Operation Banner

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Operation Banner is the operational name for the British Armed Forces' support to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in counter-terrorism and public order operations to assist the British Government in its objective of restoring normality in Northern Ireland ^[1]. This support has been primarily from the army with the RAF providing helicopter support as required.

The Role of the armed forces in their support role to the police is defined by the British Army in the following terms[1]:

Routine support - Includes such tasks as providing protection to the PSNI in carrying out normal policing duties in areas of terrorist threat; patrolling around military and police bases to deter terrorist attack and supporting police-directed counter terrorist operations.

Additional support - Assistance where the PSNI has insufficient assets of its own; this includes the provision of observation posts along the border and increased support during times of civil disorder. The military can provide soldiers to protect and, if necessary, supplement police lines and cordons. The military can provide heavy plant to remove barricades and construct barriers, and additional armoured vehicles and helicopters to help in the movement of police and soldiers.

Specialist support - includes bomb disposal, search and tracker dogs, and divers from the Royal Engineers.

The Operation saw 763 Service deaths and 6,100 injuries, all caused by terrorist action ^[2].

In August 2005, it was announced that due to the security situation improving Operation Banner would ended on 01 August 2007 ^[3]. This will involve troop numbers being reduced to 5,000 and the Northern Ireland based battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment - which grew out of the Ulster Defence Regiment - will be stood down [2].

Adam Ingram, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, has stated that assuming the maintenance of an enabling environment, British Army support to the PSNI after 31 July 2007 will reduce to a residual level, e.g. in providing specialised ordnance disposal and support for public order as described in Patten recommendations 59 and 66, should this be needed [3].