With the news that 20,000 British troops, tanks, artillery, jets, attack helicopters, submarines, warships and even an aircraft carrier are to deploy around Europe, we take a look at what is going where.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has announced that in the first half of 2024, 20,000 service personnel from the Royal Navy, the British Army, and the Royal Air Force will deploy across Europe to take part in Exercise Steadfast Defender 24.
The exercises will see the UK’s Armed Forces join thousands of personnel from 31 NATO allies and Sweden, operating across multiple countries, coinciding with the NATO Alliance’s 75th year.
Here’s a breakdown of what is going where.
The Royal Navy:
- The Royal Navy will be deploying eight warships and submarines, and more than 2,000 sailors.
- A UK Carrier Strike Group, centred on a Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier and her air group of F-35B Lightning jets and helicopters, and surrounded by escort frigates and destroyers, will operate as part of a potent naval force of allied warships and submarines in the North Atlantic, the Norwegian Sea and the Baltic Sea.
- More than 400 Royal Marines Commandos will be deployed to the Arctic Circle at the heart of an allied amphibious task group designed to land in the high north and defend the alliance in one of the world’s harshest environments.
The British Army:
- 16,000 troops from the British Army will be deployed across eastern Europe from February to June 2024, taking with them tanks, artillery, helicopters, and parachutes.
- There will be live fire manoeuvres, parachute jumps, an Army and Navy joint helicopter force, and Army Special Operations Forces on deployment.
- The British Army will deploy to test and strengthen the readiness of the UK’s land forces in defending NATO, and to bolster its ability to operate jointly with allied armed forces.
The Royal Air Force:
- The Royal Air Force will be making use of some of its most cutting-edge aircraft, including F35B Lightning attack aircraft and Poseidon P8 surveillance aircraft.
- The RAF will practice flying in simulated conflict scenarios against near-peer adversaries, proving its ability to deter and defend against threats.
All very Impressive… Interesting to see that the RN will send a CSG with “Frigates and Destroyers” do we therefore assume at least two of each ?
Doesn’t necessarily mean our frigates and destroyers. Probably 1 x T45 and 1 x T23 with a Dutch and maybe Norwegian adjunct?
As this is a NATO sphere thing I would assume that from the off.
I did think that but then I re read the Article and it seemed to suggest that the RN was in fact deploying “Frigates and Destroyers” maybe George can help to clarify this ?
We are certainly getting our money’s worth out of the T45 proving again that the order of just six was a bad move.
Always be carful of headlines and jumping to conclusions..when I read the headline I thought there had been a report on how our deployment and support to Europe had broken down…not that this would be a “Breakdown” of of the deployment of British forces in Europe..the English language is a tricky little bugger.
😂
Bound to be a mighty river and an archer somewhere amongst it
8 Ships and Submarines…. so a QE, two T23’s, two T45’s, two Tides and an Astute ? or will we see Bays or dare I mention a Fort or Bulwark in that number ?
It says Frigates and Destroyers I doubt they will all be ours not with tge trouble in the Gulf.
Well I’m reading it as RN ” Frigates and Destroyers” because that’s what it says….. Personally I can’t see it either being in the Plural but that is what the article says and in particular what the sub heading says.
Have we got a plural
Over four hundred Marines as part of an Amphibious Group. So not even a full Commando Unit. No second line support. So basically they can fight for a day. What ship are they embarking on. A Bay ?
A typical political announcement. Once you give it the most brief of scans you can see its full of holes.
Exactly mate….. A Bay is my assumption….
Another grey taxi
Yes, the article seems a tad light on all things Amphibious, no mention of how either they or their kit are getting to Norway? Perhaps we are renting a P&O ferry for the purpose!!!
Ryanair, again!
For me, should ideally be a Commando Group, so Four Five, plus bits of CLR, 30 Cdo, 29RA and 24RE. As you say, not even a Commando with just 400 personnel!
Yes take your pick from 40,42, or 45 then add your assets to bring it up to a Commando group. That would probably bring it to a strength of closer to 1000 +
The 400 sounds like two companies with some add ons. Probably a couple of Helos and the like.
Yes, I picked 45 as I thought they’re the primary arctic outfit.
Historically you would correct in your thoughts. 45 were the only MAW warfare unit. They deployed every year to Elvergardsmoen just north of Narivk from January the 1st to end of March early April each year. Then as the Brigade was fully committed to the Finland Gap scenario the other units become involved. So to give you an idea in around the mid seventies 3 Cmd Bde headquarters on deploying fielded two HQs. A and B. One was wheeled one tracked in BV202. So still in transition. In theory all units are now MAW trained. For my money none of… Read more »
Thanks for that, ex R.
