A Starstreak air defense missile system is manned by members of the British Royal Artillery during a May 3 media demonstration in London. The Royal Artilllery and other British Army units are facing cutbacks under a government plan to reduce the Army's regular forces by 20,000 personnel. (AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE)
LONDON — Seventeen major units are to be culled by the British Army as part of a transformation plan that will see regular force personnel numbers reduced to 82,000 from the current level of 102,000, the defense secretary announced July 5.
The extent of the personnel cuts was flagged 12 months ago by the Ministry of Defence as part of its austerity budget effort. But it has taken until this week for the details to emerge of exactly which units would be affected.
The plan is to reduce regular Army numbers while building a 30,000-strong force of reservists better able to integrate and deploy with front-line troops than the current arrangements allow.
The transformation plan, known as Army 2020, will ax five infantry battalions; three of the 14 Royal Engineer units will go, as well as three of 15 Royal Logistics Corps units.
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