WHO WE ARE

The Royal Tank Regiment

Fearless pioneers of modern warfare

Forged in the adversity of World War I, the Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) is the oldest tank unit in the world. Its arsenal includes the Challenger 2 battle tank, the Scimitar reconnaissance vehicle, and the Spartan armoured personnel carrier.

FACTS & FIGURES

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ACTIVE FROM

2 August 2014

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ROLE

Armour

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SPECIALISM

Challenger 2

our skills

Whether mounted on a Challenger 2 tank or driving a Panther patrol vehicle, soldiers in the Royal Tank Regiment are experts in seizing the initiative. They engage in close combat and shock action against enemy forces, living up to their motto: ‘Fear Naught’.

  • Close combat
  • Shock action
  • Aggressive mobile action
  • Destruction of enemy armour 
  • Surveillance 
  • Target acquisition
  • Reconnaissance
  • Conducting patrols

World wide

The Royal Tank Regiment is currently deployed on training exercises around the world.

Past Deployments: 

  • Operation Herrick (Afghanistan)
  • Operation Telic (Iraq)

Our People

The Royal Tank Regiment recruits from across the UK, with an emphasis on the South West, Merseyside, London and Scotland. Wherever they’re from, RTR soldiers live by the regimental ethos of professionalism and excellence.

Our Location

Aliwal Barracks

The Royal Tank Regiment is based in Tidworth, Wiltshire on Salisbury Plain.

Get Directions

The Royal Tank Regiment

There is a real sense of achievement Rich, 28

Our Role

The Royal Tank Regiment specialises in shock action: the use of sudden, violent force to overwhelm and destroy the enemy, usually from the cockpit of a Challenger 2 main battle tank.

As well as providing a physical advantage, the Royal Tank Regiment plays an important psychological role: the sight of their Challenger 2 tanks rolling across the battlefield is both intimidating for the enemy and encouraging for fellow British Army forces.

The regiment also uses the Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicle to assess local terrain and seek out enemy units for destruction.

Past to Present

Tanks were first used during the Battle of the Somme, and the creation of the Royal Tank Regiment soon followed. The regiment has been deployed on all major conflicts since the end of the World War II, during which time it has earned a reputation for fearlessness and professionalism.

  1. 1916

    The Heavy Section of the Machine Gun Corps is formed

  2. 1917

    The Regiment is given the official status of Tank Corps

  3. 1939

    The Royal Tank Corps becomes the Royal Tank Regiment

  4. 1959-60

    Various RTR regiments are amalgamated

  5. 1969

    The 5th Royal Tank Regiment is disbanded

  6. 2014

    The Royal Tank Regiment becomes a single battalion regiment

Our Locations

  • Aliwal Barracks

    Tidworth Garrison SP9 7BB

List of equipment used

Challenger 2 Tank

It has been used by the British Army on operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Iraq, and has never experienced a loss at the hands of the enemy.

Combat vehicles

SCIMITAR ARMOURED RECONNAISSANCE VEHICLE

Agile The Scimitar armoured fighting vehicle's exceptionally low ground pressure and small size make it useful where the terrain is hostile and movement is difficult

Reconnaissance vehicles

SPARTAN & CVR(T) VEHICLES

CVR(T) vehicles Samaritan is an ambulance vehicle, Sultan an armoured command vehicle and Sampson an armoured recovery vehicle

Reconnaissance vehicles

FUCHS

CBRN FUCHS is able to detect Chemical, Radiological and Nuclear hazards through Area Survey and Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance vehicles

Panther

Up in the air Weighing 7-tonnes, the Panther is air transportable and can be underslung beneath a Chinook helicopter.

Protected patrol vehicles

Contact us

Please feel free to contact us. We are keen to hear from individuals who have the skills to work with us.