In Pictures: No terrain too tough

British troops can find themselves operating in some of the toughest environments all over the world

For those of us in the UK, living in a desert, jungle or arctic conditions is not your typical environment. For our Armed Forces however, training and working in these environments is the norm.

The UK Armed Forces operate in a variety of terrains including, desert, jungle and arctic.

Desert 🏜

The desert is one of the most difficult terrains on the planet. There is little protection from the elements, it is tricky underfoot and the temperatures can reach up to 50-degrees.

• In Pictures: Afghanistan through their eyes

A member of C Company, 2 Royal Anglian, seen here on Exercise Ahmose, at the Egyptian army base Mohamed Naguib, just outside of Alexandria.

Members of C Company, 2 Royal Anglian on Exercise Ahmose, south-west of Alexandria in Egypt.

British troops watch over during platoon raid on a compound on the deserts of Jordan during Exercise Olive Green.

British troops on the deserts of Jordan during Exercise Olive Green.

40 Commando Royal Marines in Bahrain during live firing with Bahraini forces on Exercise Pearl Dagger.

1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles in Afghanistan during Operation TORAL.

1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles in Afghanistan during Operation TORAL.

Jungle🦎

There can be few fighting environments that are more severe, challenging and unforgiving than the jungle. The humidity, the heat, the insects — everything works against you.

• A Royal Marine’s 8 tips to survive in the Jungle

Paratroopers training to survive and fight in the challenging conditions of the jungles of Belize.

Soldiers from 1st Battalion the Irish Guards conducting a live firing exercise deep in the Belize Jungle.

Soldiers from 1st Battalion the Irish Guards conducting a live firing exercise deep in the Belize Jungle.

Household Cavalry soldiers securing the landing site during Exercise Ulu Rajah in the jungle of Brunei.

Paratroopers training to survive and fight in the challenging conditions of the jungles of Belize.

Paratroopers training to survive and fight in the challenging conditions of the jungles of Belize.

Arctic ❄️

Where the sun barely rises and the temperature plummets below minus 30 degrees, the artic conditions are life threatening to those who have not trained to survive.

• By sea, by land and by ice: Royal Marines in Norway

A crew member of HMS Trenchant, which broke the ice of the North Pole.

Royal Marines during the infamous ice-breaking drill in Norway.

Royal Marine Mountain Leaders conduct an ice climb in Norway.

Royal Navy submarine, HMS Trenchant, breaking through the ice of the North Pole with two US submarines during Ice Exercise 18 (ICEX).

Royal Marines on Exercise Cold Response in Norway.

Royal Marines on Exercise Cold Response in Norway.

HMS Protector conducts Foreign Commonwealth Office Visits to make routine checks to confirm the Antarctic Treaty is being upheld.

Space🛰

While our soldiers, sailors and airmen and women are deployed around the world in these challenging environments, above the atmosphere satellite communications are essential to support these troops.

• Better than fiction: Does Skynet really exist?

The origins of the Skynet satellites began in the 1960s, with Britain caught in the midst of the Cold War. In 1969 Britain launched Skynet 1A from the USA’s Cape Kennedy Complex, and her sister satellite, 1B, was launched the following year. These first steps in innovative technology led to several others and remains instrumental in helping British forces to communicate whilst deployed all over the world.

A computer-generated image of the Skynet satellite in orbit.

A British Military’s high-tech communications satellite launched from Kourou in French Guiana, South America in 2008.

A Skynet 5D satellite launched on board an Ariane rocket from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana, South America in 2012.

Find out where the UK Armed Forces are deployed here: