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32nd Regiment Royal Artillery

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32nd Regiment Royal Artillery
Active1939 – present
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
RoleMini-Unmanned Aerial Systems (MUAS)
SizeRegiment
398 personnel[1]
Part ofJoint Aviation Command
Garrison/HQRoberts Barracks
Nickname(s)The Wessex Gunners
Website32 Regiment Royal Artillery

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

History

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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.[4] 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.[4] In 1985, it became a heavy regiment again with M107 guns based in Dortmund.[4] 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.[4]

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 gained an addition MUAS battery in 2023: 42 (Alem Hamza) Battery.[8][9] The regiment were also equipped with the Stalker VXE30 and Indago 4 UAS from 2024 under the Army's TIQUILA Programme.[10]

In May 2024, the regiment resubordinated to the command of Joint Aviation Command, operating under the same organisation as battlefield helicopters.[11]

Batteries

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The regiment currently comprises the following batteries:[12][13]

References

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  1. ^ "Army – Question for Ministry of Defence". p. 1. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  2. ^ "32 Regiment Royal Artillery". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  3. ^ "45th Regiment RHA". British Army units 1945 on. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e Young, A. "32nd Regiment RHA". British Army units 1945 on. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  5. ^ "Strategic Defence and Security Review - Army:Written statement - HCWS367". www. parliament.uk. UK Hansard. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Flying High". Soldier Magazine. No. October 2020. 1 October 2020. p. 29. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Exercise Wessex Seahawk: Army Flies Unmanned Aircraft In Cornwall". Forces.net. 21 October 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  8. ^ "The Integrated Review and Future Soldier - RA Association". www.thegunners.org.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  9. ^ "Future Soldier Guide" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. p. 78. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  10. ^ "DE&S orders cutting-edge mini drones for UK Armed Forces". Defence Equipment and Support. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  11. ^ Adams, Harry (15 May 2024). "New Joint Aviation Command brings helicopters and drone systems under one roof". www.forcesnews.com. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  12. ^ "32nd Regiment Royal Artillery – Our History". British Army. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  13. ^ "32 Regiment Royal Artillery". army.mod.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
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