A second issue is the now universal threat of IEDs, which means that all deployed infantry units need some form of protected mobility. This structure is also suitable for Air Assault infantry operating in helicopters. Are ~1,200 troops really needed?? Perhaps, but only if we reduced the commitment. Infantry platoons will typically be divided between four vehicles as they are at present. 8 bazookas; 3 57mm anti-tank guns; 2 .50 cal and Either way, this creates a requirement for 1 officer + 23 other ranks. Anyway, having filled all the racks with ammo for the cannon and chain gun and having packed the rations away, stowed everybodys gonk bag, admin pouch, daysack and squeezed the six dismounts in, you give them a couple of NLAWs (12kg, 1m long each), an ASM (9kg, 1m long) and hand the 2IC a couple of spare crates of ball and a couple of link, half a dozen extra smoke, boxes of cyalumes, handful of shermulies etc etc and you see that quite quickly its become so crowded that six dismounts is the absolute maximum. The word battalion came into the English language in the 16th century from the French language (French: bataillon meaning "battle squadron"; Italian: battaglione meaning the same thing; derived from the Vulgar Latin word battalia meaning "battle" and from the Latin word bauttere meaning "to beat" or "to strike"). Should we be looking to bring UAVs to company or even platoon-level? Born on the island of Kauai, he moved to Honolulu to go to high school but left before he graduated to take a job at the Halekulani Hotel where he was working when he was drafted in 1941. Boxer and Bushmaster. Almost as potent as 12.7 mm HMGs, .338 MMGs are man-portable, so could help to increase overall platoon lethality, especially when operating dismounted. Do we need to simplify the rank structures of UK Armed Forces? Other ranks will include the RSM, Drill Sergeant, Chief Clerk, plus 7 additional clerks / drivers. I thought of this after reading your article on assault guns. An infantry battalion, logistical battalion, combat battalion, and the Netherlands Marine Corps all have a battalion structure. In the Canadian Army, the battalion is the standard unit organization for infantry and combat service support and each battalion is divided into one or more sub-units referred to as companies. Print Cite. ), probably Boxer SPH.. Infantry mass do we have to give up on this concept ? Thoughts on the Armys Integrated Review Refresh, A Review of The British Armys Regimental System. A dedicated anti-armour team can provide overwatch and have a capability to bridge the section-level short-range NLAW and the Jav Platoon which is overworked and undergunned in the current ORBAT. We recommend you cite primary sources. There are combat arms battalions, as well as combat support and combat service support battalions. Sniper platoons use the .338 L115A3 rifle. 27 Sep 44. Now that the GPMG has been returned to rifle sections, a separate, fourth fire support platoon is no longer needed. Exellent article and I just thought Id add some thoughts. By embedding these assets at the battalion and brigade levels these organisations get used to working autonomously and are supported by more CSG as each level moves up. The number . A U.S. Army battalion includes the battalion commander (lieutenant colonel), executive officer (major), command sergeant major (CSM), headquarters staff, and usually three to five companies, with a total of 300 to 1,000[31] (but typically 500 to 600) soldiers. These include light infantry (foot), airborne and air assault units. Also not every infantry unit would then need an kind of sister tank unit (because of rotation, because of terrain and so on) and so the number of vehicles for the protected mobility units which could at the same time act as independent fighting units seperate from the infantry could be smaller as if every infantry unit would have its own protected vehicles. The Sniper platoon usually consists of eight sniper pairs or 16 other ranks. Company HQ will be extremely lean with just one officer and five other ranks. Instead, why cant be we be open to moving beyond the status quo of four vehicles per platoon? With the Dutch artillery units, the equivalent of a battalion is called an afdeling (which translates to "section"). The 100th Infantry Battalion, initially made up almost entirely of Japanese Americans from Hawai'i already in the army prior to World War II, represented the first group of Japanese Americans to see combat during World War II. Several battalions form a regiment or brigade. Silly idea ? Hence a few questions. Infantry Organization. I have done a similar analysis and share your view that a companys optimal size is 36, after that we deviate for the following reasons: I have a company size of 180 that includes 4 combat combat platoons and a single combat support group (platoon), This replicates at the Battalion level so a battalion 4 combat companies and a single Combat Support Company. I think its generally accepted that reserves simply cannot be expected to attain or maintain the same level of professionalism as regular soldiers, because its not their day job, so I posit their embedding with regular formations and should the need arise, the two diluting. Certainly turret-mounted 30 mm or 40 mm cannons are preferred. 