navy Merlin helicopter provides cover for Royal Marines from Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines(FPGRM) as they board a suspicious dhow.HMS CUMBERLAND deployed from Devonport to the Gulf of Aden and Horn of Africa region as part of the United Kingdom's contribution to maritime security in the region.These operations included counter-smuggling (arms and drugs), counter-terrorism and counter-piracy. CUMBERLAND's newly installed Pacific 24 Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) were key to these roles and allowed the Ship's embarked Royal Marines and Royal Navy Boarding Teams, in conjunction with the Lynx aircraft, to intercept and board any vessels suspected of being involved in these activities.

Seen here in the foreground at RAF Brize Norton, is the Atlas A400M. In the background are a C-17, and the C130-J in the middle.

 

[HMS Astute]

Personnel of 51 Squadron RAF Regiment on a security patrol around the perimter of Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.51 Squadron are the Resident Field Squadron at Camp Bastion who as part of 5 Force Protection Wing protect the troops and aircraft at Camp Bastion

RAF Regiment Soldiers Line Up Jackal Vehicles on a Heavy Weapons Range in Afghanistan

A 12 Squadron RAF Tornado GR4 takes off from Kandahar airfield in Afghanistan. 12 Sqn took over the close air support role in the Summer of 2009 from 1(F) Squadron Joint Force Harriers.

RAF Regiment Soldiers Deploy on US Osprey Rotary Wing Aircraft on Operation Backfoot in Afghanistan
Members of II Squadron RAF Regiment and the US Marine Corps board US Osprey Aircraft at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan.The Coalition troops deployed on Operation Backfoot, a combined operation to disrupt insurgent activity in Helmand province.A Joint UK/US/Afghan operation south of Bastion Airfield involving 2 Squadron, RAF Regiment, has found and destroyed a large cache of Taliban IED-making equipment which was ready to be used in attacks against Afghan and ISAF forces.

A Gunner of 58 Squadron RAF Regiment conducting a routine patrol near to Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.The Squadron's role in theatre is to provide force protection to coalition forces operating in the area and patrols such as these help them to engage with the local community.

The Joint Helicopter Force (AFGHANISTAN) or JHF (A) is a deployed tri-Service unit from the Joint Helicopter Command. Its primary purpose is to facilitate tactical mobility, reconnaissance and Aviation Fires support to the UK task force in Helmand Province and to the multi-national force of Regional Command (South).

Royal Air Force C17 Globemaster transport aircraft are pictured in the early morning mist at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.The C-17 Globemaster III is capable of rapid, strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases anywhere in the world, or directly to more temporary forward operating bases owing to its short field capability. The design of the aircraft allows it to carry out high-angle, steep approaches at relatively slow speeds, thus allowing it to operate into small, austere airfields onto runways as short as 3,500 feet long and only 90 feet wide.

 

[HMS Astute]

Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS ST Albans (right) takes up station for replenishment whilst USS Philippine Sea (left) has already commenced replenishing from USNS Tippecanoe (centre).

Sailors from HMS Daring have continued their efforts to deliver aid to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.A 36-strong team of personnel and medics from Save The Children assisted the community by delivering British-donated aid in the form of 170 shelter kits and 250 disposable fresh water carriers.Many people on the island had been left without homes as the typhoon destroyed their flimsily built houses, littered the shores with the fragments of their fishing vessels and contaminated their drinking water.The sailors were able to put their disaster relief skills learnt during training into practice as they assessed the level of work needed to help the villagers get back on their feet. With the engineering department taking the lead, they were able to construct a desalinisation plant for the village well, carry out repair work and maintenance on the fishing boat and engines and later joined the rest of the team securing the donated shelter kits to local homes.

RNAS Culdrose based Sea Kings from the Royal Navy's Airborne Surveillance Force are gaining their Sea Legs again after operating for the past two years over the deserts of Afghanistan. 857 Naval Air Squadron, who fly Sea King Mk 7 Airborne Surveillance and Control helicopters, are affectionately known as "Baggers" because of the radar being held in a large Kevlar bag on the side of the aircraft. During their time on Operation Herrick in Afghanistan they completed in excess of 3,000 flying hours spread over 800 missions from Camp Bastion, the main operating Base for British Forces in the country. Swapping their Multi-Terrain Combats, they are getting familiar once again with traditional Naval Blue, and a return to Maritime operations.

HMS ILLUSTRIOUS this morning sailed into Lisbon, Portugal. for a brief operational stand down. Having just spent the last few weeks at sea on Exercise Deep Blue this foreign run ashore is most welcome to the ships company. These images were taken from a seaking helicopter from 771 Naval Air squadron. The ships company were formed up on the upper deck in Procedure Alpha, with Merlin helicopters from the MCAG ranged on deck.

The exercise is an annual event held in the Baltic Sea and was first conducted in 1971. It brings together the navies of 14 NATO and non NATO countries for a 10 ten day workout that covers more than 100 serials. Hosted by the US Navy, 30 ships are participating as well as more than 50 aircraft. Pictured is FGS Hamburg passing alongside HMS Montrose for a ceremonial salute during Ex BALTOPS 2014.

HMS ILLUSTRIOUS at sea undergoing aviation workup and training.

HMS BULWARK conducts a Photographic exercise (PHOTEX) whilst on transit to Normandy.

Live firing trial of the sea skua missile system held at MOD Aberporth, West Wales. Picture: LA(Phot) IGGY Roberts.702 and 815 Naval Air Squadron took part in "Aftershock." A live firing trial of the sea skua missile system.The trials were held at MOD Aberporth, West Wales. There were single firing serials and dual firing conducted through the barnacle formation.