The final units currently based around Paderborn and Sennelager in Germany, will return to their new home on Salisbury Plain in the final phase of the Army Basing Programme.
Under the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, the British Army in Germany had reduced by half by 2015 and permanent deployment will end by 2019, although some training will still be undertaken with regards to NATO capability.
The timing has been confirmed ahead of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review to provide certainty to Army and civilian personnel, and their families, allowing them to plan for the future.
Major General Alastair Dickinson CBE, Director of Army Basing and Infrastructure said:
“By confirming the timetable to bring the final units back from Germany to their new home on Salisbury Plain in 2019, we are providing our Service personnel and their families with greater certainty to allow them to plan for their futures. It also allows us to finalise our plans with Wiltshire Council and industry partners who will deliver the supporting infrastructure in the UK.
In Germany we will continue to deliver the high quality of services and facilities that our personnel and their families need so they are well supported until they move.
This is a significant milestone in delivering the Army’s structure as set out in the last SDSR.”
Six regional hubs in England will host 39,000 troops and their families by 2020, as part of a wider defence shake-up, with a further 4,000 in Edinburgh and Leuchars. Former defence secretary Philip Hammond described it as the “end of an era”.
It was also revealed from figures released by the MoD that Scotland accounts for 21% of the British Army’s manpower.
i enjoyed paderborn spent 6 years there…just a shame it,s coming to an end….and most of the equipment that was based there like challenger warrior and artillary are going to be mothballed,by the time our government are finished we will have to use broomsticks to defend ourselves
In the light of events???
Wiltshire already has a large military presence and seeing the troops out and about is a normal part of life so more will be very welcome even when the live fire exercises make my windows rattle☺
Your kidding! Might as well send Putin an invitation!
It’s always good to see government defence policy ignore the facts, isn’t it?
That will change….
We should be sending them East, to Western Poland.
There’s ample space, cheap, it’d reassure our Polish allies and likely benefit their local economies also. Win-win solution if you ask me.