Royal Artillery (Modern)
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| Royal Artillery (Modern) | |
|---|---|
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| Unit name | Royal Artillery (Modern) |
| Caption | Regimental badge of the Royal Regiment of Artillery |
| Dates | 1945–present |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Regiment and Corps-level artillery |
| Role | Fire support, air defence, surveillance, precision strike |
| Size | Multiple regiments and brigades |
| Garrison | Larkhill, Salisbury Plain |
| Garrison label | Regimental Headquarters |
| Nickname | The Gunners |
| Motto | Ubique; Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt |
| Anniversaries | Gunner's Day |
| Equipment | Precision-guided munitions, AS90, M270 MLRS, Sky Sabre, Starstreak, Watchkeeper |
| Commander1 label | Colonel Commandant |
| Identification symbol label | Cap badge |
Royal Artillery (Modern)
The Royal Artillery (Modern) is the post‑1945 manifestation of the British Army's artillery arm, providing deep fires, air defence, precision strike and surveillance in support of British Army formations. It integrates capabilities from tube artillery, rocket artillery, air defence systems, unmanned systems and targeting intelligence to support operations ranging from NATO collective defence to expeditionary missions. The corps maintains traditions linking it to pre‑1945 formations while adapting to contemporary threats across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
History and Formation (Post-World War II to Present)
After World War II, the Royal Artillery underwent demobilisation, reorganisation and integration with forces raised during the Second World War, aligning with commitments to North Atlantic Treaty Organization collective defence and Cold War deterrence. During the Korean War, Malayan Emergency and the Suez Crisis, artillery units adapted fielding and logistics models established under post‑war doctrine influenced by experiences from the Western Front and the Italian Campaign. The corps reorganised through the Options for Change defence review and subsequent reforms under the Strategic Defence Review (1998), the Future Army Structure, and the Army 2020 and Future Soldier programmes, which shifted emphasis to precision fires, integrated air defence and surveillance linked to Ministry of Defence priorities.
Organisation and Command Structure
The Royal Artillery is organised into regiments and brigades aligned with corps, divisional and brigade headquarters such as Field Army and 3rd (UK) Division. Command relationships include the Commander Field Army, Commander Home Command and liaison with joint organisations like Joint Forces Command and Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. Regiments report through the Royal Regiment of Artillery administrative structure and to professional officers trained at Royal School of Artillery, Larkhill. Specialist branches coordinate with the Defence Equipment and Support organisation and NATO command structures including Joint Force Command Brunssum.
Equipment and Capabilities
Modern equipment spans tracked artillery like the AS90 155 mm, wheeled and towed systems, the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System and precision munitions interoperable with Joint Strike Fighter strike packages. Air defence uses systems such as Sky Sabre, the vehicle‑launched Starstreak short‑range missile and radar suites interoperable with SAMP/T and Patriot at the NATO level. Surveillance and targeting exploit platforms including the Watchkeeper unmanned aerial system, counter‑battery radars like AN/TPQ‑53, and sensor networks linked to the Land Environment Air Picture Provision concept. Logistics, electronic warfare integration and cyber resilience are coordinated with Defence Geographic Centre and Government Communications Headquarters inputs.
Roles and Operations
The corps provides general support, direct support and counter‑battery fires in support of formations operating in theatres including the Falklands War legacy of expeditionary posture, deployments to Iraq War and War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and ongoing NATO deterrence on the Polish and Baltic borders. It contributes to air defence for force protection, counter‑rocket, artillery and mortar (C‑RAM) tasks in coalition environments such as Operation Shader, and to humanitarian stabilisation under United Nations and NATO mandates. Liaison with the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force enables joint fires and integration into combined arms manoeuvre.
Training and Doctrine
Professional development centres on the Royal School of Artillery at Larkhill, where courses teach gunnery, fire control, surveillance, and air defence interoperability with doctrine derived from the British Army Doctrine Publication series and NATO standardisation agreements including STANAG 4360. Training integrates live‑fire exercises at ranges such as Castlemartin and Salisbury Plain, simulation from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and multinational exercises like Exercise Trident Juncture and Exercise COLD RESPONSE. Officer and specialist trade progression links to staff training at Defence Academy of the United Kingdom and joint courses with US Army Field Artillery School exchanges.
Units and Regiments
Regiments include regular and reserve units such as field regiments equipped with AS90 and M270, air defence regiments operating Sky Sabre and Starstreak, surveillance regiments fielding Watchkeeper, and regimental batteries embedded with brigade combat teams including formations aligned to 16 Air Assault Brigade and 20th Armoured Brigade. Reserve contributions come via the Army Reserve regiments and paired units supporting deployment cycles; historic regimental titles and batteries preserve links to county identities and honours dating to the Napoleonic Wars and Victorian era campaigns.
Modernisation and Future Developments
Ongoing modernisation under Future Soldier and procurement programmes focuses on networked precision fires, integration of loitering munitions, deep strike rockets compatible with Enhanced Precision Kill Weapon System concepts, and layered air defence integrating Sky Sabre with space and counter‑UAS capabilities. Collaboration with industry through Defence and Security Accelerator, multinational initiatives with NATO Allied Command Transformation, and interoperability projects with partners such as the United States and France aim to field autonomous targeting, improved survivability and reduced logistical footprint for expeditionary operations.