Close Support Air Defence
12th Regiment Royal Artillery are the Army’s only Regiment to Close Support Air Defence to our most important assets on the battlefield, using state-of-the-art missiles and detection systems. This gives us the ability to destroy a variety of threats from enemy rotary wing to unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
Our Regiment
Facts & Figures
Active From:
1947
Role:
AIR DEFENCE
Specialism:
CLOSE SUPPORT AIR DEFENCE AND COUNTER-UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS (C-UAS)
Our Skills
We specialise in delivering vital Close Support Air Defence to the UK’s manoeuvre forces, providing protection to critical assets from a range of airborne threats.
Specialist trade areas:
- Guided missile operator
- Armoured vehicle operator
- Advanced communicator
- Parachutist
We are also the premier sporting regiment within the Royal Artillery, particularly at Rugby, Nordic Skiing, Football and Boxing.
Current Deployments
Estonia: Deployed on Op Cabrit to provide Close Support Air Defence to NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in the Baltics.
Saudi Arabia: Deployed on Op Crossways with HVM SP to defend our allies from modern attack UAVs.
Iraq: The Regiment are currently deployed on Op Shader providing the LML capability.
USA: Working with US partners to provide Close Range Air Defence in a coalition environment.
UK: On standby for Op Temperer. If needed 12 Regt RA are ready to provide domestic support to the Civil Authorities.
Past deployments: We have been involved in every major operational deployment, and every major exercise for the past 20 years.
Recent Deployment:
Soldiers from 12 Regt RA, deployed as part of the UK’s enhanced Force Presence commitment to Op Cabrit.
Our Location
Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire
The jewel in the crown of Royal Artillery locations, Thorney Island is located on the South coast of England and forms part of the beautiful Chichester harbour. Only 10 miles East along the coast from Portsmouth city centre, it is the only Royal Artillery camp to boast its own sandy beach!
Thorney Island is also home to the Army Inshore Sailing Training Centre (AISTC). Many of soldiers take advantage of the various courses they offer, including paddle boarding, windsurfing, kitesurfing and dinghy sailing.
Our Location
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12th Regiment Royal Artillery
Baker Barracks, Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire, PO10 8DH