By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent
Women could be allowed to fight on the front line from 2016, the Government has announced.
The Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, has signed off a major review that concluded females could serve in a combat role if they achieved the rigorous physical standards required.
A senior defence source has described it as a "significant step forward".
The final decision will be made after an 18-month physiological exam. This will look at women's basic physical ability to cope in harsh environments on lengthy deployments of six months or more.
Mr Fallon told Sky News: "Other armed forces around the world are making this particular change and there's no compelling evidence that the fighting effectiveness of a section or platoon would be damaged.
"The only thing we do have to be sure of is the difference in physiology. Women on average are slightly shorter, slightly smaller, and we have to make sure that the training regimes we have and the weights they have to carry in close combat do not cause them long-term damage."
Women already serve on the front line in a variety of roles: medics, intelligence officers, fighter pilots, and on submarines.
This will open the way for them to join infantry regiments, tanks units and The Royal Marines.
Some allies - the United States, Canada and Australia - already allow women to serve on the front line.
The six-month review was ordered by the last defence secretary Phillip Hammond and has been on his successor's desk for a few weeks.
It was overseen by the Head of the Army, General Nicholas Carter.
Among many things, the review examined the possible consequences of male soldiers serving in close quarters with female colleagues including what effect this might have on the morale of a fighting unit.
It also looked at whether women are more prone to injury.
The review, while not conclusive, has removed doubts within the Ministry of Defence, although some senior military figures have strong reservations.
Major General Patrick Cordingley, a former commander of the 7th Armoured Brigade, known as the Desert Rats, said the move would be a "mistake".
He told the Daily Mail: "I can understand why politically it is a good thing to be seen to be doing - on the other hand, the practicalities of women in the infantry and armoured corps are considerable and should not be overlooked."
Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander in Afghanistan, has previously claimed women lack the "killer instinct" necessary to fight in close combat.
He said: "Inclusion of women in the infantry is certain to result in a lowering of physical standards despite the inevitable denials that this will happen.
"This would damage the fighting capabilities of the Armed Forces. It would be harmful to the cohesion of the Army because of the nature of the role."
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