THE ROYAL LOGISTIC CORPS (RLC)

The RLC is the youngest Corps in the Army and was formed in April 1993, as a result of the recommendations of The Logistic Support Review. 

The RLC results from the amalgamation of The Royal Corps of Transport (RCT), The Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC), The Army Catering Corps (ACC), The Royal Pioneer Corps (RPC) and elements of The Royal Engineers (RE). In January 2006 the RLC had a regular Army establishment of some 15.700 personnel and a strength of 15,860.

Role

The RLC has very broad responsibilities throughout the Army that includes the movement of personnel throughout the world, the Army's air dispatch service, maritime and rail transport, operational re-supply, and explosive ordnance disposal which includes the hazardous bomb disposal duties in Iraq, Afghanistan and the mainland UK, the operation of numerous very large vehicle and stores depots both in the UK and overseas, the training and provision of cooks to virtually all units in the Army, the provision of pioneer labour and the Army's postal and courier service.

The principal field elements of the RLC are the Close Support Regiment and the General Support Regiment, whose primary role is to supply the fighting units with ammunition, fuel and rations (Combat Supplies).

Force Structure

There are 22 Regular RLC Regiments (20 operational and 2 training regiments)and under the terms of the Future Army Structure the RLC TA will probably be structured around 15 regiments plus the Catering Support Regiment RLC (V).

The principal field elements of the RLC are the Close Support and the General Support Regiments whose primary role is to supply the fighting units with ammunition, fuel and rations (Combat Supplies).

A division has an integral Close Support Regiment which is responsible for manning and operating the supply chain to Brigades and Divisional units
 

Note:
(1) A regiment could have two or three Brigade Support Squadrons depending upon the size of the Division being supported.
(2) Some of these Regiments may have a Postal and Courier Squadron.

The General Support Regiment's role is primarily to supply ammunition to the Royal Artillery using DROPS vehicles and to provide tank transporters, that move armoured vehicles more rapidly and economically than moving them on their own tracks.
 

Both types of Regiment have large sections holding stores, both on wheels and on the ground. A Division will typically require about 1,000 tons of Combat Supplies (C Sups) a day, but demand can easily exceed that amount in high intensity operations.

Battlegroups in contact with the enemy can carry a limited amount of C Sups, particularly ammunition. As ammunition is expended, it is replenished from RLC vehicles located immediately to the rear of battlegroups in an Immediate Replenishment Group (IRG) area. 

As the IRG vehicles are emptied they return to the RLC Squadron location and fully loaded replacements are automatically sent forward so that a constant supply is always available to the battlegroup.

Ammunition and spares are generally carried on NATO standard pallets, which are loaded to meet the anticipated requirements of particular units and if required, bulk consignments are broken down at the IRG location. 

Fuel is usually carried in bulk fuel tankers (TTFs) which top-up battlegroup vehicles direct. However there is still a requirement for a large number of the traditional jerricans. Much of other fuel is delivered to the forward areas through the NATO Central European Pipeline System (CEPS).

Artillery ammunition constitutes by far the largest single element in the logistic pipeline and the bulk of it is delivered directly to the Royal Artillery guns, rocket and missile launchers, by RLC Demountable Rack Off-Loading and Pick up System (DROPS) vehicles from the General Support Regiment, which are capable of meeting the requirement of even the highest intensity consumption.

Apart from the RLC units that provide direct support to the operational formations, the RLC is either directly responsible for, or co-located with other agencies at the following:

Army School of Mechanical Transport

Leconfield

Base Ordnance Depots

Bicester & Donnington

Base Ammunition Depots

Longtown & Kineton

Army School of Ammunition

Temple Herdwyke

Army Petroleum Centre

West Moors

Army Base Vehicle Organisation

Ashchurch

Armoured Vehicle Sub Depot

Ludgershall

Army School of Catering

Aldershot

Royal Logistic Corps Training Centre

Deepcut

The Central Army Post Office (APO) is located at Mill Hill in North London and there are individual British Forces Post Offices (BFPO) wherever British Forces are stationed.

REGIMENTS

1 General Support Regiment

1 (GS) REGT

2 Close Support Regiment

2 (CS) REGT

3 Close Support Regiment

3 (CS) REGT

4 General Support Regiment

4 (GS) REGT

5 Territorial Army Training Regiment

5 (TRG) REGT

6 Supply Regiment

6 (SUP) REGT

7 Transport Regiment

7 (TPT) REGT

8 Artillery Support Regiment

8 (ARTY SP) REGT

9 Supply Regiment

9 (SUP) REGT

10 Transport Regiment

10 (TPT) REGT

11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment

11 (EOD) REGT

12 Supply Regiment

12 (SUP) REGT

13 Air Assault Support Regiment

13 (AIR ASSLT) REGT

14 Supply Regiment

14 (SUP) REGT

17 Port & Maritime Regiment

17 (PORT) REGT

21 Logistic Support Regiment

21 (LOG SP) REGT

23 Pioneer Regiment

23 (PNR) REGT

24 Regiment

24 REGT

27 Transport Regiment

27 (TPT) REGT

29 Regiment

29 REGT

89 Postal and Courier Regiment

89 (PC) REGT