The British Army's Iron Division has demonstrated how it will fight in the near future by deploying an integrated network of weaponry across land, air, sea, space and cyberspace.
A Trojan during a breaching demonstration at the 3rd (UK) Division’s Armoured Exposition 2026 on Salisbury Plain Training Area.
One of the uncrewed systems during a breaching demonstration at the 3rd (UK) Division’s Armoured Exposition 2026.
A Boxer armoured fighting vehicle.
Member of Parliament Alistair Carns, DSO, OBE, MC, observed a dynamic demonstration delivered by the British Army’s Warfighting Division at Salisbury Plain Training Area.
A drone dropping off supplies to troops whilst a Challenger 2 provides cover.
A Challenger 2 during demonstration at the 3rd (UK) Division’s Armoured Exposition 2026.
Member of Parliament Alistair Carns, DSO, OBE, MC, observed a dynamic demonstration delivered by the British Army’s Warfighting Division at Salisbury Plain Training Area.
Terrier, armoured digger, at the 3rd (UK) Division’s Armoured Exposition 2026 on Salisbury Plain Training Area.
"We cannot do it on our own"
At an Armoured Expo event on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, Major General Olly Brown, General Officer Commanding 3rd (UK) Division, told industry partners:
"We face a demanding challenge to be ready to fight, pick apart, and destroy a Russian warfighting enterprise. We cannot do that alone; we must do it with our mission partners.
"We will not generate the capability, nor will we thrive on the battlefield without you, so my thanks to you all for coming to join us today."
Front-row view of the Division's transformation
Immersive experiences threw guests straight into a simulated fight with the enemy and made clear the progress made by the Iron Division and its industry partners.
A live demonstration showed how autonomous armoured ground vehicles, drones, and soldiers will work together on the battlefield.
Survivable, attritable, consumable
The event also brought to life the vision of the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Roly Walker, for an Army that will be more lethal and harder to defeat by changing the way it uses weapons and vehicles. To achieve this, the Army will deliver its fighting power on the following basis:
- 20 percent will come from tough armoured vehicles, the kind that carry soldiers and are hard to destroy. Work on these is already happening – the survivable.
- 40 percent will come from uncrewed robots and drones. These are cheaper to make and easy to replace if they get destroyed – the attritable.
- 40 percent will come from simple, low-cost drones and missiles that are used once and then gone. These will be made in large numbers and will make the Army far more powerful in a battle – the consumable.
All three parts need to work together for the Army to be the strongest and best-protected armoured fighting force in NATO, the military alliance of countries in Europe and North America that defend each other.
Try it, test it, shape it
To wrap up the day of demonstrations, industry partners ran workshops that gave a sneak preview of innovative kit and equipment in development. Soldiers tested the kit and equipment and continue to do providing feedback which will help refine these capabilities.
The work goes on
While the event may be over, industry experts and soldiers will carry on working together, innovating and modernising, over the coming months.
In thanking all who attended, Major General Brown said:
"I am immensely grateful for our mission partners’ openness, challenge, and creativity. When joined together with the imagination, professional skill, and discipline of our soldiers, we generate an unbeatable battle-winning team."
