Army 2020 is the restructuring of the British Army in the early and mid-2010s, in light of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010. The plan, as its name suggested, was intended to be completed by 2020, though most of its reorganisations were completed by the middle of the decade. It was succeeded by Army 2020 Refine, a series of new changes and refinements of Army 2020's restructuring, conducted in light of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015.
Background The British government gave an indication of its proposals for the future structure of the Army in early 2008, in a press report stating that it was considering restructuring the Army into a force of three deployable divisional headquarters and eight "homogenous or identical" brigades, each with a spread of heavy, medium and light capabilities. This report indicated that the existing 16 Air Assault Brigade would be retained as a high-readiness rapid reaction force.
Subsequently, it was reported that the former Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, wanted to see the Army structured so as to extend the interval between operational tours from two years to two-and-a-half years.
In 2010, the Strategic Defence and Security Review was published. As part of the plans, the British Army would be reduced by 23 regular units, and by 2020 would number 117,000 soldiers, of whom 82,000 would be regulars and 30,000 would be reservists. The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 increased the planned number of reservists from 30,000 to 35,000.
Originally envisaged structure
The originally envisaged future structure was announced on 19 July 2011 in a briefing paper entitled Defence Basing Review: Headline Decisions. This structure had five identical multi-role brigades, each of around 6,500 personnel. However, in June 2012 a significantly different structure known as "Army 2020" was announced.
The divisional headquarters of 2nd, 4th, and 5th Divisions were disbanded in 2012 and replaced by a single formation known as Support Command, based at Aldershot.
The five multi-role brigades envisaged in 2011 would have comprised: One armoured regiment of Challenger 2 tanks One armoured reconnaissance regiment One armoured infantry battalion of Warrior armoured fighting vehicles One mechanised infantry battalion of FV432 armoured personnel carriers Two light role infantry battalions
Combat Support and Logistics would have been retained at divisional level. It was envisaged that 19th Light Brigade, then part of 3rd Mechanised Division, would be disbanded.
Structure Reaction Force The 16 Air Assault Brigade, comprising two battalions of the Parachute Regiment and two Army Air Corps regiments of attack helicopters. This would deliver a very high readiness Lead Air Assault Task Force, with the rest of the brigade ready to move at longer notice.
The 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division, renamed the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division, comprising three armoured infantry brigades: 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade, 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade and 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade. These three brigades would rotate, with one being the lead brigade, a second undergoing training and the third involved in other tasks. The lead brigade would deliver a Lead Battlegroup at very high readiness, with the rest of the brigade at longer notice.
The complete air assault brigade and a full mechanised brigade would be available for deployment within three months. All three brigade's HQs are to be based in the Salisbury Plain Training Area.
Reaction Force – Originally Envisaged Structure3rd (United Kingdom) Division, at Bulford Camp Royal Wessex Yeomanry, at Bovington Camp 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade, at Tidworth Camp Household Cavalry Regiment, at Victoria Barracks, Windsor Royal Tank Regiment, at Tidworth Camp 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, at Tidworth Camp 1st Battalion, Mercian Regiment, at Bulford Camp 4th Battalion, The Rifles, at Aldershot Garrison 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade, at Bulford Camp Royal Lancers, at Catterick Garrison King's Royal Hussars, at Tidworth Camp 1st Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment, at Battlesbury Barracks, Warminster 1st Battalion, Royal Welsh, at Tidworth Camp 1st Battalion, Scots Guards, at Aldershot Garrison 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade, at Bulford Camp Royal Dragoon Guards, at Catterick Garrison Queen's Royal Hussars, at Tidworth Camp 5th Battalion, The Rifles, at Bulford Camp 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, at Bulford Camp The Highlanders, 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, at Catterick Garrison 101 Logistic Brigade, at Aldershot Garrison 1 Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at St David's Barracks, Bicester 3 Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Aldershot Garrison 4 Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Dalton Barracks, Abingdon-on-Thames 9 Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Buckley Barracks, Hullavington 10 Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Aldershot Garrison 27 Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Dalton Barracks, Abingdon-on-Thames 151 Transport Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Croydon 154 (Scottish) Transport Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Dunfermline 156 Supply Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Liverpool 157 (Welsh) Transport Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Cardiff 1 Armoured Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps, at Tidworth Camp 4 Armoured Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps, at Aldershot Garrison 5 Armoured Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps, at Tidworth Camp 3 Armoured Close Support Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, at Tidworth Camp 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, at Tidworth Camp 5 Force Support Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, at Kendrew Barracks, Cottesmore 6 Armoured Close Support Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, at Tidworth Camp16 Air Assault Brigade, at Colchester Garrison 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, at Colchester Garrison 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, at Colchester Garrison 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment, at Pudsey 3 Regiment, Army Air Corps, at Wattisham Airfield 4 Regiment, Army Air Corps, at Wattisham Airfield 6 Regiment, Army Air Corps, at Bury St Edmunds 7th Parachute Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery, at Colchester Garrison 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault), Royal Engineers, at Rock Barracks, Suffolk 13 (Air Assault) Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Colchester Garrison 16 Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps, at Colchester Garrison 7 (Air Assault) Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, at Wattisham Airfield 216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron, Royal Signals, at Colchester Garrison
Adaptable Force The 1st Armoured Division, renamed as the 1st (United Kingdom) Division, along with Support Command. Comprises seven infantry brigades (4th, 7th, 11th, 38th, 42nd, 51st and 160th) of various sizes, each made up of paired regular and Territorial Army forces, drawn from an Adaptable Force pool of units. These infantry brigades were planned to be suited to domestic operations or overseas commitments (such as the Falkland Islands, Brunei and Cyprus) or, with sufficient notice, as a brigade level contribution to enduring stabilisation operations.
Adaptable Force – Originally Envisaged Structure1st (United Kingdom) Division, at Imphal Barracks, York 4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East, at Catterick Garrison Light Dragoons, at Catterick Garrison Queen's Own Yeomanry, at Fenham Barracks, York 2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment, at Catterick Garrison 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment, at Worsley Barracks, York 7th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters East, at Chetwynd Barracks, Chilwell 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, at Robertson Barracks, Swanton Morley Royal Yeomanry, at Fulham House, Fulham 1st Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment, at Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich 2nd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment, at Kendrew Barracks, Cottesmore 3rd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment, at Bury St Edmunds 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, at Clive Barracks, Ternhill 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, at Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn 3rd Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, at Canterbury 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East, at Aldershot Garrison 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, at Elizabeth Barracks, Pirbright 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards, at Aldershot Garrison 1st Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles, at Shorncliffe Army Camp, Kent 3rd Battalion, Royal Welsh, at Maindy Barracks, Cardiff The London Regiment, at St John's Hill Drill Hall, Battersea 38th (Irish) Brigade, at Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, at Palace Barracks, Holywood 2nd Battalion, The Rifles, at Abercorn Barracks, Ballykinler 7th Battalion, The Rifles, at Reading 42nd Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North West, at Fulwood Barracks, Preston 2nd Battalion, Mercian Regiment, at Dale Barracks, Upton-by-Chester 4th Battalion, Mercian Regiment, at Wolverhampton 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, at Weeton Barracks, Weeton-with-Preese 4th Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, at Kimberley Barracks, Preston 51st Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Scotland, at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, at Leuchars Station, Leuchars Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry (to change to a new title, with sub-units in Scotland and Northern Ireland), at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh 3rd Battalion, The Rifles, at Dreghorn Barracks, Edinburgh Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, at Edinburgh Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, at Fort George, Ardersier 52nd Lowland, 6th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, at Walcheren Barracks, Glasgow 51st Highland, 7th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, at Queen's Barracks, Perth 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, at Newcastle 160th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Wales, at The Barracks, Brecon 1st Battalion, The Rifles, at Beachley Barracks, Chepstow 6th Battalion, The Rifles, at Wyvern Barracks, Exeter 102 Logistic Brigade, at Prince William of Gloucester Barracks, Grantham 6 Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Dishforth Airfield, North Yorkshire 7 Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Kendrew Barracks, Cottesmore 150 Transport Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Kingston upon Hull 158 Transport Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Peterborough 159 Supply Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps, at Coventry 2 Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps, at St George's Barracks, North Luffenham 3 Medical Regiment, at Fulwood Barracks, Preston 225 (Scottish) Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps, at Dundee 253 (North Irish) Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps, at Belfast 254 (East of England) Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps, at Cambridge 1 Close Support Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, at Catterick Garrison 2 Close Support Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, at Leuchars Station, Leuchars 101 Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, at Wrexham 102 Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, at Newton Aycliffe 104 Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, at Northampton 106 Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, at GlasgowBritish Forces Cyprus 1st Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (rotates between 1 LANCS, 2 LANCS, and 2 YORKS, on a two year duty) 2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (rotates between 2 PWRR, 1 R ANGLIAN, and 2 R ANGLIAN, on a two year duty) British Forces Brunei 2nd Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles (rotates between 1 RGR and 2 RGR) State Ceremonial and Public duties Balaklava Company, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, at Hyde Park Barracks, Knightsbridge