The country’s 7th Light Mechanised Brigade is placing thousands of soldiers on standby and ready to deploy within days
The UK’s 7th Light Mechanised Brigade is placing thousands of soldiers on standby and ready to deploy within days as part of its new leading role of NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), the Atlantic Alliance has announced. The UK took over the role from Germany on 1 January, which led the force in 2023.
Created after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, the VJTF was deployed for the first time for the Alliance’s collective defence after Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022.
“This brigade needs to be ready to move within days to wherever NATO needs it, making it a key part of our collective defence. The UK’s leadership of our highest readiness formation is a clear display of its capabilities and commitment to NATO”, said the Alliance’s acting Spokesperson, Dylan White.
The VJTF is the highest-readiness element of NATO’s larger Response Force, which also includes air and maritime forces. In 2024, VJTF land forces will comprise some 6,000 thousand troops, with the 7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team – “the Desert Rats” – at its core. The brigade consists of a light cavalry regiment and four light-mechanised infantry battalions with artillery, engineering, logistics, and medical regiments. Units include the Royal Anglian Regiment and the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. Poland’s 1st Warsaw Armored Brigade and Spain’s Brigada Guzmán el Bueno will provide heavy battle tanks, attack helicopters and air defences. In total, nine NATO Allies provide forces.
NATO’s Joint Force Command in Brunssum will command the Response Force in 2024. The United Kingdom’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps will serve as the land component command. The Alliance will transition the NATO Response Force into the new Allied Reaction Force in mid-2024.
