The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has provided a detailed breakdown of UK military personnel stationed across the UK’s Overseas Territories, in response to a parliamentary question from Alicia Kearns MP.
The figures, shared by Defence Minister Luke Pollard, highlight the scope of the UK’s global military commitments.
The approximate number of military personnel permanently based in each Overseas Territory is as follows:
- Ascension Island: 20
- Falkland Islands: 820
- Gibraltar: 140 (excluding the locally based Royal Gibraltar Regiment of 270 personnel)
- British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT): 50
- Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Cyprus): 2,360
- Turks and Caicos Islands: 1
Pollard noted that these numbers are subject to change due to routine personnel rotations, training, and leave. He added, “While there may be other categories of personnel in other UK Overseas Territories, this information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.”
In addition to the permanent deployments, military personnel are also stationed across various territories on operational assignments, underscoring the UK’s commitment to the defence and security of its Overseas Territories.
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What about the naval support facility in Bahrain ?
Is Bahrain an overseas territory?
No. It is a foreign country.
Only includes British Overseas Territories. So not Bahrain, Belize, Brunei etc.
and Canada- BATUS
Hi folks hope all is well.
Interesting, in respect to the Falklands, I was under the impression there were more? Taking into account all three branches at any one time. If this figure is correct, and I have no doubt it is. Would this be enough personell to ward off any Argentine attempt to retake the Falklands?
Cheers
George
I also wonder if this accounts for crews of vessels that are permanently based out of some of these territories, such as HMS Trent and her babies Cutlass and Dagger whose home ports are Gibraltar or HMS Forth as FLK islands patrol ship. If it does then some of these numbers are even lower than the impression they’re giving.
Hi George. Two things-the figure excludes approximately 200 well armed light infantry of the Falklands Island Defence Force, and the Islands can be very quickly reinforced per Air to Mount Pleasant complex.
Some think there are nearly 2000 service personnel there for some reason. When I was there in 1999/2000 the uniformed strength was 1200. Not sure how they have got it down to such a low level now. I know the mountain top radar sites are more automated than before. Not sure the RAF have any helos there now in addition to the contractor operated helos. In my day they had 2 SAR Sea Kings and a lot of maintainers for them.
Yes, I too thought it around 1200.
The RAF Chinooks also left.
We don’t need permanent ground forces to deter Argentina. A sub deployed to the south Atlantic and typhoons reinforcing the defences will deter them if they ever start to get reckless. Nothing they have in the air or on the sea would dare approach.
Worst case if needed hundreds of ground troops could fly down in a matter of hours, though Argentina would not get close to being able to land troops unless we were guilty of an almighty intel failure.
Some think there are nearly 2000 service personnel there for some reason. When I was there in 1999/2000 the uniformed strength was 1200. Not sure how they have got it down to such a low level now. I know the mountain top radar sites are more automated than before. Not sure the RAF have any helos there now in addition to the contractor operated helos. In my day they had 2 SAR Sea Kings and a lot of maintainers for them.
No frigate there any more, typhoon less maintenance personnel than Tornado.
Good Morning Graham. I presume the lower numbers are due to a perception that the threat is lower but also perhaps the drop in UK Armed Forces numbers and hardware available.
The hardware has been out there for some time. We are not sudddenly short of kit. The threat may be lower but I am not sure what manpower exactly has been cut.
The army’s manoeuvre component in FI is a single 110- man Infantry company with light equipment. The FIDF also provides a light role Infantry company if called up by the Governor. The RAF deterrent is four Typhoons of which 2 or 3 could expect to be instantly ready; their airbase being protected by SkySabre. The Navy has little firepower down there. It used to be an OPV and i think it is a P200 now…and sometimes a frigate would also visit, but I think that such visits are rare now. We rather rely on spotting enemy intentions early and reinforcing… Read more »
OPV still their HMS Fourth, HMS protector also there.
I feel sorry for that one guy on the Turks and Caicos, all by himself.
I wonder what his (I assume it’s a him) job is?
resident DJ
I’d guess an army or RM Instructor embedded in the T&C Regiment?
Probably a Defence Attache.
Yes must be a right bugger lucky geezer
My favourite pic of HMS Queen Elizabeth! Imagine seeing that bearing down on you, from a small boat!!
Omits “other categories of personnel.”
i.e. Those normally at Poole or Hereford 😀
Well, possibly….and possibly not as I doubt any DSF would be at any of those save Cyprus. I’m a nosy git after all and I like to look beyond the headline so things like that catch my eye. My first thought was attached contractor and MoD staff if they fit the “other personnel” criteria but at a guess I’d say GCHQ staff, most certainly at one and possibly three places in that list. The “disproportionate cost” is the usual catch all “we’re not telling you” answer. I might be entirely wrong and the other category of personnel is something else… Read more »
It would would be interesting to know the full and part-time strength of the other Crown Forces in the OTs – i.e. the Royal Bermuda Regt, the Cayman Islands Regt, the Turks and Caicos Regt, the Royal Montserrat Defence Force and the Falkland Islands Defence Force.
Hi Fuzz.. Bermuda Regiment (350 personnel, includes coast guard. Turks and Caicos – Strength objective of 46 personnel and Cayman Islands Strength of 175. Royal Montserrat Defence Force Strength level objective of 50 reserve personnel. Falklands Islands defence force 40 to 100 primary personnel plus up to 100 Secondary Reserve personnel. I have watched a couple of programmes this year which did seem to suggest the figure is usually around 40 personnel.
What about The Royal Gibraltarians?
Hi Geoff.. Royal Gibraltar Regiment mentioned at the top of the page/article. 270 personnel.
Thanks John-getting less observant in my old age!!
Thanks John. So a total of well over 4000 British personnel stationed across the OTs then (includes to those posted on tour from the UK and those who live there permanently).
Hi NewMe, We only have a 110-man Roulemont Infantry Company as a ground forces manoeuvre unit in FI. Its not that heavy a commitment!
..and not many more than the 60 Marines in 1982, but as you said, reinforcement would be very quick
The difference from then, my dear Geoff, is our intelligence capability in the South Atlantic and else where that is looking, listening, and waiting for them.
Look up Joint Service Signal Units. They do not do what they say they do on the tin.