You are spot on that dismounted mass should dictate the ORBAT rather than vehicle capacity. In the Canadian Forces, most battalions are reserve units of between 100 and 200 soldiers that include an operationally ready, field-deployable component of approximately a half-company apiece. Italy. They are not man-portable, so will usually only accompany a platoon when mounted on MIV, MRVP, MWMIK (Jackal) or other vehicles. Traditionally, most British regiments have had more than one battalion. Where does firepower fit into the manning equation ? Light Role battalions had 8-soldier sections. Your email address will not be published. Each Rifle Company had a Heavy Weapons Platoon that was divided into a In Battalions with appropriate vehicles the longer barrel bipod mourned versions could be used with the hand held MFC computer, the ability for the Platoon commander to deploy smoke to scene manoeuvre or break contact is key I think. It has been estimated that only 1/3 of a division actually served as combat infantrymen---the remainder were command, support, artillery, etc. The Light Infantry Company. We already have two dedicated battalions for public duties and what youre really asking is could we make do with just one? 338 MMGs are going to make GPMG SF obsolete. I appreciate, cause I found exactly what I was looking for. These were divided up in the HQ Company with 120 men. But different battalions of the same regiment have seldom fought together. It was common for a battalion to become temporarily attached to a different regiment. Both 12.7 mm BMGs and 40 mm GMGs are vehicle mounted systems. of troops assigned than an infantry company . This would give the heavy infantry battalions more fire power when dealing with more formidable foes. With all these components, a battalion is the smallest military unit capable of "limited independent operations".[1]. Gimpy is too big and heavy for a section weapon, its hard going over walls/fences/through buildings etc and shouldnt really be fired from any position but the prone, unlike the lighter and more agile LMG. The reorganization of the infantry battalion is supported by a campaign of learning, to include wargaming, studies. During World War II, most infantry regiments consisted of three battalions (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) with each battalion consisting of three rifle companies and a heavy weapons company. Such companieslack integral motorization or mechanization, but are all capable of air assault operations and often operate motorized, although the entire IBCT cannot motorize all at once. 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. Have the shortfall taken up by a line battalion. BTGs are part of Russia's tiered combat readiness system. Another question I have concerns the mention in one of UK Land Powers tweets (I do not use Twitter) that the BAE Rheinmetall Joint Venture could lead to the AS90 155mm self-propelled howitzer being upgraded to Braveheart standard. I think that wider structures, instead of ten BCTs we should look at the French and Australians. Rocket launcher artillery battalions consisted of a headquarters and headquarters platoon, a service battery and three firing batteries equipped with BM-21 Grads for a total of 255 personnel.[29][30]. Commando Battalion (joint para/RM group) First Army serves as a mobilization, readiness and training command; Third Army, or U.S. Army Central, commands all Army forces for U.S. Central Command; Fifth Army, or U.S. Army North, commands all Army forces for U.S. Northern Command; Sixth Army, or U.S. Army South, commands all Army forces for U.S. Southern Command; Seventh Army, or U.S. Army Europe, commands all Army forces for U.S. European Command; Eighth Army commands all U.S. Army forces in South Korea; and Ninth Army, or U.S. Army Africa, commands all Army forces for U.S. Africa Command. Why did / do we need mass, as in large numbers of infantry boots on the ground ? consists of command and support personnel for the company. Every review mentions making increased use of the reserves which sets alarm bells ringing for me. Armored BCTs (ABCTs) include three armor/mechanized infantry battalions, an armed reconnaissance cavalry squadron, a field artillery battalion, a logistics support battalion, and a brigade engineer . As I say Im just throwing ideas around, not trying to invade Poland. A field army consists of two or more corps and is run by a general or lieutenant general. @MikeW 3 x Rifle Sect: eight soldiers. Perhaps, but only if we reduced the commitment. These are only used in times of large-scale war, such as World War II. Co - It offers a range of new ammunition natures from anti-tank rounds to bunker-busting HE. The French and Germans have them at infantry-company level and the Australians have a surveillance section as part of their recce platoons. I was wondering how you would fill that gap as a matter of urgency. But each platoon then gains four or five extra soldiers. A staff sergeant is often in charge. Same for Mech Inf, if you are happy to reduce dismounted infantry mass to 22 (36 + 4). Bye. Thinking about the need to operate from IFVs, Mechanised infantry vehicles (MIVs), from helicopters, and on foot, the first proposal is to standardise all Infantry Rifle Platoons around a common size that provides some degree of flexibility. There was no JCompany: the letter J was traditionally not used because in 18th- and 19th-century old-style type, the capital letters I and J looked alike, and were therefore easily confused with one another. The HQ Company was equipped with. There are four companies to a battalion and four battalions to a regiment. V:Y@|L']$||Cv%r00{: $d[HAXK4;V(53QDS{cnWAFd_kG802C>8J/]'rc|zNgzP[>nr@0; dCR$SPeh!Y2z;aq]3]MQE=$o>\x=B/tcTuNJ,j~^iD}!rq|kWG#4ory6hK ]6~961f3>Dm#| Perhaps in Armd/Mech it could even be comverted into a 120mm Mortar Pl, complementing the 81mm which can struggle in the faster-moving and dispersed Armd battle? battalion. After 1882, cavalry battalions were renamed squadrons and cavalry companies were renamed troops. A regiment consists of a regimental headquarters, a headquarters company (or battery), and two to five organic battalions (Marine infantry regiments three battalions of infantry; Marine artillery regiments three to five battalions of artillery; Marine combat logistics regiments one to three combat logistics battalions). US Army Infantry Battalion Numbers. The GPMG requires a No 2 with binos to maximise the guns effect which is not going to be realised by the crow given the big heavy gun in a section. For light role battalions the ISTR company with the recon platoon, assault pioneers, sniper platoon, and hopefully a uav plankton. The Sniper platoon usually consists of eight sniper pairs or 16 other ranks. Jed touched upon it earlier, rekindling Think Defences rather outlandish proposal to create a non-deployable ceremonial unit. If a rifleman receives the proper training and is skilled enough, they may be designated a squad designated marksman. God Bless you man. ), probably Boxer SPH.. @Jed In my fantasy army its the best allocation of resources. Forgive me if this is obvious but I dont know how much youve seen/been in a Warrior. After all, the Army Reserve is not the job which pays the bills. 1. Additionally, not everybody will volunteer. Did your article mention or show pictures of the benches being kept or are they being replaced by seats? Do MANPADS have a place in the future infantry battalion? [33] That is, rifle companies A, B, C along with heavy weapons CompanyD were part of the 1st battalion, rifle companiesE, F, G, and heavy weapons CompanyH constituted the 2nd battalion, and rifle companies I, K, L, and heavy weapons CompanyM were in the 3rd. 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. One of the most readable and enjoyable articles on defence I have read recently. The regular army gets guns and spare gun crews to keep them going 24/7. This means wagons to have space for additional personnel and stores, are all properly crewed and that dismounted mass hits the desired 28 (plus crew 53=15 so 43 total). A nominal structure of 1 + 35 soldiers is proposed. Starting Discussions About Defence Issues. Provost Staff I think we need silly ideas and massive reforms, such as your ideas on simplify rank structures to fit with a much smaller army. 02 Infantry Platoons built around 36 soldiers. The US Marine Corps already adopts a similar approach to the one described here. The armoured brigade would have Ajax Recce, Chally, Ajax IFV (bye bye Warrior! The figures given for the number of soldiers carried, number of dismounts etc. it would have a very vulnerable breaching capabilty and 105mm arty that is out ranged and very vulnerable to counter battery fire. Mechanised Transport Platoon Indeed, it is my opinion that four dismounts is all Warrior can really operate with for the dismounts to have any degree of comfort. This has the unfortunate side effect of not creating many TA officers above the rank of major. In an infantry squad, the teams divide duties: one serves as a base-of-fire element, while the other serves as the maneuver element. Equally, it can be used for vehicles that have a larger carrying capacity than IFVs, e.g. 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. You wouldnt task the Mortar No4 to act as CPO and lay and prep fuses and fire and correct all on his own as a matter of routine, would you? 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. There are also support battalions in the Dutch Army, which specialise on a specific task: for example, supplies and transport or communications. Are you implying that there is a problem with their professionalism and, therefore, competency? Light Aid Detachment If not six wagons as I suggested previously, maybe four section vehicles plus a Pl HQ wagon? Infantry Headquarter Companys have the following elements: - They can range from a few dozen soldiers to up to 200. 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. Option C Platoon divides the platoon into three groups (or multiples) of 12 soldiers. The Civil War led to the establishment of the first American staff school in order to train officers in the art of order transmission and execution. @UKLP The GPMG Light Role and GPMG Sustained Fire are very different weapons with very different roles and capabilities. The next level up is the Infantry Battalion (IBCT) which consists of a Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3 Rifle Companies (this) and a Weapons Company. Are your Pl Comd and Pl Sgt vehicle commanders or are they additional? British Army Infantry Battalions are a hodgepodge of different unit sizes and structures. This would lead directly to an to small infantry force wich would not be able to create the said necessary critial mass and also such an infantry would simply not have the overall size which is necessary to fight in an infantry-terrain (like woods, urban etc). This page describes the organizational structure of a typical US Infantry Division. The tables contained in Part II of this book are the Marine Corps Tables of Organization approved by the Commandant 27 March, 1944 (with changes of 22 July, 1944). 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 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. The understanding we always had with the TA was that they would fight the big one, the clue was in the name really, well until 2014 at least. The Universal Infantry Battalion by Nicholas Drummond August 29, 2019 With a smaller army limited to just 82,000 soldiers, the organisational structure of its component units and the number of personnel within individual sub-units starts to become very important. "[3] The standard NATO symbol for a battalion consists of a pair of vertical lines placed above a framed unit icon. With that in mind Id suggest four sections of six, so that everyone off a given platform is on the same page, four sections could also divide neatly down the middle with its vehicles to give two patrols of twelve under a platoon sergeant and a platoon leader respectively. I can understand not having an SF Pl in armoured and mechanised battalions because the loss of firepower is offset by 30mm but in light-role battalions it is a battle-winner, especially in the defensive battle! 57mm No, I hesitated on the TA bit because it sounded derogatory, but note that I said enhance their professionalism, not that they were unprofessional. of the U.S. Army as it exists within the Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT). I would like to see the Hirtenberger 60mm mortars purchased under UOR deployed at least in the Rifle Company HQ, more for smoke and illumination rather than HE. It cant. So back to my original question , can firepower and manoeuvre replace infantry mass, at least for armoured infantry units for the missions they will be used for, while maximizing boots on the ground for protected mobility Battalions which would have a different primary mission set ?? Have a great day. Regiment). The problem the Army has is when it wants people to do two jobs at once in two different places at the same time . Part of a wider CRAM matrix? 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 ? 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. This would imo truly increase flexibility, fighting power and would it make even more easier to re-role the units. To put it in perspective Ive never hit a target with 51/60mm and never missed with CG. At least in tracked / wheeled armoured infantry ? My Army 2020 would see 1XX and 3XX each have an armoured brigade, mechanised brigade and motorised bridges. To the other side you would then have more bataillons for one type of mission and if you go to another mission again more troops and as the author stated correctly this would lead to an overall more potent, more flexible force and you can also re-role the identical units much more easily. I cant upload pics but their SOIs are on AKX if you have access to it and are interested. Sometimes it appeared confusing so I am going to try to straighten it out. They can conduct independent operations of limited scope and duration and are usually commanded by a lieutenant colonel. Ok thats a long post so short range air defences, and infantry use of drones later !! I have proposed just what you suggest in your comment. 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. So while I have experience of this, and the food ol Gimpy, I have never carted them around In the field. Also, knowing that, whatever the role or the mission, you have 36 soldiers at your disposal is reassuring, because it the efficacy and potency of the platoon becomes a known quantity. For example, during the confusion and high casualty rates of both the Normandy Landings and the Battle of the Bulge, in order to bolster the strength of a depleted infantry regiment, companies and even battalions were moved around as necessary. The heavy battalions on Boxer and Warrior would be different. What if you disbanded the reserve artillery regiments and added reserve batteries to your regular regiments? Infantry mass do we have to give up on this concept ? Ill add defence inflation here, everything costs a fortune and will cost more, all the time do more with less, how much will the reserves get? Battalion From the 1960s through the early 1980s, a typical maneuver (infantry or tank) battalion had five companies: headquarters and headquarters company (HHC) and A, B, and CCompanies, plus a combat support company (CSC), with a scout platoon, 107mm (4.2 inch) heavy mortar platoon, along with other elements that varied between organizations. It normally consists of a headquarters and three or more companies. In recent years the Royal Welsh, RAF, Royal Navy, Gurkhas and even the Royal Malay Regiment have done it. Anti-drones? These include leading the quartering partya forward echelon that prepares an assembly area for the company's arrivalcoordinating sustainment and CASEVAC, and aiding in coordination with different echelons of command. A brigade consists of a few battalions and anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers. It enables a return to pre-1950s rule of four: assault, suppress, reserve, exploit. How can Royal Navy Ship numbers be realistically increased? a crew of three (driver, gunner and commander) plus six dismounts. This coincided with the U.S. Army's reorganization and implementation of the Brigade Combat Teams (BCT). 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. NOTE: This summary of Army Tables of Organization and Equipment includes only combat and directly related major support units. Anti-Tank platoons do that but thats because in the anti-tank variant the left bench is replaced by racks for Javelin LTAs so there really is NO space for personal kit. In addition, each section now has an organic 7.62 mm L7A2 GPMG gunner plus a designated marksman with the 7.62 mm L129A1 Sharpshooter rifle. I really disagree with the LMG being retired. Often these will be stored in vehicles until needed. This would fit the MoD whole fleet management. Three rifle companies with 190 men each. As far as anti-tank weapons are concerned, these tend to be issued according to the threat faced. They will win, or loose. Certainly turret-mounted 30 mm or 40 mm cannons are preferred. In addition to the primary mission companies, a battalion typically includes a headquarters staff and combat service support which may be combined into a Headquarters and service company. of the two vehicles seem to vary somewhat according to which source you use. In the brochure it is seven. Officers Mess Staff 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. 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. Strike battalion Maybe if you feel they have to, actual Infantry roled Guards Battalions could have more establised posts for SNCOs and junior Officers, who could do rotations with these ceremonial Battalions. A battalion in the Indian Army consists of four rifle companies. Contrarily, in my experience the Gaaards are very proud of their role and it forms an important part of their ethos, setting them apart from the rest after all, they havent much else to boast about! Nominally, an extra GPMG and DMR are proposed, but a light mortar or multi-role 40 mm AGL could be carried instead. The nomenclature varies by nationality and by branch of arms, for instance, some armies organize their infantry into battalions, but call battalion-sized cavalry, reconnaissance, or . If the light battalions have the current strength of 560 then 28, with the specialised infantry unchanged at 267, gives a total of 16748. If you want to replace all kind of different types of specialised infantry with only one type of general purpose infantry, the latter will only be as good as the more specialised types today, if not only the structure and size of the bataillons is changed, but also the overall equipment and its underlying doctrine and you also must invest much more in the training of this infantry. It will have 6 ambulances, each crewed by 3 personnel, although this may be increased to 8 or 9 for high intensity operations, creating a total headcount requirement of 1 medical officer + 25 other ranks. So it is a very flexible number. The Netherlands have four battalions that are permanently reserved for the United Nations, for the purpose of peacekeeping duties. Each have different jobs and roles each of which is necessary to keep the wagon fighting and surviving. This would truly maximise the boots on the ground and moreover at the same time the tanks in the open and moreover the overall agility, speed, deployability and so on because of smaller units sizes for both the infantry and the Bronegruppa Tank Units (which are complete seperate independent units) which then can assist them if the need arises. %PDF-1.6 % The basic building block of military capability is the infantry section. With successive rounds of cutbacks after the war, many infantry regiments were reduced to a single battalion (others were amalgamated to form large regiments that maintained multiple battalions, e.g., the Royal Anglian Regiment). Ulrich gives an alternative of all battalions being light role and armoured vehicles being in independent extreme bronegruppa units.

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