02 Infantry Platoons built around 36 soldiers. Clambering out of the turret, the other problem I have with this idea of max capacity is that there is no flexibility for transporting additional personnel (for example: terp, MFC, A/Pnr, EOD, blokes whose wagon has been hit, casualties etc) or carrying extra stores. Indeed, one was carried until the 51 mm was prematurely retired (because the ammunition went out of production). And to the opposite for open terrain which is tank friendly the said general-purpose all-mech infantry would be more expensive than simple tanks without infantry which would dominate the open terrain against such infantry as the more numerous enemy infantry would rule the closed terrain against the to few of the general-purpose bataillons because the number of infantry outside the vehicles would become much lower if you include all this vehicles in an infantry bataillon. Weapons companies do not receive a letter designation. The battalion was a standard tactical organization throughout the 20th Century, and overseas deployments were usually done with formations . 40mm is under used in general in my opinion. Intelligence Cell consists of a platoon headquarters, 3 rifle squads, and 1 weapons squads. An MEB is one of the standard Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTF), is commanded by a brigadier general or major general, and consists of command element, a ground combat element (usually one reinforced Marine infantry regiment), an aviation combat element (a reinforced Marine aircraft group including rotary wing, fixed wing, and tiltrotor aircraft), and a combat logistics element (a Marine combat logistics regiment, which includes naval construction forces [Seabees] and naval medical elements). On each side behind the benches is a shelf for personal kit (actually designed as a rack for a couple of LAWs). Option A allows the platoon to be divided equally between four combat vehicles. Artillery battalions typically comprised four or more batteries, although this number fluctuated considerably. However number of boots might make the difference for protected mobility (motorized) inf. While it cant do indirect fire into dead ground the CG is very acccurate and very lethal which I think more than makes up for the reduced number of rounds plts will be able to carry for them. Administratively, battalions are subdivisions of regiments. Short answer: Ajax IFV has six seats (link at bottom). Same for Mech Inf, if you are happy to reduce dismounted infantry mass to 22 (36 + 4). The basic Did your article mention or show pictures of the benches being kept or are they being replaced by seats? Combat companies consist of (usually mechanised) infantry, combat engineers, or tanks. There are also support battalions in the Dutch Army, which specialise on a specific task: for example, supplies and transport or communications. An infantry fire team might include two riflemen, one of whom is the team leader; a grenadier and an automatic rifleman, who is used when small reconnaissance or special missions are required. (RP0102) 2. It usually consists of 1 officer + 27 other ranks. In the most recent issue of Soldier magazine, there is an item headed New Warrior stays on track, in which the proposed new incarnation of the vehicle receives quite a lot of praise , including the statement On paper the platform looks impressive and offers a raft of refinements and upgrades over its long-serving predecessor. These apparently include not only the new 40mm cannon but also enhanced mechanical underpinnings, beefed-up armour and better comfort for the crews. The total then is simply calculated as 18338. They are also Emergency Care Sergeants and can maneuver with either the Company Commander or First Sergeant. The LMG is a good belt-fed weapon up to 400m, perfect for D FT. Leave the general as a pl asset for depth targets and to join the suppressing section to give it big licks when needed. 6.5 grendel or creedmore) for DMR type weapons. A platoon of 1 + 35 divides neatly into four sections of 9 soldiers, allowing 7 dismounts per section or your magic number of 28 dismounts total per section. - A company has anywhere from a few dozen to 200 soldiers. (d) 3 from auxiliary service. The different types of light infantry organizations were all consolidated into the one "Infantry" organization in 2007. Each company is commanded by a major, the officer commanding (OC), with a captain or senior lieutenant as second-in-command (2IC). In an infantry squad, the teams divide duties: one serves as a base-of-fire element, while the other serves as the maneuver element. Do MANPADS have a place in the future infantry battalion? And a Canadian infantry (rifle) battalion, in an armoured division, was organized, and consisted of: - a Battalion headquarters of six officers and 54 other ranks - a Headquarters company of five officers and 94 other ranks, within - a company headquarters - a signal platoon - an administrative platoon My idea would be here to adept and develope the russian/soviet idea of the Bronegruppa to the extreme. firepower and protection yes (which would possibly be over kill), but at the expense of a massive logistical footprint. 25th INFANTRY DIVISION (Occupation) During the occupation of Japan from 1945-1950, the 25th Infantry Division retained its triangular WWII organization of three infantry regiments. (Please click on the image for a larger version) If the mortar setup is still the same as it used to be, isnt that 6 x 81mm in peace time plus 3 from TA for full war time deployment strength ? The battalion is usually part of a regiment, group, or brigade depending on the branch of service. Automatic 120mm mortars have small crews for high firepower. Just realized your modular multi-role battalion has 42 people less than the current Armoured Infantry battalion establishment who are these 42 peeps and what do they do? is the close combat element of the Infantry Battalion, with this article specifically covering the Rifle Company as it exists in the Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT). This would give the heavy infantry battalions more fire power when dealing with more formidable foes. Various members of the platoon will also carry a 9 mm Glock 17 pistol. There are pouches hanging off the turret cage. I like the idea of having more fire support in Platoon HQ. No, I hesitated on the TA bit because it sounded derogatory, but note that I said enhance their professionalism, not that they were unprofessional. If it did by any chance happen, though, I wonder if UK Land Power could tell me whether it would make a difference to his manning arrangements. Your fantasy FF2020 is pretty much identical to mine, but I want three brigades of each type, for 1 in 3 rotation cycle. Either way possibly improving retention and a quality of life issue for regulars who may need some acclimatization to civilian life. * Tows 400-gallon water tank trailer (1-1/2 ton), 1 per company, or M1082 flat bed trailer, 2 per company. With a universal size, it is easy to see gaps and to fill them. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Nominally, an extra GPMG and DMR are proposed, but a light mortar or multi-role 40 mm AGL could be carried instead. At some point in the future it would be wise to introduce a a new light weight section belt fed ( see knights armament LAMG for example) perhaps in one of the many new calibres emerging ( e.g. Over time, the regiments were turned into battalions, the reserve units amalgamated and more regular units raised and disbanded. Building on Captain Nemos comments: in solving the problem of dismounted infantry mass the starting point should be what is the minimum number of dismounts sufficient not how do we fit more troops and firepower into four vehicles. The question of multi-shot 6 round revolver type 40mm grenade launchers with MV rounds versus the UGL is a good one. Perhaps I am just projecting after all as I am one of those who quietly enjoys drill. This reduces each company by 20 personnel. The battalion structure is designed to readily expand to include a fourth rifle company, if required, as described above under battalion organization. corporal. New Zealands cavalry (which would be considered mechanised infantry in the British Army) do this, having 46 soldiers and six NZLAVs per Cav Tp. In Platoon HQs that have 9 soldiers, the same structure would be adopted, providing an additional machine gun and designated marksman rifle. CnC can be further rationalised across the whole unarmed force by having a single force structure around 1 HQ, 4 commands, each operating 2 divisions that hold all naval, land, cyber, air, space and command assets assigned to them and having a flatter structure. The centerpiece of the Army's operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the infantry brigade combat team, is in danger of becoming obsolete in the face of near-peer opponents. So while I like your idea of a standard, basic, modular structure, it seems very typically British in that it appears under-gunned compared to allied nations ? This new structure eliminated the need to task-organize companies between battalions; each combined arms battalion was organically composed of the requisite companies. In 2016, the Army reorganized its brigades into brigade combat teams, which are autonomous modular brigades that most commonly include one combat arms brigade and its assigned support and fire units. In January 2006, the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry was reactivated at Fort Riley under the U.S. Army's new "modularity" concept as an element of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. The Department of Defense provides the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation's security. The UK is likely to do the same, but only a limited number of vehicles will get it presumably Anti-tank and Reconnaissance platoons. The Table of Organization (T/O) of the Marine Corps lays out the organizational structure and the equipment required to function. Returning to three standard rifle platoons with organic GPMGs, avoiding the need for a fourth fire support platoon, streamlines the overall battalion structure and reduces the administrative burden of bringing soldiers from Army Reserve units. worn on US uniforms. An infantry battle group will typically be commanded by the commander of the core infantry battalion around which it is formed and can range in size from 300 to 1,500 or more soldiers, depending on the nature of the mission assigned. Have a great day. A staff sergeant is often in charge. We have discussed these in great detail in prior articles so we will not elaborate here. more machine guns. Title. If Warrior was to go, is there a reason for not looking at the KF41 Lynx rather than Ajax? I appreciate, cause I found exactly what I was looking for. Teams with special functions may also include officers or warrant officers. BTGs are part of Russia's tiered combat readiness system. A battalion in the Indian Army is commanded by a colonel. These are light infantry, including various light foot units, air assault, and airborne infantry. Given the requirement, identify organizational structure and chain of command within the Marine Corps, per the references. A Carl Gustav 84mm in the Coy. Operating in pairs, the No.2 will have a L129A1 DMR. If youre looking to increase platoon strength without greatly increasing overall numbers Id eliminate the support company and draw its manpower and vehicles down from battalion, possibly adding two dedicated support sections to a platoon. They will win, or loose. The size of a battalion could range from 500 to 1,500 troops. The mortar section consists of two Mortar Squads, each with a Squad Leader, Gunner and Ammo Bearer. 3-battalion and can be augmented by 1 for every battalion in excess of 3. On the LMG, I am sooo old that the LMG imteained on the in the RN was the 7.62 version of the Bren ! When studying World War 2, a common question that arises is what exactly each army group or unit name means? I cant upload pics but their SOIs are on AKX if you have access to it and are interested. We can tailor our forces now for a sustained operation, such as we have done for Bosnia until the present I dont think we need to radically change the div structure just refine the battlegroup concept to reflect the modularity aspect of the force but reataining the mass of the individual capability the heavy, medium and light bring when needed. You have ended my four day long hunt! There are ways and means around problems though, if I recall correctly when they introduced warrior with its seven seats, they split a section into a four man squad and a three man squad and the warrior became a fire support squad, but therell have to be some very creative thinking with twenty four seats unless you shrink your platoon or fund a fifth and sixth vehicle. The size of this sub-unit must be sufficient to support the tracked vehicles of Armoured Infantry battalions, so a Detachment structure of 1 officer + 37 other ranks is proposed. Note(s) 6-10. This is in the interest of reducing the standing commitment to one Guards battalion instead of two. To clarify, I dont think we should be finding a person in the turret, Im saying thats where theyd have to come from at four vehicles unless one lies on the floor. Higher levels are concerned with administration rather than operations. With common ORBATs, marine battalions can quickly be prepared for the allocated mission. The article gives the numbers and personnel strengths of each type of battalion. A nominal structure of 1 officer + 19 other ranks is proposed. Pins of regiments and artillery battalions that served in .?UF&-b4W[u&SgJ`/24$4jfbH@\t,#QG^*)W&HTSE|:=:pl9xp}u KNv Tank battalions and mechanized infantry battalions no longer exist. Is that a firmed-up concept or is it still at the level of general discussion and possibilities? Whilst I absolutely do not think that that is the right way to go, perhaps a shake up of public duties manning is in order? The infantry organizational structure existing in 1969 was well suited to the strategy and tactics of flexible . The newer light weight medium/ long range calibres ( eg. A battalion comprises two or more primary mission companies which are often of a common type (e.g., infantry, tank, or maintenance), although there are exceptions such as combined arms battalions in the U.S. Army. Vehicle tools, pegs for the troop shelter and bits like that that dont live in the side or back bins usually go under the left bench, the right has the hydraulic ram for the back door under it and a big tray for the rations. They are structured roughly analogous to an Army or Marine Corps battalion with staff and commanding officers of similar grade and experience. Combat enemy fast air? of troops assigned than an infantry company . * Each squad is authorized two disposable shoulder-fired munitions (general AT-4s) which would go to the Riflemen. ~T,=y-2ZxKx FrV{^=bB&T* u \' UUplpD_&e\ SAAB has produced a lightweight version of the Carl Gustav 84 mm recoilless anti-tank weapon. I think we need silly ideas and massive reforms, such as your ideas on simplify rank structures to fit with a much smaller army. The fourth MG platoon in each rifle company is removed as GPMG is returned to other platoons. The Puma HC2 support helicopter, for example, carries 12 personnel, while a CH-47 Chinook can carry an entire platoon. Great conversation going here, I am squished onto public transit in 30 c temps in Ontario, so please excuse typos ! Why did / do we need mass, as in large numbers of infantry boots on the ground ? Mechanised Transport Platoon The current infantry rifle platoon organization is identical to the infantry, air assault, and airborne rifle platoon organizations listed in the Change 1 of FM 7-8 published in 2001. In recent years the Royal Welsh, RAF, Royal Navy, Gurkhas and even the Royal Malay Regiment have done it. I must ask though This articles argues that it would create a more flexible and potent force as well as making it easier to re-role battalions if a universal, multi-role structure was developed. Each fire team consists of the Fire Team Leader, an Automatic Rifleman (Specialist) serving an M249 light machine gun, Grenadier (Specialist) serving an M4A1 carbine and M320 grenade launcher, and Rifleman (Private First Class). I appreciate Ive written a lot but have a few more broad questions on future infantry structures and would be curious to hear others views. 1. [1] Indeed, I can see Warrior being used for the next ten, fifteen, even twenty years. Not combat troops at all, maybe all wearing a common foot guards uniform with the same number of buttons. Personnel will primarily be drivers. I need to add a section on weapons. Anti-drones? [24] Normally a battalion is attached to a regiment of infantry, which is organized, as a general rule, of a number of battalions and the regimental centre battalion. Its more the lack of balance than PD itself. The psychological impact of fighting against a platoon with immediate indirect fire capability should not be disregarded nor should the effect of hearing its noise and seeing its explosion. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. A HIMARS trucker mounted single pod MLRS rocket launcher has only a crew of 3. that serves 2 M224 60mm light mortars for indirect fire support. The organization here has been valid since approximately 2012, although weapon systems have changed over time. Each type of brigade ( infantry or airborne infantry) has the same basic organization. Steven Aftergood It is also suitable for Light Role battalions operating on foot. @Captain Nemo Their light cavalry troops are even bigger: 50 soldiers in eight LOVs (Pinzgauers). An important issue that has to be maintained are weapons then there are radios. Specifically, the transition from the failed 1940 organization to the improved 1941 organization that served the army until the spring of 1943 when finally, the 1943 organization was established. The Rifle Battalion of October 1940 was superseded beginning in April 1942 by a new Infantry Battalion organization. Often these will be stored in vehicles until needed. I have been asked many times about our Army infantry structure in Vietnam. Option C Platoon divides the platoon into three groups (or multiples) of 12 soldiers. They may be armed with a M4A1 Carbine with a high power optic, Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle (EBR), M110 SASS, or newer M110A1 CSASS (as of 2018-9). These are: The Mortar Platoon typically operates 8 or 9 mortars each with a crew of 4 plus a Mortar Fire Controller for each detachment of 2 mortars. In the U.S. Marine Corps, the brigade designation is used only in "Marine Expeditionary Brigade" (MEB). Given that kit is cheaper than people in the long run, do we need fire firepower to make up for lack of infantry mass ? The nine regular force infantry battalions each contain three or four rifle companies and one or two support companies. They are not man-portable. Are you implying that there is a problem with their professionalism and, therefore, competency? The Anti-tank Platoon typically has 6-8 Javelin ATGM launchers, with each one operated by two soldiers. The support company usually contains anti-tank, machine gun, mortar, pioneer and reconnaissance platoons. The infantry battalion was a key structure in the Royal Army and thus its structure went through a fair few changes during the course of the war. Its a tactical-sized unit that can perform a battlefield function on its own. To put it in perspective Ive never hit a target with 51/60mm and never missed with CG. Warrior can only carry four dismounts comfortably with full scales and definitely not more than six so manpower is neutral in armour (you could even have a two man surplus (9+9+9+7=34) who could crew the Coy HQ wagons. While this underwent amendments, most particularly in terms of antitank weapons, its overall structure influenced all subsequent Tables of Organization issued for the Battalion. The overall structure defined by sub-unit organisation reflects the fact that protected mobility is now needed more widely. 40mm MV is would be an excellent addition to the ammo mix in sections bit there will be some work for the SASCs to update Pams and traces so unlikely to happen. The division had also an antitank and . The central idea in proposing a universal battalion structure is to build it around platoons of 1 + 35 soldiers. Each battalion usually consists of the following: In the Soviet Armed Forces, a motorised rifle battalion could be mounted in either BTR armoured personnel carriers or BMP infantry fighting vehicles, with the former being more numerous into the late 1980s.

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