Women could serve in close combat roles by 2016, UK military says

Women in Britain's armed forces could be allowed to fight in front line combat roles for the first time by 2016, the Ministry of Defence said Friday, as it published a review into how this would impact troops on the ground.

According to the ministry, the review "has ended the long-held view that mixed close ground combat units would have an adverse effect on cohesion between troops."

But it calls for more research into the physiological demands placed on those in close combat roles before a final decision is made on allowing women in.

Ground close combat units are defined as those where "the primary role is to close with and kill the enemy."

The potential impact on women's health of serving in such units should be fully examined, the review said.

Researchers will also look at how training for such combat roles can be set up to ensure women are able to take part safely, without reducing combat effectiveness.

"Roles in our Armed Forces should be determined by ability not gender. I hope that, following further work on our training regimes and equipment, we can open up combat roles to women in 2016," said Defence Secretary Michael Fallon.

At present, 70% of roles are open to women in the army, 79% in the navy, and 94% in the air force.

Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Nicholas Carter, said UK military operations in Afghanistan had shown that there could be "significant physiological risk to women" serving in ground close combat roles.

"I look forward to the prospect of opening ground close combat roles to women, but we have to look at this in a responsible way," said Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nicholas Houghton.

"Our aim must be to maximise the use of talent without compromising our standards or undermining capability. The final piece of work on physiological risks is vitally important in ensuring that ground close combat roles would not be detrimental to the health of our service women."

Women currently make up 10% of the UK armed forces, according to Ministry of Defence statistics from October, with 15,740 women in total employed across all services. Their numbers have gradually increased over the past two years in the army and remain stable in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.

The Royal Navy allowed women to serve on board submarines for the first time this year, more than 20 years after women were first allowed to serve on surface ships.

In another sign of increasing gender equality, two women have also reached the rank of rank of air vice-marshal in the Royal Air Force.

The Pentagon took steps early last year to open up combat roles to the roughly 200,000 women in the U.S. armed forces.

Announcing the move, then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said it was a bow to reality on the battlefield, where women in what are technically non-combat units already find themselves fighting alongside their male comrades.

Single mom fought alongside combat troops in Afghanistan

Several U.S. allies, including NATO members France, Canada and Germany, also allow women to serve in combat posts.

Culled from CNN