Armoured Fighting Vehicles

(asked on 28th January 2021) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the Army’s armoured capability is taking to contribute to (a) enhanced Forward Presence and (b) NATO’s other conventional deterrence tasks.


Answered by
James Heappey Portrait
James Heappey
This question was answered on 3rd February 2021

The UK is firmly committed to the core NATO principles of collective deterrence and defence. Fifth Battalion The Rifles currently lead an Armoured Infantry Battlegroup in Estonia, as a Framework Nation for Enhanced Forward Presence. We currently provide Challenger 2, the Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle, and a suite of Armoured capabilities from the UK's Third Division to the multinational presence there. In addition, the UK contributes a Light Cavalry Squadron to the US led Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup in Poland, currently provided by the Queen's Dragoon Guards and reservists from the Royal Yeomanry.

The UK also makes one of the largest commitments to NATO's high-readiness forces, including the NATO Response Force, the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, and we host the headquarters of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. NATO's conventional deterrence extends to the enhanced air policing mission and standing maritime groups as well - to which the UK is also a major contributor.

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