The 12th Armoured Brigade Combat Team (12ABCT) of the British Army has successfully concluded its participation in NATO’s Exercise Steadfast Defender 24, according to a press release.
This deployment marks the first time since 2003 that a British Armoured Brigade Combat Team has been fielded from the UK.
Exercise Immediate Response, a sub-exercise within Steadfast Defender 24, saw approximately 2,500 personnel and over 800 vehicles deployed to Poland under the command of the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division.
Major General James Martin, the Divisional Commander, was quoted in the news release, saying, “It is the first time we have deployed a British Armoured Brigade Combat Team in the form of 12ABCT, into the field from the UK since 2003. So, about the trajectory of getting back to fighting at scale, I think is why, Exercise Immediate Response is so important.”
The exercise, held at the Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, involved a multinational effort with the 4th Squadron of the US 10th Cavalry Regiment and a Polish Mechanised Brigade working under the 29th Infantry Division of the US. This collaboration tested allied interoperability and the ability to deploy and project forces across Europe.
Innovations such as the use of quadcopter drones and augmented reality telemedicine were trialled during the exercise.
Captain Edward Cooke of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry explained, “We are dug in for our own protection. It makes us a lot harder to detect and it makes us a lot harder to destroy if we come under artillery fire or anything like that.” Additionally, 27 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps tested new communications systems to enable logistics support with greater dispersal.
The exercise also featured impressive logistical feats, including the movement of nearly 1,000 UK and US armoured vehicles across the Drawa River using M3 Amphibious Bridging river ferries.
Major Ryan Ingram, Officer Commanding 23 Amphibious Engineers, was quoted in the news release, stating, “There are over nineteen-hundred wide wet gap crossings in the northern part of Europe, so it is more than appropriate that we have the capability to cross these, in case we are required to do so.”
Well done to all but please can we say brigade BG not this American nonesense🙄
It’s crept into other areas of the MoD and wider military.
Aviators. BCTs, Activity, the SFA Bde.
The one that grates the most is warfighter.
Good one!
Sorry I am ‘old school’. I still don’t like ‘fires’, or ‘line of departure’.
I dislike the term BCT – to me a Team is a small collection of individuals.
I blame George III…
I’m pretty sure the change from Brigade to BCT was meant to highlight a different operating concept. Much like in the 1970’s the Brigade was abolished in the BAOR in favour of Task Forces (Brigade+ formations with no organic CSS that would fight as part of a division) and Field Forces (Brigades with organic CSS that would fight independent of the Divisions).
That’s why 4 and 19 are Brigades, while 12, 20, 16 and 7 are BCT’s.
Makes sense.
And the DRSB? Don’t recall if it’s a BCT or not.🤔
British Army was using Brigade Group in North Africa in 1942 so it has an excellent native heritage. It is also far more accurate terminology in British orders of battle where a brigade is traditionally a single arm organisation.
I think Jacko meant Battlegroup by his BG reference?
And was also lamenting the use of “Combat Team” added to Brigade.
It’s just so unnecessary,of course they work together but the brigade comd will give his BGs their orders and off they go! (As normal)
👌
If they say ‘brigade’ enough maybe it’ll convince someone outside of the army leadership that it’s not essentially a battle-group built around a battalion sized formation with some enablers.
Biggest since 2003! Well I look forward to seeing it again in 2045!
It can’t be a real MOD readout as it doesn’t say ‘cutting edge’ in every sentence and each paragraph doesn’t warble about ‘lethality’…..I mean they are talking about digging in’n’stuff?
Indeed, I’m sure there would be a comment on network enabled, cutting edge, enhancedlethality entrenching tools…
You did not include none binary or inclusive with an accent on positive discrimination.
I thought “Agile” was the BS-speak buzzword.
What is a “readout”?
but they are doing it “at pace”
🤗 🇬🇧
Quite shocking that we have not deployed an armoured brigade (or something approximating that size) overseas on exercise for over 20 years!
Everyone gets a prize for turning up.
This story is typical of the the subjects on here. Whilst it is fantastic that this deployment is taking place, it should really be nothing out of the ordinary. Look at the picture in the headline, the large ship in the background is MV Hartland Point. The four Points have recently been extended in a contract to 2031. By which time they will be thirty plus years old. Whilst a merchant man can soldier on beyond that age, as a strategic asset for me there needs to be a plan in place for replacements around 2035. The PFI thing seems to be working well on the face of it. Hartland has been doing the bulk of the MOD work with the others on commercial charter work.
My point being ( excuse the pun ) there will be nothing about these vessels or replacements in the current defence review. I will go further and say this government will not even look at the issue before the next election. As with most areas of defence items there is very little medium to long term planning by politicians of all colours. The headline mentions logistics. As the Russians found out in Ukraine they had forgot how to do logistics. If we celebrate this very small scale deployment have we done the same. It should be routine. Which begs the question have we committed the Russian sin.
I see the army are getting the first batch of 12 Vamtac 4×4 air defence vehicles. That’s good news. I like the idea of a compact 4×4 based anti air/ anti drone platform. If ordered in large numbers and capable then the reign of drone warfare ends.
I was surprised there was no article here about this, as it seemed significant news.