British women could be fighting on the front line within the year.
British prime minister David Cameron has asked the Ministry of Defence to be ready to welcome women into close combat roles by the end of 2016.
The long-mooted move would speed up the implementation of a review into the policy.
"The Defence Secretary (Michael Fallon) and I are united in wanting to see all roles in our Armed Forces opened up to women in 2016," Cameron said.
"We've already lifted a number of barriers in our Armed Forces with the introduction of female submariners and women reaching the highest ranks in all services.
"We should finish the job next year and open up ground combat roles to women," he said.
A review paper was published in December 2014 and as a result, further research is under way looking at the physiological demands on those carrying out ground combat roles.
A decision to open up all roles to women would put the UK alongside other nations such as Australia - which has legislated for this - and the US, which earlier this month announced it would open all jobs in combat roles to women, following three years of research.
