The Rifles is a new British Army Regiment that will be created as a result of the Future Army Structure. Announced on 24 November 2005 by the MOD, The Rifles will be formed by the amalgamation of the Light Infantry and the Royal Green Jackets, along with the Devonshire and Dorset Light Infantry and the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry which will merge into a single battalion. This will bring the whole of the Light Division under a single cap badge.

The new regiment will have 5 regular and 2 Territorial Army Battalions.

1st Battalion, formed by the amalgamation of the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment and the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment

2nd Battalion, formed by the redesignation of the 1st Battalion, the Royal Green Jackets

3rd Battalion, formed by the redesignation of the 2nd Battalion, The Light Infantry

4th Battalion, formed by the redesignation of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Green Jackets

5th Battalion, formed by the redesignation of the 1st Battalion, The Light Infantry

6th (V) Battalion, formed by the redesignation of the Rifle Volunteers

7th (V) Battalion, formed by the redesignation of the Royal Rifle Volunteers, minus the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment company, plus the Royal Green Jacket companies of the London Regiment
The Regiment will wear a Rifle Green beret with The Light Infantry style Bugle as a capbadge.

The back badge of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry will be worn on the No1 hat. The Maltese Cross of the Royal Green Jackets will be worn as the belt buckle, and will have the regiment's battle honours. The Croix de Guerre awarded to the Devonshire Regiment will be worn on both sleeves. The Rifles will not have Colours in accordance with the history of rifle regiments and will use the title "Rifleman" for Private soldiers.

The new regiment's five battalions will be given fixed roles - the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions will be roled as light infantry, while the 5th Battalion will remain as armoured/mechanised infantry. The 1st Battalion will be assigned to 3 Commando Brigade, where it will serve as a support battalion for the Royal Marines. It remains to be seen whether HM The Queen will grant The Rifles the honorific "Royal" at some point in the future. HRH The Duke of Edinburgh will be the new regiment's Colonel-in-Chief, but each battalion will also have its own Royal Colonel: