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The Royal Regiment of Artillery

AS-90 Howwitzer on Salisbury Plains

The Royal Artillery supplies the firepower needed by the Field Army on operations. The Royal Regiment is responsible for providing the heavy gunfire support needed on the battlefield.
The Royal Artillery is a combat support arm working closely with tanks, infantry and attack helicopters.

Royal Artillery Gunfire Support Teams serve aboard ships of the Royal Navy and also direct attack aircraft of the Royal Air Force to engage targets. The Royal Artillery is capable of finding the enemy with unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) or radar.

Historically the Regiment can trace the first recorded use of a cannon at the Battle of Crecy in 1346 during the Hundred Years War. Artillery units used to be raised and disbanded according to requirements, but George I raised two regular companies of field artillery at Woolwich in 1716. These were added to over time and in 1722 the Royal Regiment of Artillery was formed. The following is a list of Royal Artillery units:

Regular Army

King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery (Ceremonial/Home Defence)
1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (1 RHA) (Armoured Artillery)
3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (3 RHA) ‘The Liverpool and Manchester Gunners’ (Armoured Artillery)
4th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (4 RHA) ‘The North East Gunners’ (Armoured Artillery)
5th Regiment Royal Artillery (5 REGT) ’The North, East & West Yorkshire Gunners’ (Surveillance and Target Acquisition)
7th (Parachute) Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (7 RHA) ‘The Airborne Gunners’ (Field Artillery [Airborne])
12th Regiment Royal Artillery (12 REGT) ‘The Lancashire and Cumbrian Gunners’ (Air Defence Artillery)
14th Regiment Royal Artillery (14 (REGT) (Training and Support)
16th Regiment Royal Artillery (16 REGT) ‘The London and Kent Gunners’ (Air Defence Artillery)
19th Regiment Royal Artillery (19 REGT) ‘The Highland Gunners’ (Armoured Artillery)
26th Regiment Royal Artillery (26 REGT) ‘The West Midland Gunners’ (Armoured Artillery)
29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery (29 REGT) ‘The Commando Gunners’ (Field Artillery Commando)
32nd Regiment Royal Artillery (32 REGT) (Surveillance and Target Acquisition – Unmanned Air Vehicles)
39th Regiment Royal Artillery (39 REGT) ‘The Welsh Gunners’ (Multiple Launch Rocket System) (GMLRS)
40th Regiment Royal Artillery (40 REGT) ‘The Lowland Gunners’ (Field Artillery)
47th Regiment Royal Artillery (47 REGT) ‘The Hampshire and Sussex Gunners’ (Air Defence Artillery)

Territorial Army

Honourable Artillery Company (Surveillance and Target Acquisition)
100th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery (Armoured/Field/Airborne Artillery)
101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) (STA & MLRS)
103rd (Lancashire Artillery Volunteers) Regiment Royal Artillery (Field Artillery)
104th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) (Surveillance and Target Acquisition – Unmanned Air Vehicles)
105th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) ‘The Scottish & Ulster Gunners’ (Field Artillery)
106th (Yeomanry) Regiment Royal Artillery (Air Defence Artillery)

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