The British Army is the land warfare force of the United Kingdom responsible for defending the UK, the British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. The British Army, founded in 1707, has seen involvement in most of the world's major wars throughout history, including both world wars. As of 1 January 2026, the British Army comprises 73,790 regular full-time personnel, 4,190 Gurkhas, 25,770 volunteer reserve personnel and 4,870 "other personnel", for a total of 108,620.