32nd Regiment Royal Artillery

32nd Regiment Royal Artillery
Active 1939 – present
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Branch  British Army
Role Mini-Unmanned Aerial Systems (MUAS)
Size 5 Batteries
Part of 1st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Brigade
Garrison/HQ Larkhill, Wiltshire
Nickname(s) The Wessex Gunners
Equipment Desert Hawk III

32 Regiment Royal Artillery ("The Wessex Gunners") is a Regiment in the Royal Artillery, part of the British Army and is equipped with the Lockheed Martin Desert Hawk III mini unmanned aerial vehicle (MUAS). 32nd Regiment is one of two Royal Artillery units that operate UAV systems (the other being 47th Regiment) and along with 5th Regiment RA they provide an integrated tactical and strategic intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability. As part of Force Troops Command, under the immediate command of 1 Intelligence & Surveillance Brigade (1ISR), 32nd Regiment supports the Reactive Force elements of the British Army. It provides dedicated MUAS capability to 1, 12 & 20 Armoured Brigades, operating from the Bulldog armoured vehicle, and also supports 16 Air Assault Brigade.

History

The 32nd Field Artillery Regiment was in the British Expeditionary Force in France at the start of the Second World War. In 1947, the 32nd Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) was retitled as the 45th Field Regiment[1] and the 7th Medium Regiment RHQ was retitled as the 32nd.[2]

In 1966, the regiment became a Heavy Regiment with M107 self-propelled 175 mm Guns.[2] In 1972, it became a light Regiment, equipped with 105mm Light Guns; then, in 1978, a Guided Missile Regiment equipped with Swingfire.[2]

In 1985, it became a heavy regiment again with M107 guns.[2] 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.[2]

In December 2016 it was announced that the Regiment will be disbanded and its personnel be redistributed to other parts of the British Army.[3][4]

Batteries

The Regiment currently comprises the following Batteries:[5]

  • 18 (Quebec 1759) Battery
  • 21 (Gibraltar 1779-83) Air Assault battery
  • 22 (Gibraltar 1779–1783) Battery
  • 46 (Talavera) Battery (HQ)
  • 57 (Bhurtpore) Battery

References

  1. ↑ "45th Regiment RHA". British Army units 1945 on. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Young, A. "32nd Regiment RHA". British Army units 1945 on. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "Strategic Defence and Security Review - Army:Written statement - HCWS367". December 2017.
  4. ↑ "Royal Artillery:Written question - 68813". December 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
  5. ↑ "32nd Regiment Royal Artillery". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 10 May 2014.


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