British Armed Forces

[mike2000 is back]

Boeing completes Mk6 Chinook deliveries to UK under £1bn deal

The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) has received its 14th Mark-6 (Mk6) from Boeing, taking its fleet of Chinook helicopters to 60. The delivery completes the latest $1.64bn (£1bn) order made by the UK, and coincides with the 35th anniversary of the Chinook fleet in the force. Awarded in 2011, the contract for the 14 CH-47 Mk6 Chinooks is part of the UK's Strategic Helicopter Vision to modernise its helicopter force structure.

RAF Chinooks aboard Royal Navy's Helicopter carrier HMS Ocean

Boeing completes Mk6 Chinook deliveries to UK under £1bn deal - Airforce Technology

 

[mike2000 is back]

UK Royal Air Force receives Eighth A400M Atlas aircraft

The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) has received the 8th A400M aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space, strengthening its transport fleet capability to carry out extended world-wide tasks. Currently, the RAF is operating four A400M aircraft from Brize Norton, while three others are being fitted with UK-specific systems required to operate in hostile environments.
UK Defence Minister Philip Dunne said: "This significant milestone marks an important achievement for all those who have been involved in the UK's A400M Atlas programme, from the MoD and the RAF through to our industry partners.
"Those flying the aircraft are hugely impressed with its capability, and with a protected Defence budget and our investment of £160bn in equipment, we look forward to growing the UK A400M Force over the coming months."

 

[mike2000 is back]

The fourteen British Overseas Territories (BOT) are territories under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom. They are those parts of the former British Empire that have not chosen independence or have voted to remain British territories. While each has its own internal leadership, they share the British monarch (Elizabeth II) as head of state and come under the command of the Royal Navy/military for protection..

Current overseas territories

The 14 British Overseas Territories are:
Akrotiri and Dhekelia bases - Mediterranean (Cyprus)
Anguilla - Caribbean and North Atlantic Ocean
Bermuda - North Atlantic Ocean
British Antarctic Territory - Antarctica
British Indian Ocean Territory,Diego Garcia (base) - Indian Ocean
British Virgin Islands - Caribbean and North Atlantic Ocean
Cayman Islands - Caribbean and North Atlantic Ocean
Falkland Islands - South Atlantic Ocean
Gibraltar - Iberian Peninsula (Continental Europe)
Montserrat - Caribbean and North Atlantic Ocean
Pitcairn Islands - Pacific Ocean
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha - South Atlantic Ocean
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands - South Atlantic Ocean
Turks and Caicos Islands - Lucayan Archipelago and North Atlantic Ocean

UK also has military presence in 5 other countries:
Brunei - Mechanized infantry battalion and a helicopter link; 900 personnel
Germany - Rhine garrison, (British Forces Germany) - 21,500 personnel as of 2012
Kenya - The British Peace Support Team (BPST) and British Army Training Unit Kenya – (BATUK). It has 56 permanent staff and a rotating staff of 110 personnel
Sierra Leone - International Mine Action Training Centre (IMATC) located on the southern edge of Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown.
Canada: Britain maintains a arg military base in Alberta, Canada. Mainly for training purposes. It is the British Army's largest armoured training facility in the world and it can accommodate live-firing and tactical effect simulation (TES) exercises up to battle group level.

Taking a look at British Antarctic territory.............

HMS Protector paid a visit to BOT base in Antarctica, where Britain has 2 permanent research stations.

Royal Navy Signy Research Station and panorama,South Orkney Islands.
The territory is inhabited by the staff of research and support stations operated and maintained by the British Antartic Survey and other organisations. The territory is inhabited by the staff of research and support stations operated and maintained by the British Antartic Survey and other organisations.

The crew of the Royal Navy ship HMS Protector has celebrated Christmas early on the ice of Antarctica.

Since 1996, the historic base at Port Lockroy on Goudier Island has been staffed by the UK Antartic Heritage Trust during the Antarctic summer. Receiving about 10,000 visitors a year, it is one of the most visited sites on the continent. Visitors can tour the museum, buy souvenirs, post mail, and view the large Gentoo Penguin colony

Royal Navy ice patrol ship HMS Endurance hosted Princess Anne on British Antarctic Territory pictured above.

The Territory includes three regions which, before 1962, were administered by the British as separate dependencies of the Falkland Islands: Graham Land, the South Orkney Islands, and the South Shetland Islands.

HMS Protector's ship's company have taken to the ice in Antarctica dressed as Father Christmas in support of the ship's affiliated charity.

 

[mike2000 is back]

A Portchester sailor has been presented with a medal for 17 years of service to the Royal Navy while serving on the icebreaker HMS Protector in British overseas territory of Antarctica.