Respect.
SackT83, more 45’s please l
Ryanair! On standby
Not sure if you are aware of TACA they were the National Airline of El Salvador. Very professional in many aspects with a fairly new boeing fleet at the time. Nevertheless they had a Caribbean flair. Colloquially know as Take A Chance Airways buy us military types.
I think that is the UK MOD approach to everything. So may well be their airline of choice.
That would leave nothing actually active in UK
I wouldn’t be surprised to see a River batch 1 (maybe Mersey with her new paint work) join the group to make up the numbers?
And an archer
Meanwhile back at the ranch, not a lot of anything else
Just can’t understand it. The government clearly understand the utility and essential role the armed forces play and are more than happy to make full use of them, but are still (allegedly) planning to cutting them? Boggles the mind
The cuts have been going on for many Decades mate… despite claims of a “growing navy” these cuts are decreasing numbers almost monthly at the moment… Mine Sweepers, Frigates, Ocean Surveyors, Forts, Assault Ships, it’s all heading down hill. Yes we have a healthy ship building order book but there are so many cuts and uncertainties it’s all rather worrying.
Those scissors ✂️ must be very big/strong ones maybe Cameron knows where they are.
We don’t have a ‘government’ in the sense of a properly led organisation with a coherent strategy- we have a bunch of departments doing their own thing. The Treasury is right to suspect some of them of profligacy and needless empire-building. Unfortunately it seems to suspect all the wrong ones.
And victor meldrew starmer on the other side of the house.😃
If the camel drivers actually were. To strike one of our ships, would anything change? Other than a bit of tub thumping in the commons and the usual we need a bigger navy talk, the fact is, NOTHING would change.NOTHING AT ALL.
But when you look at the equipment plan. A, huge amount of new tech and kit is coming.
Coming…and that’s the problem..we have potentially seriously missed the boat and royally messed up..china will be at the hight of its geostrategic strength in around 2027..it’s told the it’s population prepare for a struggle in 2027…our capabilities are coming on line 2030-2040 and our lowest ebb as the key ally to the US will be 2027…will china wait ? or will the RN face a global conflict with the escort fleet it will have in 2027…it’s completely unforgivable..we knew this was coming..china and Russia both made significant moves a decade ago…while our leaders were still playing let’s pretend with the… Read more »
There is a massive black hole (financial shortfall) in the Equipment Plan, so not all that kit will get bought.
Eventually
This is what you get when you make the navy expeditionary based on for the 70’s again l.
Sure we have the numbers to do that…..?
To deploy… possibly just a couple of weeks. Semantics from a sophistry schooled Government. Cons conning.
When all the proposed new kit arrives there’ll be nobody left to use it l
Is this a NATO exercise or just another exercise in provocation, like America does now and again in the Straits of Taiwan.
By provocation, do you mean sailing in international waters illegally claimed by a hostile power?
👌
Provocation obviously. Can’t have NATO and/or the US sailing around exercising there right to go anywhere they want. It might upset the peace loving Chinese or Russians. Heaven forbid.😏
Maybe the Russians will hold a similar one of their own off Portland.
Ha ha you do realise that every year china practice’s actually invading Taiwan….we don’t bring together a huge invasion force and sit it on someone’s coastline while telling them we will be invading in the next 4 years…or build life sized replicas of other nation’s government buildings and navel bases and blow them up with missiles..china does…that’s provocative..what we are doing is called deterrence its showing if you do invade or cause a war..this is what you will fight….to prevent a war you have to show what you have and that you can use it..worked for the 50 years of… Read more »
We won’t have Albion or bulwark for taxiing our people to the party
It’s all about deterrence and preparedness. You do want us to deter a major war?…and be trained and ready to fight one if deterrence fails?
A CSG , just where are the escorts coming from . 2 frigates retired early down to manpower issues , many more ships in dock for one reason or another . This is all for show , we have neither the assets nor the manpower to defend anything at the moment .
The Two that are being withdrawn are in a shocking state, just like the other two in Portsmouth….. I’m expecting at least one more in the next 6 months.
Which leaves us with what , 9 , seaworthy frigates . This is my point , the T26 & T31 are years away from joining the fleet and the T 45 never seem to at sea for one reason or another. As welcome as the new frigates are the RN should not have been allowed to get into this dangerously low state of numbers .
