16th Regiment Royal Artillery | |
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Active | 1947 – present |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Role | Air defence |
Size | 6 Batteries |
Part of | Joint Ground-Based Air Defence Command/1 Artillery Brigade |
Garrison/HQ | Baker Barracks, Thorney Island |
Nickname(s) | The Invicta Gunners |
Equipment | Rapier missile |
16th Regiment Royal Artillery is a regiment of the Royal Artillery in the British Army. It currently serves in the air defence role, and is equipped with the Rapier missile. One of its Rapier Batteries is always deployed to the Falkland Islands.
The regiment was established in 1947 when 2nd Coast Regiment Royal Artillery was retitled 16th Coast Regiment Royal Artillery. As 16th Light Air Defence Regiment it was deployed to Borneo in 1965. It undertook tours in Northern Ireland during the Troubles in 1973, 1974, 1976 and 1979 and 14 Battery took part in the Falklands War in 1982.
In August 2007, the Regiment relocated to St George's Barracks in Rutland from Woolwich. Its departure from the Royal Artillery Barracks where the RA had been based since 1716 was marked with a ceremony on 25 July 2007.
The Regiment was part of the 2012 London Olympics Air Security Force, deploying Rapier FSC Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) systems as part of Exercise Olympic Guardian.
The regiment also operates the Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) system which destroys enemy projectiles in flight.
The batteries are as follows: