On 22 March 2021, the Defence in a Competitive Age paper was released underlining the future of the British Armed Forces. As part of a wider reorganisation of the British Army, the following was announced:[10]
A new four-battalion Ranger Regiment will be formed in August 2021, seeded from the Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland; 2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment; 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment; and 4th Battalion, The Rifles. The new regiment will sit within the redesignated Specialised Infantry Group, becoming the Army Special Operations Brigade.
— British Army, Army Special Operations Brigade
Initially, the regiment is planned to be "based on four Infantry Battalions but selecting personnel from across the Army". The regiment's task will be as follows: "[It will be] designed to support and conduct special operations discreetly in high-risk environments".[10] According to a reporter of Forces News, the regiment will "conduct missions traditionally carried out by United Kingdom Special Forces (Special Air Service and Special Boat Service)".[11] During an interview with the (then) Chief of the Defence Staff, GeneralSir Nick Carter, the rangers will be "special forces" and will "go beyond training, advising, and assisting" to "support local operations". He also stated the Ranger's functions will be similar to the United States Army's "Green Berets", a nickname for the US Army Special Forces.[12]
The regiment was initially due to form in August 2021, however this was subsequently postponed to 1 December 2021.[13] In early 2022 soldiers from the regiment deployed as part of a UK government support package to Ukraine.[14] In February 2022 soldiers from the regiment deployed to Ghana to conduct training with the Ghanaian Special Operations Brigade, in preparation for a major exercise as well as to help them eliminate threats originating from their border regions.[15]
Elements of the Ranger Regiment deployed to Ukraine in 2022 to provide anti-tank training.[16] In October 2022 elements of the 3rd Battalion conducted exercises with the 193rd Jägarbataljonen, part of the Norrland Dragoon Regiment, specialised arctic light infantry.[17]
In March 2024, the Armed Forces Minister, James Heappey, said that the Ranger Regiment had deployed 691 times since 2021 and that, as of 1 January 2024, it consisted of 1,040 regular Army personnel.[18][19][20]
The regiment was formed on 1 December 2021 through the renaming of four of the existing Specialised Infantry battalions.[21] All four battalions were formed on 1 December 2021 and fall under the Army Special Operations Brigade,[22] operationally they are aligned to regions around the globe.[23]
A gun-metal grey beret and stable belt are worn by the Regiment.[24] The four battalions of the Ranger Regiment each consist of ≈ 250 personnel.[2][3]
4th Rangers receiving their new berets in 2021. The battalion is now earmarked for Middle East activities.
The 4th Battalion, Ranger Regiment (4 RANGER) was previously the 4th Battalion, The Rifles. The battalion is based at Normandy Barracks, Aldershot Garrison. It is regionally aligned to the Middle East.[23]
Reinforcement companies
The regiment also includes a pair of Gurkhareinforcement companies. These were raised as part of the plan to reform the 3rd Battalion, Royal Gurkha Rifles, which would be the fifth battalion assigned to the Specialised Infantry Group. A (Coriano) Company was formed on 31 January 2020 as the first sub-unit of the new battalion.[26][27] The formation of the new battalion's second company was planned for 18 November 2021. However, prior to this taking place, the formation of the new battalion was cancelled, with the two companies instead to be used as independent units attached to other battalions of the new Ranger Regiment. Upon the formation of the Rangers, the second formed company, F (Falklands) Company, was attached to 2 RANGER,[28] while the original company, renamed as G (Coriano) Company, was attached to 4 RANGER.[29]
The Ranger battalions are planned to be "all-arms" battalions and thus be open to anyone serving in the Army, providing that they have served for 18 months from completing basic training.[11][12][13][33] All applicants to the ranger regiment have to undertake a two-week Ranger assessment cadre (RAC),[33] followed by a ten week All Arms Ranger course (AARC) before joining their battalion.[34]
Ranger assessment cadre (RAC)
The RAC is an opportunity for the individual to demonstrate they possess the unique set of skills required for service in one of the Ranger Battalions. It is a two-week continuous period which incorporates mentally and physically challenging scenarios. The pinnacle is a 100-kilometre (62 mi) patrol as team, reacting to the evolving situation whilst embedded in a partner focused scenario. The purpose of the RAC is for the candidate to show they have the required skills, whilst also demonstrating potential operations.[32]
Brigadier Gus Fair, then commander of the Ranger Regiment, said the RAC involves "protracted periods of time under duress" and seeks to select applicants with emotional intelligence, resilience, calmness, and self-awareness.[35]
Cap badge controversy
The cap badge of the Selous Scouts, which some commentators claimed bore a resemblance to the badge of the Ranger Regiment.
After it was revealed to the public, the cap badge of the Ranger Regiment was the subject of a controversy after some commentators claimed it bore a resemblance to the badge of the Selous Scouts, a special forces unit of the Rhodesian Army which operated during the Rhodesian Bush War. A Daily Telegraph article claimed that several British Army officers who were privy to the discussions over the creation of the Ranger Regiment's beret were concerned that the new cap badge was potentially based on the badge of the Selous Scouts and unsuccessfully attempted to change the design. An anonymous source in the Ministry of Defence told the Daily Telegraph that "An officer said he had seen an email saying that it was actually based on the Selous Scouts... There's obvious differences but it's fucking close and clearly based on it." However, the British Army rejected such claims, with an army spokesman stating that "The Ranger Regiment cap badge has been designed around the peregrine falcon. Any comparison or association to the osprey depicted in the Selous Scouts’ cap badge is completely inaccurate. The Ranger Regiment is very proud of its new cap-badge which takes inspiration and spirit from the peregrine falcon; fast, agile and fiercely loyal to its partner, it operates around the world in all environments including deserts, mountains and cities."[36][37][38]
^Cotterill, Tom (24 March 2021). "Hampshire infantry unit joins UK's new special forces 'ranger regiment'". www.portsmouth.co.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022. Troops from 2nd Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (2PWRR) will merge with three other units to form the 1,000-strong regiment.
^Rushworth, Will (9 February 2022). "4 RANGER'S GURKHAS DEPLOYED ACROSS AFRICA"(PDF). 4 RIFLES. Bugle. No. 19 Spring 2022. Kettering: Crest Publications. p. 30. … G (Coriano) Coy, the newest addition to 4 RANGER, …
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