ARRC bids farewell to the Mastiff

The MASTIFF armoured vehicle was first employed after Ex ARRCADE FUSION 2019 , where a capability gap identified that COMARRC had no protected mobility option to enable free movement around the battle space he commands . This capability was previously provided using soft skinned Land Rovers which were quickly discounted as unsuitable .

After much deliberation the decision was made to experiment with MASTIFF which is traditionally a mechanised infantry capability , but which could offer both protected mobility and potentially a communications suite fit for commanding a Corps . After 6 months of planning and attendance on a number of qualifying courses , members of the unit were then able to drive , command and maintain

these vehicles . In all 6 platforms arrived at Imjin Barracks in early 2020 .

In September 2020 , just eight months after receiving them , the MASTIFFs deployed on Ex LOYAL LEDA to RAF Fairford and South Cerney . This deployment helped prove the concept by simulating a protected mobility capability to the Commander during HQ ARRC ’ s Corps Readiness Validation ( CREVAL ). Front and centre they also provided a great backdrop during the ceremony which saw HQ ARRC awarded the NATO Corps Warfighting guidon .

As part of the UK ’ s push to support Ukraine , the British Army was directed to implement a programme of gifting in kind ( GiK ) known as Project SPRING GENERATION . This programme would

see vehicles , deemed surplus , and other equipment from across the British Army , generated at pace and put through an intense period of servicing and maintenance to ensure a standard deemed fit ready to hand over to the new owners in Eastern Europe .

In April this saw HQ ARRC receive Orders to do exactly that and was tasked to prepare the HQ ARRC Protected Mobility fleet ( MASTIFFs ) ready to hand over . Owned by the Gurkha ARRC Support Battalion , it was the task of the Light Aid Detachment and 14 Squadron QOGLR to deliver on this task .

Understanding the importance of this mission there was no shortage of volunteers to be part of this project , and despite having to be called back from leave WO1 ( Artificer Sergeant Major ) Chris Calf and his team did an outstanding job . This saw his team complete Phase 1 of the project , which was to ensure electrical and mechanical integrity not only to the ARRC fleet but also a larger fleet being generated at Ashchurch . On completion of Phase 1 , a much bigger team was employed to ensure the vehicles were complete with all ancillaries before they then set to painting the vehicles , by hand , from their traditional desert colour scheme to a more , not normally seen on these vehicles , temperate camouflage green .

The vehicles finally departed ARRC on 13 May 2022 after a visit from COS ARRC to congratulate the Gurkha ARRC Support Battalion team for their outstanding efforts .