Future of the British Army ( Army 2020 ) Army 2020 , formerly known as Future Army Structure ( Next Steps ) or FAS ( Next Steps ) , is the name given to an ongoing review of the structure of the British Army , and in particular its fighting brigades . The British Government gave an indication of its proposals for the future structure of the British Army in early 2008 in a press report stating that it was considering restructuring the Army into a force of three deployable divisional headquarters and eight ' homogenous or identical ' brigades , each with a spread of heavy , medium and light capabilities . This report indicated that the existing 16 Air Assault Brigade would be retained as a high - readiness rapid reaction force . Subsequently , it was reported that the former Chief of the General Staff , General Sir Richard Dannatt , wanted to see the Army structured so as to extend the interval between operational tours from two to two and a half years . In 2010 , the Strategic Defence and Security Review was published . As part of the plans , the British Army will be reduced by 23 regular units , and by 2018 will number 82 , 000 regulars and 30 , 000 reservists . In addition , the number of Challenger 2 tanks will be cut by 40 % to an estimated number of just over 200 , and the number of AS - 90 self - propelled guns will be cut 35 % to an estimated 87 . On 7 June 2012 , the Secretary of State for Defence set out some key considerations for the future of the British Army . Future Structure . Also see Structure of the British Army # Army 2020 The originally envisaged future structure was announced on 19 July 2011 in a briefing paper entitled " Defence Basing Review : Headline Decisions " . This structure involved five identical multi - role brigades , each of around 6 , 500 personnel . However , in June 2012 a significantly different structure known as Army 2020 was announced . The divisional headquarters of 2nd , 4th and 5th Divisions were disbanded in 2012 and replaced by a single formation known as Support Command based at Aldershot . Originally Envisaged Structure . Up until June 2012 , it was envisaged that FAS ( Next Steps ) would results in five large multirole Brigades . Each of these brigades would have comprised : Combat Support and Logistics would have been retained at a divisional level . It was envisaged that 19th Light Brigade , which is currently part of 3rd Mechanised Division , would be disbanded . Army 2020 Structure . At the RUSI Land Warfare Conference in June 2012 , the army ' s Chief of the General Staff set out a significantly different army structure from that foreseen in the Strategic Defence and Security Review . The new structure was confirmed by the Secretary of State for Defence , Mr Phillip Hammond , on July 5 , 2012 . The Army Command will comprise the reaction force , the adaptable force , and force troops : The Reaction Force . The complete air assault brigade and a full mechanised brigade will be available for deployment within three months . All three brigades HQs are to be based in the Salisbury Plain Training area . Force Troops . This will comprise : Joint Helicopter Command / Army Air Corps . The Joint Helicopter Command will remain an integral part of the land force . The Army Air Corps will be reduced by one regular regiment . 1 and 9 Regt AAC will merge with the new Wildcat helicopter not before Oct 2015 . Reductions of the Infantry . Four of the British Army ' s 36 regular infantry battalions will be disbanded : A fifth battalion , the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders , 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland , will be reduced to a single company to carry out public duties in Scotland . Armoured Corps and Artillery . Four of the Royal Armoured Corps ' Regiments will merge into two regiments : 39 Regiment Royal Artillery will disband , with its Multiple Launch Rocket System s being transferred to the rest of the Royal Artillery and Territorial Army . Territorial Army to be the Army Reserve . The Territorial Army will be renamed the Army Reserve , and will be expanded from 19 , 000 to 30 , 000 personnel . Units will be realigned according to this ORBAT . Other . British Forces Royal Logistic Corps in Germany will be withdrawn back to the UK by 2015 : Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers : The regular component of the REME structure will reduce by one battalion to seven regular battalions . 101 Force Support Battalion will be removed from the Regular Army ORBAT not before autumn 2015 . Royal Military Police : As part of the drawdown from Germany the Royal Military Police will lose one regiment , 5 Regiment RMP , from the ORBAT . The three remaining regiments will be re - organised . Royal Artillery Air Defence 12th and 16th Royal Artillery will continue to be placed under a joint Army - RAF unit , Joint Ground Based Air Defence . Formation structure . Note : The Foot Guards units will continue to Unit Move ( - ) , rotating through the 5 Foot Guards Barracks - Aldershot ( Mons & Keogh ) , Pirbright , Hounslow and Windsor . The table shows all moves up to Summer 2018 when the next rotation is due to take place . Basing . An initial basing plan located infantry brigades throughout the United Kingdom , with the three reaction force brigades situated in the Salisbury Plain Training area . On 5 March 2013 , a future basing plan of units in the UK was released . As noted above , all Germany - based units will be relocated to different parts of the UK , with the Salisbury Plain area holding the largest concentration of troops .