Chapter 2 - Personnel
                                   
Table 2.7 Strength of UK Regular Forces by Service and sex, at 1 April each year
The UK Regular Forces have seen a long-term increase in the proportion of personnel who are female, rising from 8.0 per cent in 2000 to 9.6 per cent in 2011. At 1 April 2011, females represented 12.3 per cent of Officers and 9.0 per cent of Other Ranks.

The RAF has the largest proportion of female personnel (13.8 per cent), followed by the Naval Service (9.4 per cent) and then the Army (8.0 per cent).

Data from the Joint Personnel Administration System for 2006-2009 have been reviewed and finalised, therefore some figures may differ from previous publications. Please see the Chapter 2 introduction for more details.
 
  2000     2005   2006   2007   2008   2009   2010   2011  
All Services 207 610     201 100   195 850   190 670   186 910   188 600   191 660 p 186 360 p
 
      of which female 16 550     18 160   17 870   17 670   17 610   17 850   18 320 p 17 850 p
      Percentage female 8.0%     9.0%   9.1%   9.3%   9.4%   9.5%   9.6% p 9.6% p
 
   Officers 32 520     33 000   32 700   32 170   31 730   31 700   31 930 p 31 830 p
      of which female 2 890     3 600   3 680   3 740   3 760   3 830   3 890 p 3 900 p
      Percentage female 8.9%     10.9%   11.3%   11.6%   11.9%   12.1%   12.2% p 12.3% p
 
   Other Ranks 175 100     168 090   163 150   158 500   155 190   156 910   159 730 p 154 520 p
      of which female 13 660     14 560   14 190   13 930   13 840   14 020   14 430 p 13 950 p
      Percentage female 7.8%     8.7%   8.7%   8.8%   8.9%   8.9%   9.0% p 9.0% p
 
Naval Service 42 850     39 940   39 390   38 850   38 560   38 340   38 730 p 37 660 p
 
      of which female 3 400     3 690   3 670   3 650   3 680   3 660   3 710 p 3 530 p
      Percentage female 7.9%     9.2%   9.3%   9.4%   9.5%   9.6%   9.6% p 9.4% p
 
   Officers 7 660     7 730   7 660   7 580   7 480   7 410   7 460 p 7 410 p
      of which female 520     660   680   680   700   720   720 p 720 p
      Percentage female 6.7%     8.6%   8.8%   9.0%   9.4%   9.7%   9.7% p 9.7% p
 
   Other Ranks 35 190     32 210   31 730   31 270   31 080   30 930   31 270 p 30 240 p
      of which female 2 890     3 030   3 000   2 970   2 980   2 950   2 990 p 2 810 p
      Percentage female 8.2%     9.4%   9.4%   9.5%   9.6%   9.5%   9.6% p 9.3% p
 
Army 110 050     109 290   107 730   106 340   104 980   106 700   108 870 p 106 230 p
 
      of which female 7 800     8 210   8 180   8 190   8 220   8 320   8 570 p 8 480 p
      Percentage female 7.1%     7.5%   7.6%   7.7%   7.8%   7.8%   7.9% p 8.0% p
 
   Officers 13 870     14 660   14 730   14 640   14 550   14 510   14 640 p 14 760 p
      of which female 1 280     1 550   1 590   1 630   1 640   1 620   1 660 p 1 670 p
      Percentage female 9.2%     10.6%   10.8%   11.1%   11.3%   11.2%   11.3% p 11.3% p
 
   Other Ranks 96 180     94 630   93 000   91 700   90 440   92 190   94 230 p 91 470 p
      of which female 6 520     6 660   6 590   6 560   6 580   6 700   6 910 p 6 810 p
      Percentage female 6.8%     7.0%   7.1%   7.2%   7.3%   7.3%   7.3% p 7.4% p
 
Royal Air Force 54 720     51 870   48 730   45 480   43 370   43 560   44 050 p 42 460 p
 
      of which female 5 350     6 260   6 020   5 840   5 700   5 870   6 040 p 5 840 p
      Percentage female 9.8%     12.1%   12.3%   12.8%   13.2%   13.5%   13.7% p 13.8% p
 
   Officers 10 990     10 620   10 310   9 960   9 700   9 780   9 820 p 9 660 p
      of which female 1 100     1 390   1 410   1 430   1 430   1 490   1 510 p 1 510 p
      Percentage female 10.0%     13.1%   13.7%   14.4%   14.7%   15.2%   15.4% p 15.7% p
 
   Other Ranks 43 730     41 250   38 420   35 520   33 680   33 780   34 230 p 32 810 p
      of which female 4 250     4 870   4 600   4 400   4 280   4 380   4 540 p 4 330 p
      Percentage female 9.7%     11.8%   12.0%   12.4%   12.7%   13.0%   13.2% p 13.2% p
 
Source: DASA(Quad-Service)