In 2012, the southern part of the territory was named Queen Elizabeth Land in honour of Queen Elizabeth II.
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HMS Protector on routine patrol in British territory of Antartica.

The British Antarctic Territory is administered by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). A Commissioner is appointed and is always the Head of the FCO's Overseas Territories Department.

Royal navy HMS Scott at the British Antarctic territory , 2013

 

[Baybars Han]

The fourteen British Overseas Territories (BOT) are territories under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the United Kingdom. They are those parts of the former British Empire that have not chosen independence or have voted to remain British territories. While each has its own internal leadership, they share the British monarch (Elizabeth II) as head of state and come under the command if the Royal Navy/military for protection..

Current overseas territories

The 14 British Overseas Territories are:
Akrotiri and Dhekelia bases - Mediterranean (Cyprus)
Anguilla - Caribbean and North Atlantic Ocean
Bermuda - North Atlantic Ocean
British Antarctic Territory - Antarctica
British Indian Ocean Territory,Diego Garcia (base) - Indian Ocean
British Virgin Islands - Caribbean and North Atlantic Ocean
Cayman Islands - Caribbean and North Atlantic Ocean
Falkland Islands - South Atlantic Ocean
Gibraltar - Iberian Peninsula (Continental Europe)
Montserrat - Caribbean and North Atlantic Ocean
Pitcairn Islands - Pacific Ocean
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha - South Atlantic Ocean
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands - South Atlantic Ocean
Turks and Caicos Islands - Lucayan Archipelago and North Atlantic Ocean

UK also has military presence in 4 other countries:
Brunei - Mechanized infantry battalion and a helicopter link; 900 personnel
Germany - Rhine garrison, (British Forces Germany) - 21,500 personnel as of 2012
Kenya - The British Peace Support Team (BPST) and British Army Training Unit Kenya – (BATUK). It has 56 permanent staff and a rotating staff of 110 personnel
Sierra Leone - International Mine Action Training Centre (IMATC) located on the southern edge of Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown.

Taking a look at British Antarctic territory.............

HMS Protector paid a visit to BOT base in Antarctica, where Britain has 2 permanent research stations.

Royal Navy Signy Research Station and panorama,South Orkney Islands.
The territory is inhabited by the staff of research and support stations operated and maintained by the British Antartic Survey and other organisations. The territory is inhabited by the staff of research and support stations operated and maintained by the British Antartic Survey and other organisations.

The crew of the Royal Navy ship HMS Protector has celebrated Christmas early on the ice of Antarctica.

Since 1996, the historic base at Port Lockroy on Goudier Island has been staffed by the UK Antartic Heritage Trust during the Antarctic summer. Receiving about 10,000 visitors a year, it is one of the most visited sites on the continent. Visitors can tour the museum, buy souvenirs, post mail, and view the large Gentoo Penguin colony

Royal Navy ice patrol ship HMS Endurance hosted Princess Anne on British Antarctic Territory pictured above.

HMS Protector's ship's company have taken to the ice in Antarctica dressed as Father Christmas in support of the ship's affiliated charity.

The British was intelligent. They keep these lands. They put British people on these places and so they will always stay British. If we did what you did somehow, our sultans had greater vision we would have so many islands around Europe, Middle East, Asia.

These islands are very important military for UK.

 

[mike2000 is back]

The British was intelligent. They keep these lands. They put British people on these places and so they will always stay British. If we did what you did somehow, our sultans had greater vision we would have so many islands around Europe, Middle East, Asia.

These islands are very important military for UK.

LOL Well, to be honest you might be right. However, its not like Turkey had a choice. Since we defeated the Ottoman empire after the first world war, reason you had to cede all the lands you had previously conquered. It's not like you withdrew peacefully like we did. We were weakened by Nazi Germany after second world war(though we still emerged victorious), so our leaders noticed that we didn't have the resources/means to keep our colonies all over the world(it was over 60% of the world back then) so they decided to grant many of these colonies their independence, while giving the option to others to remain under Britain but have some sort of autonomy/self rule rights while enjoying British citizenship(protection) and all the advantages that comes with it. reason many of our small colonies all over the world opted to remain under Britain while having more control/rule over their territory. WIN-WIN for both sides i will say. France also did the same with their former colonies. @FrenchPilot ,@Taygibay

So you cant really compare Britain(or even France) with Turkey in this situation. You are right about your last point though,it allows the Royal navy(Britain) to maintain a constant global presence around the globe.

 

[Vergennes]

LOL Well, to be honest you might be right. However, its not like Turkey had a choice. Since we defeated the Ottoman empire after the first world war, reason you had to cede all the lands you had previously conquered. It's not like you withdrew peacefully like we did. We were weakened by Nazi Germany after second world war(though we still emerged victorious), so our leaders noticed that we didn't have the resources/means to keep our colonies all over the world(it was over 60% of the world back then) so they decided to grant many of these colonies their independence, while giving the option to others to remain under Britain but have some sort of autonomy/self rule rights while enjoying British citizenship(protection) and all the advantages that comes with it. reason many of our small colonies all over the world opted to remain under Britain while having more control/rule over their territory. WIN-WIN for both sides i will say. France also did the same with their former colonies. @FrenchPilot ,@Taygibay

So you cant really compare Britain(or even France) with Turkey in this situation. You are right about your last point though,it allows the Royal navy(Britain) to maintain a constant global presence around the globe.

To this day,i still ask myself how come little European countries have ruled most parts of the world.

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@mike2000 is back Do you know the total of UK soldiers deployed to protect these overseas territories ?

 

[mike2000 is back]

To this day,i still ask myself how come little European countries have ruled most parts of the world.

View attachment 282846
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@mike2000 is back Do you know the total of UK soldiers deployed to protect these overseas territories ?

LOL Due to the fact that we industrialized before any other region.

It should be in the tens of thousands bro(together with British security agents/law enforcers/police etc). But i don't have any figures, since personnel in these territories changes constantly as they are rotated every now and then. Plus the MOD(Ministry of defence) hardly ever issues numbers publicly. For example until today we just know there are a few hundreds British military personnel in Diego Garcia(another BOT). The British MOD never releases a precise figure publicly for some reason.

How many does France have?

 

[Vergennes]

It should be in the thousands bro. But i don't have any figures, since personnel in these territories changes constantly as they are rotated every now and then. Plus the MOD(Ministry of defence) hardly ever issues numbers publicly. For example until today we just know there are a few hundreds British military personnel in Diego Garcia(another BOT). The British MOD never releases a precise figure publicly for some reason.

How many does France have?

About ~7200. (Based in French Guyana,New Caledonia,the island of Réunion,French polynesia and the Antilles.)
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There is though no threat to these territories,we don't have any issues with the neighbors..... only Vanuatu is claiming that 2 big rocks are their's.
So we are pretty lucky.

 

[Baybars Han]

LOL Well, to be honest you might be right. However, its not like Turkey had a choice. Since we defeated the Ottoman empire after the first world war, reason you had to cede all the lands you had previously conquered. It's not like you withdrew peacefully like we did. We were weakened by Nazi Germany after second world war(though we still emerged victorious), so our leaders noticed that we didn't have the resources/means to keep our colonies all over the world(it was over 60% of the world back then) so they decided to grant many of these colonies their independence, while giving the option to others to remain under Britain but have some sort of autonomy/self rule rights while enjoying British citizenship(protection) and all the advantages that comes with it. reason many of our small colonies all over the world opted to remain under Britain while having more control/rule over their territory. WIN-WIN for both sides i will say. France also did the same with their former colonies. @FrenchPilot ,@Taygibay

So you cant really compare Britain(or even France) with Turkey in this situation. You are right about your last point though,it allows the Royal navy(Britain) to maintain a constant global presence around the globe.

My friend, Ottoman empire was from 1299-1923 so it's different because if we kept some islands it would have been most likely kept after treaty of laussane, especially if it had majority Turkish population. Also it's a long story so I don't want to go off topic.

 

[mike2000 is back]

About ~7200. (Based in French Guyana,New Caledonia,the island of Réunion,French polynesia and the Antilles.)
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There is though no threat to these territories,we don't have any issues with the neighbors..... only Vanuatu is claiming that 2 big rocks are their's.
So we are pretty lucky.

Lool I see what you did there. You mean we lack honor. nahhhhh far from it. I will say the opposite is true.
Plus yes we do face a minor threat from Argentina though, with the Falklands and it's surrounded territories though. Apart from that dispute ,our overseas territories face no real threat/disputes whatsoever. However, we still maintain a security presence there for you never know when a conflict might erupt, and we need our law enforcement officers to maintain law and order while properly administering these territories.


By the way, What is vanuatu ??

 

[Baybars Han]

Lool I see what you did there. You mean we lack honor. nahhhhh far from it. I will say the opposite is true.
Plus yes we do face a minor threat from Argentina though, with the Falklands and it's surrounded territories though. Apart from that dispute ,our overseas territories face no real threat/disputes whatsoever. However, we still maintain a security presence there for you never know when a conflict might erupt, and we need our law enforcement officers to maintain law and order while properly administering these territories.


