A significant proportion of upgraded Multiple Launch Rocket System launchers are now back in the United Kingdom and are being fielded or reintroduced into the modernised fleet, with specific numbers and delivery dates withheld on operational security grounds, according to an answer given in Parliament.
Ben Obese-Jecty, the Conservative member for Huntingdon, asked what the projected delivery date is of the upgraded MLRS launchers to the modernised fleet, following an answer given on 17 September.
Luke Pollard, the Minister of State for Defence, said: “A significant proportion of upgraded Multiple Launch Rocket System launchers are now back with the UK, and are being fielded or reintroduced back into the modernised fleet. It would be inappropriate for me to confirm specific numbers or delivery dates, as doing so could compromise operational security.”
The upgrade takes the British M270B1 launchers through Lockheed Martin’s line to the M270A2 standard, fitting a new improved armoured cab, a common fire control system and an upgraded launcher loader module, and extending the vehicle’s service life into the 2050s. The conversion work is carried out in the United States, so each launcher leaves the country and returns.
Britain is recapitalising the M270 fleet and has expanded it beyond the original holding, with this publication reporting when the final batch of launchers was funded and when deliveries and ammunition replenishment began. The launchers equip 26 Regiment Royal Artillery and the rocket artillery element of the deep fires force.
Wow, does that mean that the only artillery we have had of late was 1 Regt of light guns and 12 Archer?
Yes. btw Hamas and Heezbollah had more rocket artillery than British Army and most probably all of other Euro NATO countries with maybe exception of Poland.
We have 100 155s but they are in storage.
?
What 155s?
AS90? FH70?
Where are they mate?
Yes, keen to know, I know all the storage locations and 100 guns is a lot to miss.
Unless some super secret “Strategic Reserve” which I’ve come across on occasion.
Mate if you’re not aware of them then no one is! Would be nice, dig out a few crews hidden away as well!!!! But he may be making a genuine error and possibly thinking of the shit load of Light Guns previously in store 👍
We have plenty of those, to be fair, including the AR Regiments who use some as saluting guns, the HAC had/have some, and also in Gibraltar.
Is your brother still in 7 RHA? Any news from them? I read they’d Regiments somewhat.
That was supposed to say “they’d regrown somewhat.”
No mate he took the LE commission, thought it was a bit crap and despite the pension increase after the 5 year point chinned it off and took the WO1 pension and ran!!!! I know HAC are their reserve Bty (you know that already lol) as worked with them in the past. And they are deffo 3 Gun Batteries as it was in the local gazette a while ago lol and since Aghan they have always had a decent sized OP (sorry FST) and joint fires cell.
Thanks mate, so yes, regrown a tad.
Yes, rebranded A “1st City of London Battery.” I believe it has 6 guns and effectively provides guns 7 and 8 to the 3 regular Batteries of 7 RHA in war.
HAC are a professional bunch, I saw that female gunner passing P Coy? I think she is HAC.
She was mate, professional bunch, some very high net worth and connected people in there! The grounds alone are in top spot in London!!!!
Artillery Grounds and Finsbury Bks, yes, money land.
Things have changed over time.
Back in early 90s, Lord Mayor’s Parade, 2 weeks after IRA mortaring and 4 of them, in number 2 dress sat in the pub opposite the gates drinking beer at 06.30ish.
Can’t fault that tbh; being a fmr PARA it would be pot calling kettle black.
Having their rifles in a row leaning up against the wall behind them was a different story.
Sorry but got to join the club on this one ❓
I think they were swapped in and out of service as they were modernised. However the 2026 equipment report ( out now) suggests 23 in service. it does note that the drop to this number ( from 43 ) is because the scheduled upgrades
One of the many lessons from the Ukraine war is artillery is king and also that they are highly likely to take losses because they are king. Even when the rch155 come into service their still won’t be anywhere near enough artillery to be able to provide sustained firepower and take losses. Potentially made worse by canceling the mortor version of the boxer.
The article needs to add 4 RA, which converted to MLRS a few years ago.
And it was widely reported that a third Regiment may reform, 39RA, but that’s not happened it seems.
Are you sure about 4 RA? I thought it still had the L118 Light Gun. You are possibly thinking of 3 RHA? It was confirmed a few months ago that 39 RA will reform equipped with the M270A2, joining the new 9 Deep Recce Strike Brigade to provide its essential deep fire capability.
Ach! Shame on me, yes, wrong Regiment!
Shocked I named the wrong Regiment! Yes, 4 RA supports 7 Bde with Light Gun.
3 RHA is now with the “new” 1 DRSB.
As for 39RA, I too knew of that. I sent a FOIA to the MoD on 39, and on 9 DRSB.
9 DRSB has zero units as when I relieved their reply, and 39 RA hadn’t yet formed.
The third regiment is I think the reserve one , 101(?), headquartered in Newcastle.
Yes 101 RA, has Batteries at Blyth and a few other places.
I believe they have 2 Fire Batteries to reinforce the 4 regular ones.
Read that the Deep Fires expansion works bring total Deep Fire MLRS Batteries to 8, 6 regular, 2 Reserve, but not seen any info on these additional Batteries forming yet, considering MLRS is to expand to around 70, if the remaining tranche is actually progressed. Typically, this government are stalling on it.
Mate are the regular Batteries with 6 launchers and the reserves 4? The RA, a bit like the RAF always seem to operate their sub units with different numbers of guns/launchers/missiles.
I have the 4 Regular Batteries at either 6 or 8, not sure with the changes underway.
Don’t know about the 2 Reserve Batteries, agree they’re usually fewer.
At least it’s not 4 per regular Bty cheers 👍
Cheers mate, good chatting tonight.
Respect, as always.
And back 👍
Good news, but is the DRSB the correct formation to use? The concept is more to do with fitting remaining units into an ORBAT rather than forming an ORBAT and getting the correct platforms?
The original DRSB was formed from “the merger of 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade and 1 Artillery Brigade.”
More MoD/HMG guff and spin to re write history.
1 AI Bde was lost in Carter’s disastrous Strike Brigades idea, reducing 3 Armoured Infantry Bdes to just 2, and the Recc and Artillery remnants were joined by other elements shoved in, minus any regular CSS of course, though a REME Bn formed after to support it.
1 Artillery Bde was an administrative formation at Tidworth, not an operational formation.
Since, the original 1 DRSB has been renamed 3 DRSB, to align with its Division, and a “new” DRSB formed, 1 DRSB, for 1 UK Division.
“New” in name only, as they simply raided the original DRSB for some of its assets, 3 RHA and a Jackal Regiment.
Looks good on paper.
They’ve now formed 9 DRSB to act at Corps level, ARRC, but as said when I checked it’s a paper Bde with zero units under it.
3 DRSBs out of one, impressive!
How 1 DRSB was meant to find when the only ISTAR Regiment in the RA, 5 RA, is still with the original 3 DRSB I don’t know, ideally they need an ISTAR Regiment each.
But, details!! We’re not supposed to question or look at those trivial things.
Your knowledge is outstanding mate, it really is! I did think the Ajax was going to be the recce in the original Bde but why use a 40 ton recce vehicle when you can use drones etc? I’m losing my ability to follow all the ORBAT and formation name changes, but not the ability to know, as you say, with no extra kit a lot of the current formations are name only, and even one with platforms and people, lacking real CS and CSS units! 👍
Yes, this is why I’m now concerned for Ajax’s role. I still keep faith with the vehicle, but how it’s employed now, I don’t know, I’d read it was to go beyond the FEBA to find targets, seems suicidal now.
Ajax. Once meant to be 4 Regiments worth, with the 3rd Tank Regiment, the KRH, converting.
Each Strike Bde was to have 2.
Fortunately, I some respects, all that was so delayed that the conversion didn’t happen, and KRH remains the 3rd Tank Regiment in the ORBAT.
And the Strike Bdes madness, which actually robbed the Armoured Brigades of their integral Formation Recc Regiment, has been reversed.
So now Ajax are to be 3:
The HCR at Bulford, with 3 DRSB.
The Royal Lancers with 12B at Catterick.
And the RDG at Warminster for 20B.
The new 1 DRSB is light, under 1 UK Div, it doesn’t need Ajax, it uses Jackal.
The two Drone Regiments, 32 and 47, and 5 RA with 4/73 remain pinch points, far too few when knowledge is king and ISTAR growing when linked with Asgard, the GMLRS and PRS Missile, and OWE Drones.
Not heard of any expansion.
Spot on with CS CSS as we know.
It’s a “Shell game” being played by HMG, and it doesn’t fool all of us.
The exact allocation of OWE in these MLRS Regiments remains unknown to me as well, I’ve seen the CGS in the field with Callen Lenz Nyan OWE launchers, but how that’s set up, a Troop, their own Battery, no idea.
Also read that Exactor got chopped, daft in my view.
Great knowledge mate, agreed Ajax heavy, large footprint and expensive ( although to expensive to fail contractually methinks) so they will shoehorn it in somewhere! Exactor went out a couple of years ago didn’t it? Big loss as any type of overwatch type anti tank, anti structure munitions are needed (overwatch binned with Boxer? Replaced with what?) While I’m a great believer in what the Army and RN are doing and developing with drones, with Ukraine help, to me it’s to much of an easy option for HMG to drop the big heavy expensive projects, platforms and then crow about the “new” way of warfare while pushing it further and further to the right, in actually delivering to service with an effective concept and in decent numbers!
You’re as skeptical and as cynical of HMG as me mate. 👍
Yes, Exactor, wasn’t in any great number to start with sadly.
I’d read it started out as a Troop in each of the then 39RA Regs 3 Batteries then ended up in it’s own Battery.
Pure savings for the sake of it, I’d have thought that’s the sort of thing that needs expanding.
We’ve never really replaced Swingfire.
As for Boxer Overwatch variant, my thinking, maybe wrongly, is why does it even need to be on a specific platform to start with?
Can it be trailer mounted and towed by whatever?