Kathmandu. Recently, Britain is creating a new regiment of soldiers specializing in artillery firing. This is seen as a historic change in the role of the traditional British infantry.
This elite force will specifically include Gurkha soldiers already deployed in the British army. In such a situation, news has been published in international media that this regiment of Gurkha soldiers will be deployed in Ukraine after the peace agreement with Russia. Gurkha soldiers are traditionally associated with Nepal. In such a situation, it is expected that Nepal may object if the UK sends Gurkha soldiers to Ukraine.
According to a recent Express report, the regiment approved by British Defense Minister John Healy will initially include 500 elite Nepali soldiers specializing in high-level surveillance as part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. The development comes as the British Army Chief of Staff, General Sir Rowley Walker, is assessing the readiness of British forces for a possible deployment to Ukraine later this year. The mission will be part of a wider multinational effort to secure and stabilize the region.
The formation of the Gurkha Artillery Unit is in line with the urgent need to replenish the UK’s Royal Artillery, which is short of 700 soldiers. Gurkha soldiers, renowned for their fighting skills, are traditionally associated with the British infantry. Now, in a major change, the British Army is raising a new Gurkha Artillery Regiment.
According to reports, 500 Gurkhas will be recruited for the regiment initially and it is expected that more will be added as part of a larger expansion of the 4,127-strong Gurkha Brigade. The new Gurkha soldiers will perform intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) roles. The regiment will be equipped with surface-to-air missile systems such as the Javelin. The British Army is currently suffering from a shortage of artillery guns and ammunition. The main reason for this is the large-scale supply of weapons to Ukraine. In the absence of AS90 howitzers, the Royal Artillery is waiting for the German-UK designed RCH 155 wheeled artillery system. Its delivery is scheduled for the end of this year.
British Army Chief of Staff General Sir Rowley Walker is currently assessing Britain’s readiness for a possible multinational peacekeeping operation in Ukraine later this year. Meanwhile, European military leaders are due to meet in Paris on Tuesday to discuss a ‘force building’ initiative aimed at assembling combat-ready units. The effort is gathering momentum. Twenty nations have already backed the plan. It reflects a growing international commitment to stabilising post-war Ukraine.
The British military is facing a deep existential challenge these days. Enlistment has fallen to a historic low. The number of active personnel in the British Army fell to 75,983 in January 2024, the lowest since the Napoleonic Wars. This is why the British Army is struggling to maintain operational readiness. The British Army recruited 6,720 soldiers last year alone, which is only 63% of the target of 10,450.
