Chapter 4 - Formations, Vessels, Aircraft and Vehicles of the Armed Forces
                               
Table 4.4 Number of Regiments and Squadrons in selected Joint Units, at 1 April each year
Excludes Operational Conversion Units which train qualified aircrew for different aircraft types.
Joint Units   2004   2005   2006   2007   2008   2009   2010  
Special Forces                              
      Special Air Service1 Regiments 1   1   1   1   1   1   1  
      Special Air Service - Territorial Army1 Regiments 2   2   2   2   2   2   2  
      Special Boat Service Squadrons2 4   4   4   4   4   4   4  
      Special Forces Support Group Battalion Battalions -   -   1 3 1   1   1   1  
                               
Joint Nuclear Biological Chemical Regiments 1   1   1   1   1   1   1  
 
Joint Helicopter Command4   2004   2005   2006   2007   2008   2009   2010  
Royal Navy Helicopter Squadrons2 4   4   4   4   4   4   4  
                               
Army Aviation5 Regiments 5   5   5   5   5   5   5  
Army Aviation - Territorial Army Regiments 1   1   1   2 6 2   1 7 1  
                               
Royal Air Force Helicopter Squadrons2 5   5   5   5   6 8 6   6  
Royal Auxiliary Air Force 9 Squadrons2 1   1   1   1   1   1   1  
                               
Joint Special Forces Air Wing Unit10 1   1   1   1   1   1   1  
 
Joint Force Harrier11   2004   2005   2006   2007   2008   2009   2010  
Royal Navy Squadrons2 2   1   1   2 2   2   1 12
Royal Air Force Squadrons2 3   3   2   2   2   2   1 13
Source: MOD Resources and Plans
1.   Data for previous years prior to the creation of Joint Units are shown in Table 4.2 - Army Regiments.
2.   The term "squadron" has different meanings among the three Services: see Glossary for details.
3.   The Special Forces Support Group was formed as a result of the Ministerial Announcement on 16 Dec 2004 as part of The Future Army Structure. It is a
      Tri-Service Unit based on 1 PARA, to provide specialist support to Special Forces.
4.   Helicopters were transferred to the Joint Helicopter Command on 1 Oct 1999.
5.   These figures exclude the School of Army Aviation, 667 (D&T) Sqn and 657 Sqn and six independent Army Air Corps flights.
6.   6 Regt AAC(V) formed on 1 April 2007.
7.   7 Regt AAC(V) was disbanded 31 March 09.
8.   Reflects the standing up of 78 Sqn RAF to accommodate the endorsed increase in Merlin Mk3 crews and aircraft.
9.   Helicopter Support Squadron provides a pool of trained personnel to provide combat service support to the Support Helicopter Force in training and on
      operations in times of crisis and war.
10. Includes an RAF squadron shown against "Royal Air Force Helicopter" above in UKDS editions prior to 2006.
11. Harrier aircraft were transferred to the Joint Force Harrier on 1 April 2000. Related data for previous years are shown in Table 4.1 - Naval aircraft and
      Table 4.3 - RAF aircraft.
12. With the reduction in the Joint Force Harrier force from 1 April 2010, the Fleet Air Arm Strike Wing is now counted as 1 Sqn.
13. 20 Sqn was disbanded 31 March 2010.