Role and Equipment

Formation Reconnaissance

Formation Reconnaissance (Recce) soldiers are the eyes and ears of the British Army. Wherever the Army is deployed, in war and peace, the recce soldier is at the front, preparing the way for the rest of the Force. Consequently, the recce soldier has to be a master of many roles. These include scouting for information about the enemy, securing routes for convoys or guiding fighter jets to their targets. You have to do the job either mounted in an armoured vehicle or dismounted, in all weathers, and in a variety of different environments. For this job, you must be independent, resourceful, resilient and adaptable.

Equipment

The Light Dragoons are equipped with the family of Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)) vehicles. Although they have been in service with the British Army for some 30 years, they are very capable recce vehicles, being fast, manoeuvrable and yet well protected.

The main recce vehicle is the Scimitar which is armed with a 30mm cannon and a machine gun and uses a capable thermal imaging sight for gathering information and target acquisition.

The Spartan is used as an armoured personnel carrier and is crewed by recce soldiers who are experts in demolitions, sniping, controlling fast jets and using the new Javelin anti-tank missile system.

Sultan is the command vehicle and Samaritan is the ambulance. All vehicles can be picked up by helicopter or driven inside aircraft and flown across the world to wherever there is a need.