British Army charters civilian ferry for 7 Brigade exercise transport

The British Army has chartered a civilian ferry to get one of its brigades to an exercise in Germany. These are core skills and capabilities needed by an armed force – especially an island-based one.

By Sam Cranny-Evans, editor of Calibre Defence, published on April 28, 2026.

The British Army’s 7^th Light Mechanised Brigade has chartered a civilian ferry to get it to Europe. According to an April 27 article released by the Army, the move is part of Exercise Rhino Storm. It is the first time the British Army has chartered a civilian ferry in over 20 years, the article adds.

The ferry is the King Seaways, which is owned by DFDS, and it has been chartered from Newcastle. 1,400 troops from 7 Brigade were transported on the ferry, a lift the Army says would need at least seven RAF Voyager flights, as well as extra flights for their equipment.

Exercise Rhino Storm therefore aims to test the brigade’s ability to deploy to Europe quickly. 7 Brigade is moving 3,000 troops and 900 vehicles to Europe using the ferry as the first leg to the Netherlands. From there, the brigade will board trains heading to Germany and join soldiers from France’s 13 Demi Brigade.

The NATO Support and Procurement Agency orchestrated the manoeuvre, including coordination between 60 stakeholders, the article states.

Formation profile: 7th Light Mechanised Brigade

A Foxhound protected patrol vehicle in service with the 7 Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team. Credit: British Army.

The 7^th Light Mechanised Brigade is also known as the Desert Rats, tracing its lineage back to North Africa operations in WW2. It is made up of a light cavalry regiment provided by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. They operate Jackal and Coyotes providing reconnaissance.

Four light mechanised infantry battalions provide the bulk of the brigade’s combat mass along with a light infantry battalion. Those battalions are:

1st Bn The Royal Yorkshire Regiment, light infantry and dismounted specialists.
1st Bn Scots Guards, light Mechanised battalion in Foxhounds.
1st Bn Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, light Mechanised battalion in Foxhounds.
2nd Bn Royal Anglian Regiment, light Mechanised battalion in Foxhounds.
4th Bn Royal Regiment of Scotland, light Mechanised battalion in Foxhounds.

The full brigade combat team includes supporting artillery provided by 4th Regiment Royal Artillery and 105 Regiment Royal Artillery (Reserve). Armed with the L118 light gun and trucks, these regiments are designed to offer close support for the Desert Rats. The 32 Engineer Regiment adds combat engineering; 6 Regiment the Royal Logistics Corps carries equipment and supplies using MAN SV trucks, and 3 Medical Regiment the medical support needed to keep the brigade in the field.

The brigade is designed to provide a rapid response to situations around the world. As such it is kept at high readiness and needs to practice this kind of deployment to perform its role.

Calibre comment: The role of civilian infrastructure in defence

Civilian infrastructure has always played a role in transporting forces. However, some capacity has been lost to support defence in the past few decades. That capacity includes rolling stock, the large train cars needed to carry heavy tanks and equipment. But it also includes the skills and experience to make something like 7 Brigade’s recent move by ferry a success. For some time, the UK’s troop movements have been small enough that the MoD could accomplish them using its existing resources. However, with the mission of defending Europe and deterring Russia, the ability to move forces quickly to the continent will likely be an area of focus for the coming years.

The lead image shows the King Seaways. Credit: British Army.