32nd Regiment Royal Artillery explained

Unit Name:32nd Regiment Royal Artillery
Dates:1939 – present
Country: United Kingdom
Role:Mini-Unmanned Aerial Systems (MUAS)
Size:Regiment
398 personnel[1]
Command Structure:Field Army Troops
Garrison:Roberts Barracks
Nickname:The Wessex Gunners
Equipment Label:Equipment
Website:32 Regiment Royal Artillery

32 Regiment Royal Artillery ("The Wessex Gunners") is a regiment in the Royal Artillery, part of the British Army and is equipped with the PUMA 2 miniature unmanned aerial systems. 32nd Regiment is the only Royal Artillery unit that operates MUAS.

History

The regiment has its origins in 7th Medium Brigade which was raised in 1927, equipped with 60 Pounders and 6" Howitzers, they evolved into 7th Medium Regiment and served throughout the Second World War.[2]

In 1947, the 32nd Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) was retitled as the 45th Field Regiment[3] and the 7th Medium Regiment RHQ was retitled as the 32nd.[4]

In 1966, the regiment became a Heavy Regiment with M107 175 mm self-propelled guns. In 1972, it became a light Regiment, equipped with 105mm Light Guns; then, in 1978, a Guided Missile Regiment equipped with Swingfire anti-tank missile. In 1985, it became a heavy regiment again with M107 guns based in Dortmund. During the Gulf War, the regiment was equipped with M110 self-propelled 203 mm howitzers and served as part of the Divisional Artillery Group supporting the 1st Armoured Division.

In December 2016, it was announced that the regiment would be disbanded and its personnel redistributed to other parts of the British Army.[5] In the British Army's Soldier Magazine October 2020 edition, it was confirmed the regiment would not disband but will continue to support the field army in the Mini-Unmanned Aerial Systems (MUAS) support role, using the Puma and Wasp AE (All Environment) mini unmanned air system.[6] [7]

As part of the Future Soldier Programme, the regiment will gain an addition MUAS battery by the end of 2023 in the form of 42 (Alem Hamza) Battery.[8] [9] They will also Re-Equip with the Stalker VXE30 and Indago 4 UAS from 2024 under the Army's TIQUILA Programme.[10]

Batteries

The Regiment currently comprises the following batteries:[11] [12]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Army – Question for Ministry of Defence. 1. 14 December 2020.
  2. Web site: 32 Regiment Royal Artillery. Ministry of Defence. 15 December 2020.
  3. Web site: 45th Regiment RHA. British Army units 1945 on. 10 May 2014.
  4. Web site: Young. A.. 32nd Regiment RHA. British Army units 1945 on. 10 May 2014.
  5. Web site: Strategic Defence and Security Review - Army:Written statement - HCWS367. 15 December 2016. www. parliament.uk. UK Hansard . 11 October 2019.
  6. News: . Flying High . October 2020 . Soldier Magazine . 1 October 2020 . 2 October 2020 . 29.
  7. Web site: Exercise Wessex Seahawk: Army Flies Unmanned Aircraft In Cornwall. Forces.net. 21 October 2020. 4 April 2023.
  8. Web site: The Integrated Review and Future Soldier - RA Association . 2022-07-28 . www.thegunners.org.uk.
  9. Web site: Future Soldier Guide. Ministry of Defence. 78. 28 July 2022.
  10. Web site: DE&S orders cutting-edge mini drones for UK Armed Forces. 16 December 2022. Defence Equipment and Support. 13 October 2023.
  11. Web site: 32nd Regiment Royal Artillery Our History . . 4 July 2019.
  12. Web site: 32 Regiment Royal Artillery. army.mod.uk. en-GB. 2019-10-11.
  13. Web site: 32 Regiment - British Army Website. https://web.archive.org/web/20171102054000/http://www.army.mod.uk/artillery/regiments/24677.aspx. dead. 2017-11-02. 2017-11-02. 2019-10-09.