| Ranger Regiment | |
|---|---|
 Cap badge of the Ranger Regiment | |
| Active | 1 December 2021 – present |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch |
 British Army |
| Type | Special operations[1] |
| Role |
Special Operations Security force assistance Foreign internal defence |
| Size |
Four battalions Approx. 1,000 personnel[2][3][4] |
| Part of | Army Special Operations Brigade |
| Motto(s) | By All Means |
The Ranger Regiment is a special operations-capable unit of the British Army which was formed on 1 December 2021 under the Future Soldier reform and is part of the Army Special Operations Brigade.[1][5] It is intended to be used primarily in an unconventional warfare and foreign internal defence capacity in a similar manner to the US Green Berets.[6]
History[]
On 22 March 2021, the Defence in a Competitive Age paper was released underlining the future of the British Armed Forces. As part of a wider reorganisation of the British Army, the following was announced:[7]
A new four-battalion Ranger Regiment will be formed in August 2021, seeded from the Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland; 2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment; 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment; and 4th Battalion, The Rifles. The new regiment will sit within the redesignated Specialised Infantry Group, becoming the Army Special Operations Brigade.
Initially, the regiment is planned to be "based on four Infantry Battalions but selecting personnel from across the Army". The regiment's task will be as follows: "[It will be] designed to support and conduct special operations discreetly in high-risk environments".[7] According to a reporter of Forces News, the regiment will "conduct missions traditionally carried out by United Kingdom Special Forces (Special Air Service and Special Boat Service)".[8] During an interview with the (then) Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Carter, the rangers will be "special forces" and will "go beyond training, advising, and assisting" to "support local operations". He also stated the Ranger's functions will be similar to the United States Army's "Green Berets", a nickname for the US Army Special Forces.[9]
The regiment was initially due to form in August 2021, however this was subsequently postponed to 1 December 2021.[10] In early 2022 soldiers from the regiment deployed as part of a UK government support package to Ukraine.[11] In February 2022 soldiers from the regiment deployed to Ghana to conduct training with the Ghanaian Special Operations Brigade, in preparation for a major exercise as well as to help them eliminate threats originating from their border regions.[12]
Regimental organisation[]
The regiment was formed on 1 December 2021 through the renaming of four of the existing Specialised Infantry battalions.[13] All four battalions were formed on 1 December 2021 and fall under the Army Special Operations Brigade,[14] operationally they are aligned to regions around the globe.[15] All battalions will restructure by April 2023.[14]
1st Battalion[]
The 1st Battalion, Ranger Regiment (1 RANGER) was previously the Royal Scots Borderers (1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland). The battalion is based at Palace Barracks in Belfast, Northern Ireland.[14] It is regionally aligned to West Africa.[15]
2nd Battalion[]
The 2nd Battalion, Ranger Regiment (2 RANGER) was previously the 2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. The battalion is based at Keogh Barracks, Ash Vale, Surrey.[16] The battalion includes F (Falklands) Company, which was formed on 18 November 2021 from the Royal Gurkha Rifles.[17] It is regionally aligned to East Africa.[15]
3rd Battalion[]
The 3rd Battalion, Ranger Regiment (3 RANGER) was previously the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment. The battalion is currently based at Elizabeth Barracks, Pirbright, but will move to Aldershot Garrison in 2027.[14] It is regionally aligned to Europe.[15]
4th Battalion[]
4th Rangers being stood up in 2021. The battalion will be regionally aligned to the Middle East.
The 4th Battalion, Ranger Regiment (4 RANGER) was previously the 4th Battalion, The Rifles. The battalion is based at Normandy Barracks, Aldershot Garrison. The battalion includes G (Coriano) Company, which was formed on 31 January 2020 as part of 3rd Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles.[18] It is regionally aligned to the Middle East.[15]
Training and selection[]
The Ranger battalions are planned to be "all-arms" battalions and thus be open to anyone serving in the Army, providing that they have served for 18 months from completing basic training.[8][9][10][19]
All applicants to the ranger regiment will have to undertake a two-week Cadre Course at the Sennybridge Training Area,[19] followed by a six-week Ranger Course, before continuing with eight months of training at their battalion.[20]
Cap badge controversy[]
The cap badge of the Selous Scouts, which some commentators claimed bore a resemblance to the badge of the Ranger Regiment.
After it was revealed to the public, the cap badge of the Ranger Regiment was the subject of a controversy after some commentators claimed it bore a resemblance to the badge of the Selous Scouts, a special forces unit of the Rhodesian Army which operated during the Rhodesian Bush War. A Daily Telegraph article claimed that several British Army officers who were privy to the discussions over the creation of the Ranger Regiment's beret were concerned that the new cap badge were potentially based on the badge of the Selous Scouts and unsuccessfully attempted to change the design. An anonymous source in the Ministry of Defence told the Daily Telegraph that "An officer said he had seen an email saying that it was actually based on the Selous Scouts... There’s obvious differences but it’s f------ close and clearly based on it." However, the British Army rejected such claims, with an army spokesman stating that "The Ranger Regiment cap badge has been designed around the peregrine falcon. Any comparison or association to the osprey depicted in the Selous Scouts’ cap badge is completely inaccurate. The Ranger Regiment is very proud of its new cap-badge which takes inspiration and spirit from the peregrine falcon; fast, agile and fiercely loyal to its partner, it operates around the world in all environments including deserts, mountains and cities."[21][22][23]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Defence in a Competitive Age. Ministry of Defence. March 2021. pp. 46, 68, 69. ISBN 9781528624626. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/974661/CP411_-Defence_Command_Plan.pdf. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ↑ Cotterill, Tom (24 March 2021). "Hampshire infantry unit joins UK's new special forces 'ranger regiment'" (in en). www.portsmouth.co.uk. https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defence/hampshire-infantry-unit-joins-britains-new-special-forces-ranger-regiment-in-army-shake-up-3177557. "Troops from 2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment (2PWRR) will merge with three other units to form the 1,000-strong regiment."
- ↑ Warrell, Helen (19 March 2021). "UK looks to new 'Ranger' regiment to tackle emerging conflicts". Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/37611dfc-265e-4654-ac5b-c6fdfda9bedf. "UK defence chiefs are launching a special operations “Ranger regiment”...the new 1,000-strong regiment"
- ↑ Haynes, Deborah (25 November 2021). "Defence secretary saves 500 troops from army cull, as new elite Ranger regiment is unveiled" (in en). Sky News. https://news.sky.com/story/defence-secretary-saves-500-troops-from-army-cull-as-new-elite-ranger-regiment-is-announced-12477973. "the creation of a 1,000-strong Ranger Regiment"
- ↑ "Future Soldier Guide". 25 November 2021. pp. 71–72. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1037759/ADR010310-FutureSoldierGuide_30Nov.pdf.
- ↑ "New British Army brigade: reshaping UK special operations for the better?" (in en). https://www.iiss.org/blogs/military-balance/2021/08/uk-special-operations-brigade.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Future Soldier" (in en-GB). https://www.army.mod.uk/news-and-events/events/future-soldier/.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Newton, Simon. "Soldiers To Take On Special Forces Roles In New Army Unit" (in en). https://www.forces.net/news/soldiers-take-special-forces-roles-new-army-unit.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "New Ranger Regiment To Be 'Open To Anybody In Armed Forces', CDS Says" (in en). https://www.forces.net/news/new-ranger-regiment-be-open-anybody-armed-forces-cds-says.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "New Army Ranger Regiment: What We Know So Far" (in en-gb). 25 November 2021. https://www.forces.net/news/new-army-ranger-regiment-what-we-know-so-far.
- ↑ "British Army Sent Elite Rangers Troops to Ukraine". January 27, 2022. https://www.globaldefensecorp.com/2022/01/28/british-army-sent-elite-rangers-troops-to-ukraine/.
- ↑ "Soldiers from the 1st Battalion the Ranger Regiment (1 Ranger) have deployed to West Africa to conduct joint training with their Ghanaian Armed Forces counterparts.". Ministry of Defence. https://www.army.mod.uk/news-and-events/news/2022/02/ranger-regiment-in-ghana/.
- ↑ "Ranger Regiment: What we know about Army's new elite force". 1 December 2021. https://www.forces.net/news/new-army-ranger-regiment-what-we-know-so-far.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 "Future Soldier Guide". 25 November 2021. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1036060/Future_Soldier_guide.pdf.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 SOLDIER Magazine August 2022, Pg 34
- ↑ "Special lecture report". Sikh Museum. https://www.sikhmuseum.org.uk/sobroan-day-special-lecture-report/.
- ↑ "F (Falklands) Company, Second Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, Formation Parade 18th November 2021". Brigade of Gurkhas. 30 November 2021. https://www.gurkhabde.com/f-falklands-company-formation-parade-18th-november-2021/.
- ↑ Rushworth, Will (2022-02-09). "4 RANGER'S GURKHAS DEPLOYED ACROSS AFRICA" (in en) (PDF). Crest Publications. p. 30. https://www.paperturn-view.com/uk/rifles/bugle-spring-2022-complete?pid=MjI225051&p=31. "… G (Coriano) Coy, the newest addition to 4 RANGER, …"
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 SOLDIER Magazine, August 2022, Pg 33
- ↑ "Exclusive: Ranger Regiment selection process before taking on Special Forces roles". Forces News. 26 November 2021. https://www.forces.net/news/exclusive-ranger-regiment-selection-process-tackling-special-forces-roles. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ↑ Sheridan, Danielle (24 November 2021). "Fury as new Army regiment's cap badge 'identical' to apartheid terror squad". The Daily Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/11/24/fury-new-army-regiments-cap-badge-identical-apartheid-terror/.
- ↑ Cooke, Millie (25 November 2021). "British Army fury as new badge compared to Nazi and Apartheid death squad symbols". Daily Express. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1526937/British-Army-news-badge-Nazi-Eagle-Apartheid-Selous-Scouts-Ranger-Regiment.
- ↑ "Introducing the Army's latest cap badge: Ranger Regiment". Ministry of Defence. 25 November 2021. https://www.army.mod.uk/news-and-events/news/2021/11/ranger-regiment-cap-badge/.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
The original article can be found at Ranger Regiment (United Kingdom) and the edit history here.