Land Special Operations Force

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British Army formation commanding the Ranger Regiment, the Information Warfare Battalions and the Honourable Artillery Company


Land Special Operations Force (LSOF)

Type British Army formation
Remarks Within Land Forces Troops


The Land Special Operations Force (LSOF) is a formation of the British Army. Army Freedom of Information replies of 2026 list among its units the four Ranger Regiment battalions, two Information Warfare Battalions, 6 Military Intelligence Battalion and the Honourable Artillery Company.[1][2] In September 2023 the then Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Patrick Sanders, said that "By re-structuring 6th (UK) Division elements within the Field Army we can elevate Land Special Operations Forces and Info Ops outputs to component level" (see 6th (United Kingdom) Division and Field Army).[3] No official source found gives the date LSOF was formally established.

Place in the Army

The British Army's command structure page places LSOF within Land Forces Troops, which "centrally command high-demand, low-volume capabilities. It consists of the Surveillance Group, Understand Group and Cyber Electro-Magnetic Activities Effects Group. Also within Land Forces Troops is the Land Special Operations Force and 11th Brigade."[4] Its other formations are the Surveillance Group, the Understand Group, the Cyber and Electro Magnetic Activities Effects Group and 11th Brigade.[4] Soldier magazine reported in May 2026 that the Army's reorganisation arranged its operational forces "into three tactical groups – the Strategic Reserve Corps, Forward Land Forces and the Land Special Operations Force" (see Strategic Reserve Corps and Forward Land Forces).[5]

The sources differ on the command above LSOF. Soldier reported that "Field Army is gone in name" and that "Commander Field Army will now be retitled Commander Land Forces, with Lt Gen Zac Stenning appointed" (see Commander Land Forces and Zac Stenning), while Lt Gen Mike Elviss would lead HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.[5] The Army's command structure page names "Commander Land Forces, Lieutenant General Mike Elviss CB MBE".[4]

Absorption of 77th Brigade

A WhatDoTheyKnow request of 29 May 2026 quoted an earlier Army FOI refusal (ArmySec/FOI2026/09068): "77 Brigade no longer exists as a formed unit within Defence". It asked what directive had taken effect on 14 April 2026 to resubordinate the 77th Brigade to LSOF. The Army's reply of 23 June 2026 (ArmySec/FOI2026/10971) said:

This change was directed under 'Army Implementation Order B-26-032 – Reorganisation of Land Special Operations'.[1]

The reply said that 5 Information Operations Task Force, 101 Information Operations Task Force and 6 Military Intelligence Battalion sit under "Headquarters Land Special Operations Force (LSOF)". It added that "the resubordination did not result in any changes to the location, responsibility or recruitment of the former 77 Brigade subordinate units".[1]

Units

The two Army FOI replies list different units.

The June 2026 reply (ArmySec/FOI2026/10971) said: "As of 1 May 2026, LSOF comprises the following subordinate units":[1]

The September 2026 reply (Army/PolSec/FOI2026/17115) said: "LSOF comprises of the following":[2]

The June reply names "5 Information Operations Task Force" and "101 Information Operations Task Force"; the September reply names "5 IWB" and "101 IWB". The September list adds 4/73 Battery Royal Artillery, 235 Electronic Warfare Signal Squadron, the LSOF Deep Strike Squadron and the Land Special Operations Training Centre, and does not include The Staff Corps.[1][2] The September reply withheld the composition of "task forces, groups or equivalent bodies, including their formally designated companies, squadrons and other named sub-units" under section 26(1)(b) (Defence) of the Freedom of Information Act.[2]

"Cognitive Warfare Group"

Asked whether "Cognitive Warfare Group" was the formal title of an LSOF formation, the Army replied:

This is not a recognised or endorsed naming convention for any formation. The units that would comprise this specialism are recognised as the Information Warfare Battalions (IWB), this refers to 101 IWB and 5 IWB that sit within the Land Special Operations Force (LSOF) structure.[2]

The two battalions are 5 Information Warfare Battalion and 101 Information Warfare Battalion.

Honourable Artillery Company

The Honourable Artillery Company's own "The Regiment" page still says it "is part of the Army's 77 Brigade" (see 77th Brigade).[6] The Journal of the Royal Artillery (Spring 2026) describes HAC capabilities "aligned with the future force as they move into the LSOF (Land Special Ops Force) space".[7] Its patrol squadron is 1 (Special OP) Squadron.

Dress and insignia

The September 2026 reply states:

All personnel serving within LSOF follow the prescribed insignia protocol. They wear the LSOF grey beret with their parent cap badge and the LSOF flash on the left shoulder, while the right shoulder displays the insignia of their unit or parent brigade. Personnel who are RANGER-qualified also wear the RANGER qualification badge.[2]

The Ranger qualification relates to the Ranger Regiment. It adds that personnel of 101 IWB and 5 IWB "who have completed the mandated initial trade training will be authorised to wear an 'Information Warfare' badge. The badge design has not yet been formally endorsed; however, the intention is to establish it as a new TRF in due course."[2]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Army Policy and Secretariat, LSOF and former 77 Brigade Freedom of Information response ArmySec/FOI2026/10971, 23 June 2026, via WhatDoTheyKnow, accessed 1 November 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Army Policy and Secretariat, Land Special Operations Force organisation, nomenclature and formation insignia Freedom of Information response Army/PolSec/FOI2026/17115, 16 September 2026, via WhatDoTheyKnow, accessed 1 November 2026.
  3. ↑ Patrick Sanders, General Sir Patrick Sanders DSEI 2023 Keynote Speech GOV.UK, 12 September 2023, accessed 2 November 2026.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 British Army, Command structure army.mod.uk, accessed 1 November 2026.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Soldier, Fighting form, May 2026, accessed 1 November 2026.
  6. ↑ Honourable Artillery Company, The Regiment hac.org.uk, accessed 1 November 2026.
  7. ↑ The Journal of the Royal Artillery, "The Honourable Artillery Company", Spring 2026, pp. 21–22, accessed 1 November 2026.
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