16 Air Assault Brigade

16 Air Assault Brigade (16 AA Bde) is Britain's airborne rapid reaction force.

The Brigade is an air-mobile force with the capability to deploy around the world at short notice. 16 AA Bde has the ability to put 3 battalions of air assault infantry on the ground, supported by up to 18 105mm howitzer guns.

Amongst other tasks, the Brigade might be used to quickly protect another ground force's flank, capture key installations such as enemy-held airfields, or insert behind an enemy to stop their retreat.

16 Air Assault Brigade is based around core component of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Parachute Regiment, together with other infantry units, specialized artillery, combat engineers, signalers and other supporting units, all of which are parachute trained. Air transport and close air support are provided by helicopters from the Joint Helicopter Force.

The make up of 16 Air Assault Brigade is felixible and depends on the availablity and suitabilty of units for any given deployment. As of 2007, 16 AA Bde consisted of:

16 Air Assault are an air mobile force which deploys via parachute and helicopter

• 16 Air Assault Brigade Headquarters and Signals Squadron (216)
• 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment (2 Para)
• 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment (3 Para)
• 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment
• 3 Regiment, Army Air Corps
• 4 Regiment, Army Air Corps
• 9 Regiment, Army Air Corps
• 7 Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (7 Para RHA)
• 23 Engineer Regiment (Air Assault), Royal Engineers
• 7 Air Assault Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
• 21 (Gibraltar 1779-1783) Air Defence Battery, 47 Regiment, Royal Artillery
• 13 Air Assault Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps
• 16 Close Support Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps
• 156 Provost Company, Royal Military Police
• 89 Airborne Close Support Military Intelligence Section, Intelligence Corps
• The Pathfinder Platoon

units attached to 16 AA Bde:

• No1(Para) Troop, 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD)
• Light Electronic Warfare Team, 14 Signal Regiment
• 4th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (reserves to Parachute Regiment)
• The Royal Irish Rangers (reserves to Royal Irish Regiment)
• Joint CBRN Regiment Light Role Specialist Monitoring Team
  (Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear)

Equipment employed by 16 Air Assault includes:

• Chinook HC2 Transport helicopters
• Puma HC1 utility helicopters
• Lynx Mk7/AH7 utility/attack helicopters
• WAH-64 Apache helicopter gunships
• C130 transport planes
• WMIK Land Rovers
• Pinzgauer 4x4s
• Supacat ATMP
• L118 105mm Howitzers

16 AA Bde Deployments

In recent times 16 Air Assault Brigade has been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. The Brigade is due to deploy to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in the next roulement of British forces in April 2008.

Read about Pathfinder Platoon operations in Afghanistan

16 AA Bde Selection

16 AA Bde soldiers, not in the Parachute Regiment, must undergo the All Arms Pre-Parachute Selection (AAPPS) course at Pegasus Company (P Coy), followed by a Basic Parachute Course. On completion of these courses, the 16 AA Bde soldier can wear the maroon beret and British Military Parachute Wings shoulder flash.