Specialised Infantry Group


The Specialised Infantry Group is a formation of the British Army, created as a result of the Army 2020 Refine reorganisation, intended to train foreign forces. The SIG approach to training and advising foreign militaries is modeled on US Army Security Force Assistance Brigades, with personnel from their two specialised infantry battalions personnel going to the US to be trained and mentored by American SFAB personnel.

History

The group was formed to work alongside chosen partner forces. It was initially formed in October 2017 with the 4th Battalion, The Rifles and The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland. Just a few months later in July 2018, the 2nd Battalion, The Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment and the Joint Counter Terrorist Training and Advisory Team was added to the Group.
In January 2019, a fourth battalion, the 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, was added and this will be followed by the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles sometime in either late 2019, or in 2020.

Deployments

In February 2018, the 4th Battalion, The Rifles deployed for the first time to Kuwait to work with the Kuwait Army and Kuwait National Guard. R Company, 4 Rifles also trained the Afghan Army and forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. In July 2018, C Company from the 2nd Battalion, The Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment was dispatched to Nigeria, where 1 SCOTS have also been engaged in training the Nigerian Army for their fight against Boko Haram .

Structure

As of 14 May 2019 the group's structure is as follows:
Specialised infantry battalions have a strength of 267 soldiers compared to the other infantry battalions which have 559 or more.

Commanders