LONDON—British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond says four army barracks will close as he detailed plans to bring home all 16,000 U.K. troops from Germany by 2020.

Calling it a cost-cutting move in sync with the post-Cold War reality, Hammond says 70 percent of the troops will return to the U.K. by the end of 2015. The final 4,300 troops will return by the end of 2019—ultimately saving the U.K. 240 million pounds ($363 million) a year.

Britain's military said in 2010 that pulling troops out of Germany was one way it would save money.

Hammond said Tuesday that it's the end of an era, but keeping a force in Germany is expensive and no longer serves the strategic purpose it did during the Cold War.