Artillery Officer

Royal Artillery

At a glance

  • Officer
  • combat

Lead soldiers, give orders and take charge of some of the Army’s most valuable and powerful weapons, all while honing your management skills.

  • £33,183The minimum amount you’ll earn during training
  • £39,671Your pay after completing basic trade training
  • AgeFrom 17 years & 9 months to 28 years & 11 months
  • QualificationsGCSE and UCAS points

BEING AN ARTILLERY OFFICER ALLOWS ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMAND MY TROOPS IN A VAST ARRAY OF ENVIRONMENTS ACROSS THE WHOLE WORLD.

Royal Artillery officers find, watch, track, fix and strike the enemy as well as protect our own forces. You will find our officers on the front line and across all areas of the battlefield: integrated with the Infantry and Armoured Corps and in all major HQs supporting the Commander through coordinating and controlling weapons systems from all three Services (not only Royal Artillery weapons).

The Royal Artillery is the heart of the action - everywhere across the battlefield - providing the British Army with its eyes, ears and firepower. Using high-tech surveillance devices and uncrewed aircraft, the Royal Artillery finds the enemy. We then monitor them before striking decisively. We do this by co-ordinated use of our guns, rockets and missiles, the Army’s attack helicopters and other weapons, including fast jets and even the guns of Royal Navy ships.

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Key Responsibilities

  • Command the most powerful and valuable weapons on the battlefield

  • Challenge and hone your leadership abilities

  • Experience the most varied job roles in the British Army

  • Travel the world

Have any questions? Talk with us

Master of your craft - Gunner Crew video still

Regular (full time)

Entry requirements

  • Age:

    From 17 years & 9 months to 28 years & 11 months

  • Qualifications:

    72 UCAS points and 35 ALIS points at GCSE or equivalent (including a minimum GCSE grade C/4, or Scottish National 4 grade C, in English, Maths and a science or foreign language).

  • Basic physical fitness assessment:

    • Mid Thigh Pull 76kg

    • Medicine Ball Throw 3.1m

    • MSFT (beep test) level 8.07

    More information about the fitness test

Training for the role

Step 1
You begin with Officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. You learn what’s expected of a British Army Officer and how to lead soldiers on and off the battlefield.

Step 2
After the Commissioning Course you’ll attend the 14-week Young Officers' Course at Larkhill, Wiltshire. You learn about the Royal Artillery's equipment and communication systems and do specialist training on the roles and responsibilities of your regiment, such as close support (field guns artillery), air defence, rockets, drones and surveillance, and target acquisition. You also learn operational decision-making and artillery tactics, equipment care, management and accounting.

Qualifications you could get after training

  • Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)

  • Chartered Institute of Personnel Development

  • Chartered Management Institute

  • City and Guilds Certificate in Human Resource Management

  • Edexel/BTEC Certificate in Management Studies

Pay & benefits

You'll earn £33,183 during your year of training at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, before commissioning and becoming a Second Lieutenant, on £39,671 a year.

How to Apply

Once your online application has been approved, you'll have an interview with a recruiter, who will talk to you about the corps that you would like to join. You'll have the chance to learn more about your chosen corps, although you won't make your final decision until you're in training at Sandhurst.

More about the joining process

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