British Forces Germany British Forces Germany ( BFG ) , is the name for British Armed Forces service personnel and civilians based in Germany . It was first established following the Second World War as the British Army of the Rhine ( BAOR ) . Although much smaller than the BAOR , it is still the largest concentration of British armed forces permanently stationed outside the United Kingdom . With the end of the Cold War and the Options for Change defence review in the early 1990s , BFG has been considerably reduced . Since the 1990s , the British presence has centred around the 1st Armoured Division , and supporting elements . BFG is concentrated in North Rhine - Westphalia and Lower Saxony . Following the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review , the permanent deployment will end by 2019 although some training will still be undertaken with regards NATO capability . History . First established following the Second World War , the forces grew during the Cold War , ultimately consisting of I ( BR ) Corps and four divisions , 1st Armoured Division , 2nd Armoured Division , 3rd Armoured Division and 4th Armoured Division ( which provided the covering force . Disbandment of the British Army of the Rhine ( BAOR ) and Royal Air Force Germany ( RAFG ) following the end of the Cold War reduced the personnel strength of the British Armed Forces in Germany by almost 30 , 000 . The garrison at Osnabrück was closed in 2009 . Present . The BFG is concentrated in North Rhine - Westphalia and Lower Saxony . The divisional HQ is located at Herford , near Bielefeld , with garrisons at Gütersloh , Hohne , and Paderborn . Additionally , the Rhine Garrison area contains Rheindahlen Military Complex . The BFG presence is estimated to contribute 1 . 5 billion Euros annually to the German economy . Administrative support for British service personnel in Germany and across Continental Europe was delegated to United Kingdom Support Command ( Germany ) . The four Army garrisons in Germany were under the direct administrative control of UKSC . The General Officer Commanding UKSC also functioned as head of the British Forces Liaison Organisation ( Germany ) , which is responsible for liaising and maintaining relations with German civil authorities . HQ BFG was formed in January 2012 replacing the United Kingdom Support Command ( Germany ) ( UKSC ( G ) and the Germany Support Group ( GSG ) . As of August 2012 there are 21 , 500 British soldiers in Germany and along with families and civilian component the total number of people is around 40 , 000 . The 1st Armoured Division is currently equipped with Challenger 2 MBTs , Warrior IFVs , AS - 90 howitzers , Multiple Launch Rocket System s , armoured personnel carrier s , Gazelle and Lynx helicopters . In 2013 , BFG vacated the JHQ at Rheindahlen base . Off duty life . The British Forces Broadcasting Service ( BFBS ) radio services are widely available on FM across Germany . The British Army Germany rugby union team regularly plays games against emerging rugby nations like Belgium , Denmark , Netherlands , Germany and Luxembourg . During the height of " the Troubles " in Northern Ireland , the IRA targeted personnel in Germany between 1988 and 1990 . The attacks resulted in the deaths of 9 people , including three civilians , and many wounded . As a result , vehicles owned by personnel ceased to have distinct registration plates , which had made them easily identifiable . Future . Under the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review , the British Army in Germany will be reduced by half by 2015 , and permanent deployment will end by 2019 , although some training will still be undertaken with regards NATO capability . Commanders . Commanders have included : < br > General Officer Commanding United Kingdom Support Command ( Germany ) General Officer Commanding British Forces Germany