Most Intensive Year Since Afghanistan Combat Operations For 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade

20th Armoured Infantry Brigade is nearing the end of its most intensive year since NATO concluded combat operations in Afghanistan in 2014.

It became the first British formation to command the land element of NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, leading a framework group of 14 partner nations.

This year has also seen 20 Brigade hold the role of the Army’s Vanguard Armoured Infantry Brigade, prepared to send several thousand troops and armour to a trouble spot within days. Commander Brigadier Mike Elviss said:

“It’s the high intensity war fighting game that we’re in and the vanguard armoured infantry brigade is all about that – a combined arms brigade that can deploy at short notice and fight a peer enemy and win.”

20 Brigade has been on standby since January and prepared in many different ways for any conflict.

A Brigade battlegroup led by Five Rifles has just returned after eight months in Estonia. 

From January, Italy will take over the land element of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force.

12 Brigade will become the new Vanguard Armoured Infantry Brigade.

Commander Brigadier Mike Elviss continues:

“We’ll still stay ready – our readiness will be reduced but we won’t take a step back from where we’ve been in the past and when we come to readiness again in a couple of years time we’ll be better than we were this time around.”

20 Brigade has a full training programme until the moment it moves to the UK in August 2019.

Next year’s schedule already includes major exercises in Bavaria, Canada and the United States.

So no signs of slowing down yet.