British Army Training Support Unit Belize
British Army Training Support Unit Belize, the successor of the former British Forces Belize, is the name given to the current British Army Garrison in Belize. The garrison is used primarily for jungle warfare training, with access to over of jungle terrain, provided by the government of Belize.
BATSUB is located near Belize International Airport, at Price Barracks, Ladyville.
History
British Forces Belize
Belize – formerly 'British Honduras' – gained its independence from Britain in September 1981. However, Britain retained a deterrent force – British Forces Belize – to protect Belize from the threat of invasion from Guatemala to the south, which did and still does, claim Belize to be its own.The British Army Training Support Unit Belize, formed in 1994, is a successor to British Forces Belize, which was structured as such in 1989:
British Army Forces in Belize
- 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, on six month roulement.
- 1 x Armoured Reconnaissance Troop, six month roulement.
- 1 x Field Battery, Royal Artillery, six month roulement.
- 1 x Field Squadron, Royal Engineers, six month roulement.
- Detachment 2 Postal & Courier Regiment Royal Engineers, FPO Belize, BFPO 12
- 24th Squadron, Royal Corps of Transport.
- 78th Ordnance Company, Royal Army Ordnance Corps.
- No. 25 Flight, Army Air Corps.
- West Indies Guard Ship, as needed.
- No. 1417 Flight RAF
- No. 1563 Flight RAF
- 1 Air Defence Flight, RAF Regiment, six month roulement.
Recent
Under the Integrated Review paper announced by the UK Government in March 2021, Belize is to become a 'land hub', and could have personnel deployed more regularly and for longer durations. The unit is currently commanded by a lieutenant colonel.