I definitely think the heavy equipment for at least one Armoured BCT should be advance deployed on the Continent. Whether to Sennelager in Germany, or a new location in either Poland or Estonia. Maybe one battalion from each Armoured BCT delpoy in rotation, allowing for leave and training in UK.Lord Jim wrote: ↑22 Mar 2022, 10:26 I think the idea was for rail to be an option. The Channel Tunnel would be heavily protected though as it would be used for logistics anyhow, and as such defending it against Enemy SF our other assets would be a priority for both the UK and France. Troops moving to Poland would most likely be unloaded at Hamburg anyhow as moving through the Baltic would be too dangerous, just losing one fully loaded Point would have major repercussion for any BCT being sent out.
So to get the tracked vehicles the rest of the way is going to take all the HETS we have for just a single Brigade and its Challenger 3s and Ajax. And these will have to be brought from the UK as part of the loadout requiring more Points to move the Brigade. These was a reason we had troops in Germany with the majority of the Heavy kit and the Transporters to go with many if needed. Moving heavy troops from the UK to Europe is as complicated and demanding as moving them to the Middle East. If we added around 150 40t IFV to each heavy Brigade we would need to purchase at least a 100 more HETs just to achieve the above. This is the main reason I see using Boxer is a benefit as long as it is properly equipped and configured.
The above is one of the reasons I believe any force tasked to go to Northern Norway should be one of our planned Light BCTs, maybe the one that appears to have all its Infantry class as light without protected transport. We may even be able to now preposition vehicle like VIKING in Norway now that the threat level has risen, and if Norway changes it stance on the matter.
Agree having some motorised Infantry with Boxers make a good reaction force, a bit like the US Army's Medium Stryker BCT with Stryker AFV. And the way that both Fermany and Australia use Boxer.
And likewise I am not averse to advance deploying a Company of RM Commandos withheavier equipment such as Viking ATV based in Norway.