Around 185 British Army personnel and 60 Ministry of Defence civilians will remain in Germany, once the withdrawal of British Army units to the UK has been completed, the UK defense secretary announced on Sunday.

"We are increasing our British points of presence across the world. We will not be closing our facilities in Germany, and instead use them to forward base the Army," Gavin Williamson said in a statement released by the UK government.

Under the UK's 2010 "Strategic Defence and Security Review," permanent deployment of UK personnel to military bases in Germany was to end by 2019 although some training was still to be undertaken.



The British defense ministry will retain the historic 45-square mile (117-square kilometer) Sennelager training area.

Sennelager and Minden

According to Sunday's statement, British army personnel will be permanently based at the 45-square mile (117-square kilometer) Sennelager Training Area, which provides both UK and NATO forces with a live firing training area.

Support will also be given to NATO infrastructure and assets, including the combined river crossing capability based nearby in Minden, in the northeast of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), just west of Hanover. It uses M3 vehicles, self-propelled amphibious rigs, jointly operated by British and German troops. London and Berlin are in discussions regarding a future bilateral upgrade of the vehicles.

Read more: UK says EU 'shooting itself in the foot' over future defense ties

Brexit shadow looms over Farnborough Airshow The Red Arrows The military has always been an important part of the Farnborough Airshow and things are no different this year, with the so-called 'Red Arrows' — pilots of the Royal Air Force (RAF) — providing a stylistic and colorful diversion in the air.

Brexit shadow looms over Farnborough Airshow Eyes not on the skies All eyes were on Gavin Williamson, the British Secretary of State for Defence, when he arrived at the show. His presence turned the focus away from aircraft to the thorny subject of Brexit and Britain's future relationship with Europe.

Brexit shadow looms over Farnborough Airshow The Tempest 'The Tempest' is not just a famous play by William Shakespeare; it is also the name of a new fighter jet introduced at the airshow by Williamson. It will replace the Eurofighter model and is being hailed as a fine example of British innovation at an event in which the organizers are eager to promote British exceptionalism.

Brexit shadow looms over Farnborough Airshow A jumbo affair US aircraft builder Boeing is showing at this year's event that it produces not just civilian aircraft but machines for transportation. This model, a Boeing 747-8F, is apparently capable of carrying quite a load, whether it be SUVs or tanks.

Brexit shadow looms over Farnborough Airshow A European champion Boeing's European rival Airbus is also proudly displaying its wares, civilian and otherwise, in Farnborough this year. Here, Airbus CEO Tom Enders and British Prime Minister Theresa May chat in front of a massive Airbus A400M Atlas.

Brexit shadow looms over Farnborough Airshow The Airplane Boys from Brazil Embraer, the Brazilian aircraft maker, is known for making a lot of small commercial aircraft, like its Canadian rival Bombardier. However, as seen with the Transporter Embraer KC390 (pictured), it also likes to go big on occasion.

Brexit shadow looms over Farnborough Airshow A Canadian from Europe This is a CS300 from Bombardier. However, because of Bombardier's huge deal with Airbus, this model will now be marketed as the Airbus A220-300. In this picture, the airBaltic plane (a Bombardier CS300 from before the re-brand) flies over the newly named Airbus. Author: Dirk Kaufmann (aos)



The British Army is maintaining a presence at the Ayrshire Barracks in Mönchengladbach, where approximately 2,000 vehicles can be stored, and the German Wulfen Defence Munitions Storage Facility, which holds operational ammunition.

The British Army of the Rhine was formed after World War II and developed with NATO after 1949. In 1967 it was reduced in strength to 53,000 soldiers before it was replaced by the 25,000-strong British Forces Germany in 1994. Until 2015 there were 5,200 British troops in Germany.

Read more: UK reveals fighter jet 'Tempest' for post-Brexit era

US sending 1,500 more soldiers by late 2020

The United States Army has about 36 military bases in Germany plus Navy and Marine Corps personnel at sea. About 33,000 US personnel are based there. In September, the US Army’s European headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany said a further 1,500 soldiers would be in the country by September 2020.

The additional troops were a "a display of our continued commitment to NATO and our collective resolve to support European security," the US army said in a statement.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said last month: "The US decision to increase the military presence here in Germany is a welcome sign of the vitality of transatlantic relationship and a commitment to our joint security."

'Little America': A look at US soldiers in Germany 'Drink Coca-Cola!' The recipe for Coca-Cola came to Europe in 1929. But it was only after the end of the war, in the early 1950s, that the brownish brew become a cult drink for young people, including German youth. For American GIs, coke was a part of everyday life. The caffeinated soft drink brightened up even the most tired of soldiers.

'Little America': A look at US soldiers in Germany Shopping Much of the food the soldiers' families needed was imported from the US; American ice cream, toast and peanut butter couldn't be found in German stores. In the 1950s and '60s, such items could only be bought at the large US Army supply stores where they were tax free, and therefore cheaper. These inexpensive luxuries were also attractive to many Germans.

'Little America': A look at US soldiers in Germany Cheerleaders Sports played an important role in the lives of American soldiers and their families. Baseball, basketball and American football events were held in large venues and attracted big crowds. German guests were also welcome. American cheerleaders, shown here in 1959 in Bad Nauheim, were a big part of the show.

'Little America': A look at US soldiers in Germany Army brats Even regular military parades, in which the US Army presented their armed forces, were part of everyday life in the barracks. This was especially fun for the children of soldiers because popcorn and sweets were often provided. In this picture taken in 1954, two kids watch a parade at the Air Force base in Landstuhl.

'Little America': A look at US soldiers in Germany Aircraft inspection Only American technicians and experts were allowed to work at US military bases in West Germany. Everything was in the hands of the US Army. Fear of sabotage or military espionage was especially great during the Cold War, and these fears were reflected in the security policies. Here, a technician inspects the turbines of a military aircraft stationed in Bitburg.

'Little America': A look at US soldiers in Germany Women in the army Initially, there weren't many women in the US Army to be stationed in Germany. That changed during the postwar occupation and later, as the US military units became US bases in Europe. This photo from the 1980s shows an air traffic controller working at the Rhein-Main Air Base near Frankfurt.

'Little America': A look at US soldiers in Germany Inspecting the weapons The daily lives of American soldiers were strictly organized in the 1960s. Seen here, GIs wearing full gear in Nuremberg arrive for weapons inspection. The supplies of the military unit were counted piece by piece, and tested for serviceability. The Nuremberg military community alone consisted of more than 15,000 soldiers and 11,700 family members.

'Little America': A look at US soldiers in Germany Military exercises Troops stationed in Berlin and the surrounding area regularly held military exercises. The photo above shows two soldiers during a training exercise in Grunewald in 1959. This image, along with around 200 others in the exhibition, were taken by military photographers on behalf of the US Army — as a way to cultivate its image. The works on display are part of the Provan Collection. Author: Heike Mund (sh)



ap/jm (AFP)

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