Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiation and Nuclear Regiment
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The Joint Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment is a specialist unit of the British armed forces. It is a dual service unit consisting of two regular units:
- 1st Royal Tank Regiment
- No. 27 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment
The JCBRN Regiment is trained in the detection and decontamination of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. There are three regular squadrons, the single RAF Regiment and two from the Royal Tank Regiment. In addition to these two units, support is provided by two Territorial Army squadrons of the Royal Yeomanry. From 2006 onwards, the entire regimental organisation of the Royal Yeomanry will be dedicated to the CBRN mission.
[edit] History
The Joint CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) Regiment was formed on April 1, 1999 as the Joint NBC Regiment, from a stated recommendation in the Strategic Defence Review for an operational unit to support deployed forces of the British military in NBC defence and assistance. In 2005, following the addition of radiological weapons to its remit, the NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) designation changed to CBRN, with the result that the regiment's name was changed.
Elements of the Joint CBRN Regiment have since operated in this role in Kuwait, Iraq (on Operation Telic, in which the Royal Yeomanry squadrons combined into a single unit named Y Squadron) and Afghanistan. The Regiment also participated in the domestic UK foot and mouth disease crisis of 2001.
The Joint CBRN Regiment is based in RAF Honington in Suffolk, England.