Mate, I/We wish….. 9 is the whole total, 5 is all we can hope for and that’s at a push….. It’s Disgraceful and I hope those in Power actually get to see the concerns that just so many of us have on this and other sites…..With a whole section of the World re-arming, It’s incredible that we are still cutting….. Something very wrong about that.
Are any European nations are increasing escort fleets?
Well yes…. what’s your point mate…. Poland are for one…. Germany and France are re-equipping too….. as are we but our own desperate situation is pretty dire don’t you think ? Are you happy with that ?
I’m just simply asking what other nations are doing. No, I’m not happy, but we have new ships in build with some fantastic capability coming. Is France increasing its escort fleet much larger than RN numbers?
Yes, sorry, I was a bit blunt there…. I agree with you on the fantastic capability coming along, I think Grant Shapps is getting a clear view of the state we are in, reading his comments it certainly appears he is concerned, trouble is, it all takes time and a heck of a lot of money to change things.
It’s taken a long time for too long, our ability to get kit into the field from building it, is a joke. How longhas it been sinc first metal being cut for Glasgow? This is where questions should be getting addressed to
Probably laughing at our pathetic inpu.Glkbal Britain? Global laughing stock more like.
I doubt that. Striking targets in Yeman. Deploying Typhoons and Voyager to Red Flag in Nevada. T23’s in the Gulf. Carrier strike is deploying to the Indian Ocean later this year. Continued deployments across Europe and Estonia. Continued support for Ukraine. QRA North/South and the Falklands. And that’s just a tiny snap shot of our globally deployed Force’s. That very few nations can do. The only people who think we are a laughing stock. Is the great uniformed. Many of who use this website. We have big problems to solve. Manning being problem no1. But we are still very capable.… Read more »
Only Italy rn, they’ll eventually have 12 Fremm frigates, 7 OPV/Frigates and 4 destroyers. But the Destroyers are the only ones with a decent VLS count.
👍
At least 2 more new destroyers funded, some 14000 t, and plans for 3 new large amphibious ships. They are really pushing it
The 2 destroyers are replacements for their 2 older destroyers same with the amphibs. But theyre certainly benefiting from consistent orders.
And they’ll get it done, and we’ll still be waiting for Glasgow.
Italy has more Idea of what it is doing than we do
How so
It doesn’t really matter what others are doing Robert but whichever way you look at it the UK in numerical terms is going downhill. I won’t bring up my usual numbers as you’ve read them often enough but we are desperately in need of a politician with some sense of the future and of commitment in order to take us forward. The problem with the parties we’ve got is where we’re going to find one.🙄
At least we know we will eventually be back up to 19 escorts with a big increase in capability compared to today. Plus the T45 weapons upgrade. We have to hope T32 will make it off the drawing board.
I just hope you’re right.😕
It’s not so much the vision of an individual, it’s the mindset of everyone the U.m forces have been pushed into the background for too long. The world is the most volatile it’s been since the end of WW2 THAT THE NATION HAS TAKEN SO LONG TO REALISE AND RESPOND TO IT IS CRIMINAL negligence
How many European nations are island nations entirely dependant on sea based trade? How many have a carrier to protect on top of other commitments?
All European nations are dependent on sea trade. And most would dearly like to have a carrier to protect. And we can protect our own. We also work closely with allies.
Working closely with allies is a good point. Still history shouldn’t be forgotten. Even in WW1 the German blockade almost succeeded to deny food imports
Funny how well we can mesh well with the other nations and yet go into a mad fit when a united European forcesare mentioned.
And then expect that they’ll ride shit over the hill to save us after the⚰️has hit the fan.
That doesn’t make any sense. but ok.
We’re putting too much hope in the carriers, two of them don’t cover the embarrassmen we’ve become
unfortunately Robert it’s our enemies which are dumping major surface warships in the sea faster that you can count them..well china is anyway and that the real enemy..let’s be honest Russia for all its troublemaking would be buried by the European nations if it really started….china on the other hand that becoming a navy even the USN needs to respect..its a far greater force than the USSR ever had. I can see the day when the RN will get the job of facing down the PLANs blue water navy in the western Indian Ocean while the USN is in a… Read more »
In the Indian ocean, don’t forget that there is India right next door who have no love for the Chinese and have an aircraft carrier with another coming along. Hopefully, they would recognise the danger of a fully militarised China and if they join in, Pakistan would probably not let the Chinese use their bases for fear of Indian reprisals, so that is one less problem to deal with.
Of course, there is a risk that India maintain studied neutrality but any attempt to interfere with shipping in “their” ocean will likely annoy Mr Modi and his ilk.
Hi yes India is one of the key political warfare battle grounds, china will be trying to ensure its military and economic neutrality and the west will be trying to make it an ally…at present India is very much part of the block trying to combat western economic and political influence, it’s a good friend of Russia, but it also sees china as a strategic threat ( as it sees the west to be honest) so it will be very interesting to see which way that goes…if India falls heavily into the wester side I think it would significantly reduce… Read more »
And Glasgow will STILL BE FITTING OUT.
We’d take 4 years to build a caravan l.
Are you saying HMS Argill was found in poor material condition 18 months into her refit? Surly that should be picked up on at the preliminary inspection or at least early work stages?
It’s a terrible position to be in at the moment, one that won’t be rectified until T26 and T31are in service in numbers, with hopefully T32 and the new RFA ships to follow.
But from a NATO perspective it is probably a good strategy to have UK CSG escort ships from other nations, to practice integration and allow their crews to be part of a meaningful offensive capability.
European navy?
CSG? Our mighty one wouldn’t bother the Belgians 12 F 35’s and a few tomahawks lobbed from a submarine? strike group, it’s more of a trade group.
How times have changed … I browsed some old issues of Navy News at the weekend. In 1970’s the RN/RM alone would routinely involve 20,000 personnel on major NATO exercises, e.g. 3 Commando Brigade plus lots of helo’s to Norway, an amphibious TG headed by Hermes or Bulwark sailing the fjords, the Ark Royal carrier strike group with its 26 Phantom’s and Buccaneer’s providing distant cover, a barrier of 8-10 SSN’s and SSK’s across the GIUK gap, and perhaps a dozen frigates and destroyers on convoy escort and other duties, all supported by numerous RFA’s and minor warships. In addition,… Read more »
I sometimes think of (but don’t live in) the past having served 1975-2009. At the start of my army service we had a British Corps of four armoured divisions in Germany, and a Div-equivalent in NI (albeit many soldiers were locally recruited UDR), and many light role brigades in GB. 900 Chieftain tanks on the books. 180,000 regulars and about 60,000 TA. Granted the Cold War ended, as did the Troubles in NI. But Government has cut well below what a post-Cold War army was set at in the ‘Options for Change’ defence review, which included – 120,000 regs and… Read more »
Sadly what we had is what you need to defend yourself in a multipolar world in which many powers are struggling for primacy and at the core you have a conflict between power groups based on core beliefs ( humanity has alway been willing to cast itself into the abyss over core beliefs). we are back in the same place as we were in the 1950-1990 period but have not readjusted our think to the fact we may well be in an existential struggle against a peer at any point.. defence in the 1950 to 1990 period was about deterring… Read more »
Thanks Jonathan. It’s almost as if British Governments of both stripes over many decades have silently and secretly reintroduced the 10-year rule of the interwar years.
Rearmament in the mid-late 1930s was a success story (just), and Chamberlain played a positive role, despite those who only saw him as an appeaser. But we only just got to the Start Line in Sep 1939 – and that was in an era of much less complex equipment and a very strong defence industrial base.
I assume the RFA are now classed as warships, having said that the scary thing is afterwards, 8 plus the 3 in the red sea I feel a real dip in deployments afterwards
The ancient P2000 patrol boats – notorious for seasick trainees even in harbour – are increasingly being counted as “warships” to inflate numbers in press releases. The recent Telegraph cartoon of Sunak on a pedalo labelled HMS Dreadnought is uncomfortably close to the truth.
We don’t have strength to show . Shadow puppets. I have never felt so despondent over this country. I feel so sorry for the current serving forces ..neglected is the word .
We don’t have enough Sailors, Soldiers or Air force to do this, it’s about time this government got theirs arses and more money into our services under the current world situation.
I was wondering whether the loan with an option to buy for one of the LCS freedom class ships from the Americans might be a good idea, the reputation of the type 4t5 was sullied in the same way as the LCS ships have been.. if anyone can get the best out of the class it is the royal navy. To buy them instead of the hassle and expense of the T32 project would be a steal. Th Americans want rid of the whole class. Half a dozen of them could be a big success, plus they are built already… Read more »