Search: Afghanistan troops
Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth has confirmed that a requirement has been met to enable Britain to send an extra 500 troops to Afghanistan.
Gordon Brown pledged last month "in principle" to boost the British deployment to 9,500 soldiers subject to three conditions.
Speaking at a training facility in Norfolk, Mr Ainsworth said the equipment requirements placed on the reinforcement had now been met.
"We are checking, as we have been for several months, the first condition the Prime Minister imposed on uplifting our force numbers in Afghanistan - that is that we have sufficient equipment for the troops that we deploy," said Mr Ainsworth.
"There has been a very substantial improvement over the last few months in helicopter numbers, in protective vehicles, but that the ratio - even with the increase in troops - has improved quite considerably in both of those areas which are of vital importance to the safety and ability for our people in Afghanistan to operate.
"The equipment is already out there, there are considerably more helicopters now, the Merlin fleet started to deploy giving a significant uplift in the area of helicopter capability.
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"There are almost twice as many Mastiff as there was a few months ago, which is about the strongest vehicle we've got in terms of mine protection. There is about a 75% uplift in Ridgback, which is a slightly smaller version of the Mastiff but with the same level of protection. The package of protective mobility vehicles that we bought some time ago are now being flown into theatre in significant numbers."
Mr Ainsworth, accompanied by the Chief of Defence Staff Sir Jock Stirrup, met soldiers from the First Battalion of the Duke of Lancaster Regiment who were training in a "simulated" Afghan village.
Sir Jock said: "The Force level increase of 500 represents between 10 and 15% increase in terms of the boots on the ground patrolling in Helmand. In terms of the equipment increase, since August this year it has risen between 33% and almost 100% so the level of equipment has gone up far more than the level of Forces will be going up."
After months of deliberation, American President Barack Obama is expected to announce on Tuesday that he will send up to 35,000 more US Forces. Mr Ainsworth said that he hoped the President will announce a "significant increase" in troop numbers.
