UK defence secretary Philip Hammond has announced the next roulement units scheduled to be deployed as part of Operation Herrick XVIII in Afghanistan.
The next changeover of the UK forces in Afghanistan is planned to occur in April this year.
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Around half of the units will form Task Force Helmand under command of 1st Mechanised Brigade, while the remaining units are expected to be deployed within Helmand and also at other locations in Afghanistan, including Kandahar and Kabul.
The deployment forms part of the UK’s overall contribution to the Nato-led International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) in the country.
As well as formed units, around 910 individual personell, including 146 Royal Navy, 400 Army and 364 Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel, are likely to be deployed on operations as part of the integrated force package.
The command element of Headquarters Joint Force Support (Afghanistan) will be provided by the RAF, with wider headquarters scheduled to be manned by individual augmentees from all three services.
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By GlobalDataIn addition, the MoD is planning to issue around 550 call-out notices to volunteer and ex-regular members of the Reserve Forces for Afghanistan deployment as part of the integrated force package.
Reservists will undergo a training period upon completion of their mobilisation procedures, and integrate with their respective receiving units where applicable.
The majority are expected to serve on operations for nearly six months, even though a small proportion of any force dropped due to force level reductions is likely to remain reservist.
Deploying forces include 1st Mechanised Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (215), 847 and 857 Naval Air Squadron, and 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, as well as elements of 23 Pioneer Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps, which is scheduled to be disbanded next year.
Britain’s conventional force levels in Afghanistan are set to be reduced to around 5,200 by the end of this year, under plans announced by UK Prime Minister David Cameron in December 2012.
Image: 2nd Royal Tank Regiment personnel during a security patrol in Lashkar Gah district, Afghanistan. Photo: Crown Copyright/MoD 2010.
