Armour Centre, Bovington
The Armour Centre in Bovington, Dorset, is Defence’s reference point for Mounted Close Combat individual training including reconnaissance and tactical CIS. The centre trains soldiers in driving/maintaining Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) and operating vehicle weapons’ systems and communications equipment.
What happens at Initial Trade Training?
AFV Training Group
The AFV Training Group, commanded by HQ Armour Centre, has two schools delivering training in the three disciplines of armour – Communications, Driving & Maintenance and Gunnery – and the Royal Armoured Corps Training Regiment.
The AFV Training Group’s role is to provide initial and through-career training for British Army soldiers. The AFV Training Group provides training for a variety of armoured vehicles.
RAC Training Regiment
On completion of Basic Training all RAC soldiers will come to the Royal Armoured Corps Training Regiment (RACTR), at Allenby Barracks in Dorset. Here they will receive trade and technical training specific to the vehicle platforms that their chosen regiment operates.
What you'll learn
As an Initial Trade Training soldier you will receive trade specific training. Your training pipeline is specific to the type regiment you choose to join and the vehicle platform that they operate:
- Armoured – Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank – Kings Royal Hussars, Queens Royal Hussars and Royal Tank Regiment.
- Armoured Cavalry – CVR (T) Reconnaissance Vehicle – Royal Lancers, Household Cavalry and Royal Dragoon Guards.
- Light Cavalry – JACKAL Wheeled Reconnaissance Vehicle – Light Dragoons, Queens Dragoon Guards and Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.
You will also receive training in mounted tactics, dismounted skills and weapon handling.
Waterloo Squadron Troops
- Centurion Troop
- Chieftain Troop
- Churchill Troop
- Crusader Troop
- Jackal Troop
- Saladin Troop
- Scimitar Troop
- Scorpion Troop
- Titan Troop
Those that sustain an injury or require long term physiotherapy will be moved in to Centurion Troop. This will allow soldiers to focus on their treatment and return to mainstream training as quickly as possible.
Accommodation
The Armour Centre at Bovington boasts nine new SLA (single living accommodation) blocks:
- Two Subsequent Trade Training and permanent staff SLA blocks with en-suite single rooms each.
- Two Initial Trade Training SLA blocks which have four beds per room with a spacious bed and desk area and bed-surround wardrobes.
- A Sergeants’ Mess SLA block with single en-suite rooms.
- Two Royal Marine Commando SLA blocks with single en-suite rooms.
- One Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Tracked Vehicle Driver Training (REME TVDT) SLA block with a mix of four bed rooms and single en-suites.
How to find us
By car
The Armour Centre is on the A352 just outside the village of Wool and next to Monkey World and the Tank Museum. We are just seven miles from Lulworth Cove and a short drive from the coastal towns of Weymouth and Swanage.
The postcode for satnav users is BH20 6JA.
By train
The nearest railway station is Wool, which is within walking distance of the Armour Centre. Wool station is on the Weymouth to London Waterloo line and services are about one every hour.
By taxi
Celtic Cabs 01929 463311
Garrison Cars 01929 462467
Jurassic Cabs 01929 558119
Contact us
HQ Armour Centre
Allenby Barracks
Bovington
Wareham
Dorset
BH20 6JA