By the way, What is vanuatu ??

What about Cebelitarık (Gibraltar). I always read news about Spain wants it. Is the population British over there?

Also I doubt Argentina can do anything to Falklands. You can just put alot of air defence, a big Base with alot of soldiers and Argentina can't do anything. At the worst those soldiers there can keep it until the AC come.

 

[mike2000 is back]

What about Cebelitarık (Gibraltar). I always read news about Spain wants it. Is the population British over there?

Also I doubt Argentina can do anything to Falklands. You can just put alot of air defence, a big Base with alot of soldiers and Argentina can't do anything. At the worst those soldiers there can keep it until the AC come.

lol my bad, sorry you are right I forgot Gilbratar. Lol. Spain claims it as well, but it's recognised all over the world as a British territory. Spain can't do anything to be honest (apart from protesting diplomatically once a year or two for internal political reasons ). Yes the population there is fully British bro and they are very happy to be British and intend to stay that way(and it will). We do have a significant military presence in Gilbratar since its location is very strategic and enables the Royal Navy to keep a close eye on our interets in the Mediterranean Sea and together with our base in Cyprus the Middle East as well. We are building another military base in Bahrain to further these presence/interests in the east of suez as well for this reason.Royal Navy base construction begins in Bahrain as Britain seeks a return to 'East of Suez' | Home News | News | The Independent

As for Falklands, there is absolutely nothing Argentina can do. It's simply too weak(farrrrr more than in the 1980s when we fought the war, they had a very credible navy/military back then) and bankrupt to stand any chance against the Royal Navy or airforce. If they ever dare try us today again, we will crush them even more this time(never mind that we will be fighting them tens of thousands of miles away from our mainland/neighbourhood. Lol Plus with the commissioning of our 2 super carriers(and 7 nuclear subs) 5 years from now the balance of power will only increase even more than it is today in our favour.
Britain to boost Falklands Islands defences - BBC News

Argentina is no threat to us bro. We might use them for naval practice though if they ever dare us again. Lol

 

[Baybars Han]

lol my bad, sorry you are right I forgot Gilbratar. Lol. Spain claims it as well, but it's recognised all over the world as a British territory. Spain can't do anything to be honest (apart from protesting diplomatically once a year or two for internal political reasons ). Yes the population there is fully British bro and they are very happy to be British and intend to stay that way(and it will). We do have a significant military presence in Gilbratar since its location is very strategic and enables the Royal Navy to keep a close eye on our interets in the Mediterranean Sea and together with our base in Cyprus the Middle East as well. We are building another military base in Bahrain to further these presence/interests in the east of suez as well for this reason.Royal Navy base construction begins in Bahrain as Britain seeks a return to 'East of Suez' | Home News | News | The Independent

As for Falklands, there is absolutely nothing Argentina can do. It's simply too weak(farrrrr more than in the 1980s when we fought the war, they had a very credible navy/military back then) and bankrupt to stand any chance against the Royal Navy or airforce. If they ever dare try us today again, we will crush them even more this time(never mind that we will be fighting them tens of thousands of miles away from our mainland/neighbourhood. Lol Plus with the commissioning of our 2 super carriers(and 7 nuclear subs) 5 years from now the balance of power will only increase even more than it is today in our favour.
Britain to boost Falklands Islands defences - BBC News

Argentina is no threat to us bro. We might use them for naval practice though if they ever dare us again. Lol

Also I wanted to ask about cyprus. Is that a British territory or just a base allowed by cypriot government. Do you believe the chances of cyprus not wanting the british there lets say in a few years, what do you think the response of the UK Government will be? Cyprus is very strategic too for Britian so in the future where cyprus says no we dont want you anymore, that is a possibility right?

 

[mike2000 is back]

Also I wanted to ask about cyprus. Is that a British territory or just a base allowed by cypriot government. Do you believe the chances of cyprus not wanting the british there lets say in a few years, what do you think the response of the UK Government will be? Cyprus is very strategic too for Britian so in the future where cyprus says no we dont want you anymore, that is a possibility right?

It's a British overseas territory yet again. Lol. Plus we have a huge military base/presence there for its strategic location as well(it serves as a main base/station for our global communication/intelligence gathering in the Middle East).
UK’s military base in Cyprus ‘taps into Middle East, Mediterranean comms’ — RT News
There are also thousands of British military personnel and their families in Akroti and Dhekelia in Cyprus. They can't ask us to leave our territory. So we will be/remain there forever until our government decides otherwise. lol

Akrotiri and Dhekelia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia