British Army will invest more in Thorney Island military base to keep it home of UK air defence, general says

Lieutenant General Sir Christopher Tickell championed the men and women of Baker Barracks on Thorney Island.

The senior commander, who is deputy chief of general staff, was visiting the military establishment to mark the arrival of the new Sky Sabre air defence missile system to 16 Regiment Royal Artillery.

The hi-tech system is capable of detecting enemy threats out to 120km away, and able to obliterate them with supersonic missiles.

The arrival of the new system to Thorney Island is part of the army’s ambitious plans to overhaul its kit and how it operates, which will see between £35bn and £40bn being pumped into defence over the next decade.

Baker Barracks has previously come under fire for the poor state of some of its ageing accommodation barracks. But recently, the base has been part of a modernisation programme, being named as one of several sites in the army to house new solar farms.

Speaking to The News during his trip to the military base, Lt Gen Tickell insisted more investment on the island, its people and kit, would continue to happen.

‘This is the home of air defence – not just for the army but for defence at large,’ the Lt Gen said. ‘We will continue to invest in the site because it's a great place to be; the soldiers love it and it allows us to keep everything in one place.’

SEE ALSO: Royal Artillery boss unveils ambitious plan to boost troop numbers at Thorney Island

Baker Barracks is the home of both 16 Regiment and 12 Regiment Royal Artillery, with about 1,200 military personnel currently stationed at the former airfield.

Both regiments form the main thrust of Britain’s air defence capability, and are part of 7th Air Defence Group, supported by reservists from 106 Regiment, Royal Artillery.

Soldiers from the island have previously deployed across the globe, with gunners from 16 Regiment currently serving in the Falklands with Sky Sabre.

And as the crisis between Russia and Ukraine continues to simmer, there is the potential that some troops could be deployed to eastern Europe, to provide reassurance and protection to Nato allies bordering Ukraine.

It comes amid fears Russia could invade the former Soviet territory in a matter of weeks, after the Kremlin massed more than 100,000 Russian troops, tanks and armoured vehicles on Ukraine’s eastern borders.

Lt Gen Tickell said he remained ‘deeply concerned’ by the crisis and said troops were ‘ready’ to be deployed ‘anywhere in the world’ if needed.

He added: ‘We as the army are monitoring this very closely but the decision will be made by our political masters and we will react and do whatever we are told to do.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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