Quote:
Originally Posted by James Langham
I had assumed that these were at divisional level and attached as required. I'll have to look at 1st (UK) Armoured as a whole I think.
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ADA assets are attached at brigade level in the British army with each brigade assighned an ADA battery which is then assighned as needed by the Brigade commander.
British ADA is split into two catergories. You have the Rapiers which are used at higher level to defend HQ's, depots, fixed artillery and airfields.
The second catergory is the more portable SAMs used at brigade level for defence against low flying fixed wing aircraft and rotary wing aircraft. The British use the LML system (which is essentilay 3 shoulder-launched SAMs on a tripod). However it is also mounted on the Alvis Stormer which is the version used by the two brigades of 1st Armoured.
Back in the 80's we had Blowpipe ut that was replaced by the Javelin (no relation to the ATGM). In the late 90's Britain abandoned conventional heat seeking/radar guided systems for the Starstreak HMV which fires 3 high velocity darts and relies on kinetic rather than explosive force. They are guided via a laser beam fired from the launching platform (either the vehicle, LML or the shoulder launch unit).
Some of the confusion arises as an ADA regiment is assighned at divisonal level and then split up to be given to the Brigade before being chopped up further and assighned on to battlegroups. however they operate with the brigade and battlegroups and come under Brigade command.