19 Light Brigade will command the majority of the units serving in Afghanistan. Their deployment is expected to last until October 2009.
The new force elements deploying under the command of 19 Light Brigade will be direct replacements for capabilities already in place in Afghanistan.
In addition, elements of 2nd Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, the Theatre Reserve Battalion, are deployed or are about to be deployed to meet short-term operational needs.
The approval until August 2009, which will include the period of preparation for Afghan elections, to increase the number of British troops deployed to Afghanistan from just over 8,000 to around 8,300, was announced yesterday, Monday 15 December 2008, by the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.
These additional troops will come from 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and will replace equivalent forces deployed from 2nd Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. These forces will be building on recent security gains in central Helmand.
Volunteer and 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 600 call-out notices to fill some 575 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 six or so months, although some may have shorter tours. As part of this commitment, we expect up to 15 members of the Sponsored Reserves to be in Theatre at any one time.
The new force elements deploying in April 2009 include:
- 19 Light Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (209)
- Elements of 845 Naval Air Squadron
- Elements of 846 Naval Air Squadron
- Elements of 847 Naval Air Squadron
- The Light Dragoons
- 40th Regiment Royal Artillery
- 38 Engineer Regiment
- 1st Battalion The Welsh Guards
- The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland
- 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment (Worcesters and Foresters)
- 2nd Battalion The Rifles
- 19 Combat Service Support Battalion
- 29 Postal Courier and Movement Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps
- 2 Medical Regiment
- 4 Close Support Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
- 173 Provost Company Royal Military Police (.pdf)
- Elements of 2nd Royal Tank Regiment
- Elements of 5th Regiment Royal Artillery
- Elements of 12th Regiment Royal Artillery
- Elements of 19th Regiment Royal Artillery
- Elements of 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery
- Elements of 39th Regiment Royal Artillery
- Elements of 26 Engineer Regiment
- Elements of 33 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal)
- Elements of 42 Engineer Regiment (Geographical)
- Elements of 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group
- Elements of 15 Field Support Squadron
- Elements of 7th Signal Regiment
- Elements of 10th Signal Regiment
- Elements of 14th Signal Regiment (Electronic Warfare)
- Elements of 21st Signal Regiment (Air Support)
- Elements of 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh
- Elements of 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles
- Elements of 1 Regiment Army Air Corps
- Elements of 3 Regiment Army Air Corps
- Elements of 4 Regiment Army Air Corps
- Elements of 4 Logistic Support Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps
- Elements of 6 Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps
- Elements of 7 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 Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps
- Elements of 27 Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps
- Elements of Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps Support Battalion
- Elements of 7 Air Assault Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
- Elements of 104 Force Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
- Elements of 101 Military Working Dog Support Unit
- Elements of 1 Military Intelligence Brigade
- Elements of the Joint Civil Military Co-operation Group (CIMIC)
- Elements of 148 Expeditionary Force Institute Squadron (Volunteers) The Royal Logistic Corps
- Elements of 51st Highland, 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland
- Elements of 4th Battalion The Mercian Regiment
- Elements of Joint Medical Command
- Elements of 2 Medical Regiment
- Elements of 4 Medical Regiment
- Elements of 202 Field Hospital (Volunteers)
- Elements of 225 Medical Regiment (Volunteers)
- Elements to man 904 Expeditionary Air Wing, Royal Air Force
- 6 Force Protection Wing Headquarters, Royal Air Force Regiment
- 63 Queen's Colour Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment
- Elements of 12 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 30 Squadron, Royal Air Force
- Elements of 617 Squadron, Royal Air Force
- Elements of the Tactical Supply Wing, Royal Air Force
- Elements to man the Joint Helicopter Support Unit
- Elements of 1 Air Movements Wing, Royal Air Force
- Elements of 1 Air Control Centre, Royal Air Force
- Elements of 90 Signals Unit, Royal Air Force
- Elements of 2 Motor Transport Squadron, Royal Air Force
- Elements of 5001 Squadron, Royal Air Force
- Elements of Mobile Catering Support Unit
- Elements of Tactical Medical Wing
- Elements of Tactical Armament Squadron
- Elements of Tactical Imagery Intelligence Wing