16 Air Assault Brigade to replace 4th Mechanized Brigade in Helmand
16 Air Assault Brigade will replace 4th Mechanized Brigade in October 2010 as the lead formation of British troops in Helmand province, Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox has announced today, Wednesday 14 July 2010.
Troops from 16 Air Assault Brigade sitting in the rear of a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft [Picture: Sergeant Anthony Boocock RLC, Crown Copyright/MOD 2008]
Headquarters 6 (UK) Division will remain as Headquarters Regional Command (South) until November 2010.
The deployment of 16 Air Assault Brigade and accompanying units will not result in any change to the UK鈥檚 established and enduring conventional force level of 9,500 personnel.
Volunteer and regular members of the Reserve Forces will continue to deploy to Afghanistan as part of this integrated force package, and we expect to issue around 770 call-out notices to fill some 600 posts.
On completion of their mobilisation procedures, the reservists will undertake a period of training and, where applicable, integration with their respective receiving units. The majority will serve on operations for around six months. As part of this commitment, we expect up to 16 members of the Sponsored Reserves to be in theatre at any one time.
Following 16 Air Assault Brigade鈥檚 six-month deployment it is planned that 3 Commando Brigade will take over as the lead formation of Task Force Helmand.
The forces deploying with 16 Air Assault Brigade include:
- (who will hand over command of Regional Command (South) to the US 10th Mountain Division on 1 November 2010)
- Headquarters and Signal Squadron ()
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