Britain's Defense Ministry says it has placed 200 troops on standby to help with evacuations and humanitarian operations in Libya.
A spokeswoman for the ministry said Saturday that the legendary Third Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland - known as the Black Watch - could be in Libya within 24 hours if necessary.
She insisted the troops were not intended for any combat, but for deployment in the event the humanitarian situation in the north African nation worsens.
The Black Watch was founded in 1725, and played a major role in some of Britain's most famous military engagements. Among its most recent high-profile deployments was in Iraq.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.