Company platoon battalion division by number. How many people are in a company battalion of a division

Shelf, you need to understand standard structure military formations. Primary unit army structure- a department, the number of which can reach 10-16 fighters. Typically three make up a platoon. A motorized rifle company has three or four platoons, as well as a machine gun crew and a squad, problem solving for protection against enemy tanks.

The company is designed to solve most tactical tasks in combat conditions; its number reaches 150 people.

Several companies are organizationally part of the battalion. This structural unit is precisely followed by a regiment. It is an autonomous and key military formation designed to solve tactical problems, as well as take part in operations and strategic maneuvers. The regiment is usually headed by an officer of fairly high rank - a lieutenant colonel or colonel.

The composition of the regiment and its weapons are not homogeneous. Units belonging to a wide variety of species can be represented here. The name of the regiment usually includes the branch of troops that predominates in number. It should be taken into account that the structure and total strength of the regiment is largely determined by the characteristics of the tasks being solved. In military operations, the number of units can be increased.

Regiment as an independent combat unit

A motorized rifle regiment includes two or three motorized rifle battalions, a tank, artillery and anti-aircraft missile battalions, and a medical unit. Additionally, a regiment can have several auxiliary companies, for example, reconnaissance, sapper, repair, and so on. The composition of a regiment in armies is determined by the regulations and wartime needs. As a rule, the strength of a regiment is from 900 to 1500 people, and sometimes more.

What distinguishes the regiment from other units is that it is organizationally independent in combat, economic and administrative unit. Any regiment includes a department called headquarters.

Above a regiment in the military hierarchy is a division commanded by a general. Depending on the goals and objectives solved by this formation, the composition of the division, as well as its name, depends. For example, a division can be missile, tank, airborne, or aviation. The strength of a division is determined by the number of regiments and other auxiliary units included in it.

Reading literature, watching films or programs on military topics, an ordinary person constantly encounters the names of various military formations that are not entirely clear to him. Any military man will immediately understand what we are talking about, what kind of troops is represented by this military formation, what the number of soldiers is, what tasks they perform on the battlefield. For civilians, such information is not familiar due to their ignorance. The division also belongs to such unfamiliar to an ordinary person terms.

The meaning of the term "division"

A division is one of the main tactical military formations. She combines different genera troops, but one of them still prevails. The structures of, for example, a tank and motorized rifle division are completely consistent with each other. The only difference is that a tank regiment includes two or three tank regiments and one motorized rifle regiment. But in motorized rifle it’s exactly the opposite. It consists of two or three motorized rifle regiments and only one tank regiment. But in addition to these regiments, the division also accommodates companies and battalions of other types of troops. For example, an automobile battalion or a chemical defense company.

The modern army of the Russian Federation includes such divisions as missile, tank, airborne, aviation, artillery and motorized rifle divisions. A division for other types of troops is not the largest formation. Either a regiment or a brigade predominates there. Division commander - important person in her life. They can become a military man with the rank of major general.

Historical necessity

The 20th century was marked for humanity by many wonderful achievements in the field of science. But the terrible side of this century was two global wars that affected more than one country. In such war time people measured the military strength and potential of other states by the number of divisions. The defense of each country was built precisely on this military formation, and not only defense. A large number of divisions could increase the importance of any country among other states. Division is a variable concept. That is, in each country the number of people and weapons forming a division was different. Therefore, a comparison of the military potential of countries on this basis is modern stage is considered incorrect.

Divisions during the war

Divisions in the USSR before the start of the Great Patriotic War were one of the main military formations. The number of such tactical units in the entire Red Army throughout the war totaled 132 divisions. The number of personnel in each of them was about 15 thousand people. The armament and technical equipment of the divisions were only slightly inferior to similar indicators. Also, each of them was reinforced with 16 tanks and armored vehicles, which significantly increased combat power. Due to the times, the divisions also had horses in their composition, the number of which reached 1,100 individuals. Insufficient funding for the army led to a drop in the division's power level as a tactical military unit. But the war forced the country to activate all its forces, including financial ones. The divisions received the missing resources, including replenishment of personnel. This helped a lot in resolving the situation at the front in a positive way.

Regiment and division - what is the difference?

Both in Soviet times and in the modern Russian army, the regiment is a key military formation. If we consider the regiment from the economic side, it immediately becomes clear that it is completely autonomous in this regard. Most often, the regiment commander is a colonel. The predominant branch of the military gives the name to the regiment, although it includes more than one branch of the military. The largest and main formation is the division. The regiment is part of it, connecting with other regiments, companies and divisions. Unlike a division, the predominance of a certain type of troops is very pronounced. In its ranks, the regiment can contain 200-900 personnel.

Division and brigade

The brigade serves as an intermediate link between the regiment and the division. In many countries of the world it is also considered one of the main military formations. In its structure, a brigade is very similar to a regiment, but the number of units included in it is much larger. The brigade's personnel is 2-8 thousand people. The main thing in this tactical formation, as in the regiment, is the colonel. A division is a larger formation. It has its own headquarters to coordinate military operations, divisions and units. A brigade is considered a more flexible and simpler formation, unlike a division. This led to the Russian army being transferred to a brigade structure. Divisions survived only in a few branches of the military.

Division command

As mentioned earlier, a major general is at the helm of the division. This military rank is common in many countries of the world, including the Russian Federation. A major general is one of the senior officers. On the career ladder, he was located between a colonel and a lieutenant general.

The position of division commander appeared after the reform of the military forces in 1924. This was a typical command position. In 1935, after the decision of the Central Executive Committee, the personal rank of “division commander” was introduced, that is, division commander. In the Red Army, the division commander stood above the brigade commander (brigade commander) and below the corps commander (corps commander). This title existed until 1940, when it was abolished, once again becoming simply a position.

Guards Division - what is it?

The Guards Division was considered one of the most elite military formations. The most important and difficult tasks were entrusted to her. The Guard as an elite part of the army appeared during the era of slavery. The concept of “guard” in a close to modern meaning was first used in the 12th century in Italy. This was the name given to a detachment of soldiers protecting the state banner. This innovation was adopted by Peter I. He created the first regiments of the Guard in 1690.

During the Second World War, the divisions, which were called Guards, were considered the best. The title of “Guards” was awarded to them for special courage and heroism, as well as for the ability to skillfully conduct battle.

In September 1941, by order People's Commissar In the USSR, even rifle divisions were transformed into guards divisions. Subsequently, this day became the day of the Guard. For example, the 42nd Guards Rifle Division inherited its high rank from the First Guards Rifle Brigade. Each such division was presented with a banner that had special meaning for them. Besides, monetary reward for service in such a unit also increased. The salary of chiefs was increased by 1.5 times, and that of privates by 2 times.

In 1942, a new decree was issued, in which, among other things, a special “Guard” badge was established. It was worn on the right side of the chest.

Airborne troops

The Airborne Division is part of a special type of troops that have the ability to operate behind enemy lines. This one was created in order to counteract the enemy, destroying them and their control points. The Airborne Forces, operating in the rear, must help the sailors. Such divisions have the most modern equipment, and the types of weapons are varied. In order to drop the necessary loads in the most difficult conditions ( bad weather, open area, darkness of night or daylight, high altitude) The Airborne Forces use parachute landing equipment. The airborne division, along with the brigade, is the main unit of this type of troops.

In peacetime, the Airborne Forces do not stop performing their service. They perform a variety of tasks that help maintain the level of combat readiness of the troops, as well as the mobilization determination of the civilian population. This is very important, since when a military conflict occurs, it is the mood of people and high combat readiness that decide a lot. From the above, we can conclude that the airborne division is a kind of command reserve that is turned to if it is necessary to carry out an operation to capture the enemy either from the air or from the rear.

Thus, the division is the main formation of the tactical branch in all types of troops. Although the modern Russian army has abandoned the divisional system, other countries and organizations, such as NATO, actively use this system. The division's combat path is not easy. This has been proven in many wars, but it is an indispensable military formation.

The number of individual structural units of the army is not constant. The number of people serving in a particular battalion or division depends on the effectiveness of the conscription campaign and the type of troops. Let's figure out how many people each army unit can accommodate.

Personnel of the division and its units: average values

Thanks to a large number military-patriotic films, almost everyone knows that the largest structural unit in the Russian army is the division. However, there is a much larger unit - the body. It is headed by a lieutenant general, and this unit can consist of two to four divisions. The average number of people in the corps is from 30 to 50 thousand.

According to the regulations, a division can be headed by a person whose rank is no lower than major general. Under his command there are from 12 to 24 thousand people. Each division includes:

• from two to four brigades;
• from four regiments;
• from eight battalions.

How many people serve in these army units? You can only tell the exact figure if you find out about a specific division. The fact is that numbers are not constant. One year a division may consist of only eight battalions, while in others it may reach twelve.

Typically a brigade consists of three to five thousand people. It contains two or three regiments, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel. By the way, a colonel also has the right to command a brigade, but most often a major general is placed at the head of this unit.

One regiment can contain up to three battalions. This unit is often called a division, which causes confusion among civilians. How many people does the regiment contain? The answer to this question depends on the type of troops and the characteristics of the hierarchy within them.

What is a battalion

For several years now, the largest units of the army have been named according to the number of employees in them. In modern Russia, most often one unit includes a regiment, while in Soviet Russia this association was larger and consisted of a brigade.

It is quite easy to get confused in the military hierarchy, since depending on the type of troops or country, the names may have different meanings. Let’s say the word “squadron” is used in the navy to designate an association of several ships, while in aviation this is the name given to a unit. In the US Army, the concept of “squadron” is used to designate a battalion of cavalry, and in England it is used to describe a company in tank forces.

The concept of “battalion” comes from the literal decoding - a quarter of a battle (this was the name of a special type of infantry formation used to reduce damage during artillery shelling). How many people were there in that formation? The battle included a thousand people who lined up in a large square, inside divided into four smaller ones. In the Middle Ages, the battalion numbered exactly 250 people. With the advent of small arms, this type of army building ceased to be relevant, but the name took root throughout the world.

In Russia, a battalion is a structural unit that can:

• be part of a regiment;
• to be a temporary meeting of military personnel;
• be apart military unit as part of an association, corps, fleet or army.

If a regiment includes several battalions of the same type, they are given serial numbers. The name of this structural unit may contain the word “consolidated,” which means the collection of military personnel from different units and units. How many people will serve in this association depends on the tactical task assigned to it.

What types of battalions are there?

It is impossible to answer exactly how many people should serve in a particular army unit due to the different numbers of units and types of troops. Almost 85% of Russian military units are staffed with reduced strength, and the remaining ones are primarily replenished with conscripts and officers, since they are in constant combat readiness.

Interestingly, the number of military personnel in a battalion may vary depending on the equipment used in it. A motorized rifle unit armed with the BTR-80 usually includes 530 people, but if it uses the BMP-2, the personnel becomes smaller and amounts to only 498 military personnel.

Concerning airborne troops, then the quantity depends on the characteristics of the unit’s professional training:

• the parachute battalion includes from 360 to 400 people;
• air assault consists of 450-530;
• separate divisions Marine Corps and air assault have the highest numbers - from 650 to 700 troops.

Tank battalions are not large in number; if they are armed with T-72s, they will consist of 174 individuals. Some branches of the army are formed out of necessity and do not have a clear staffing table. These include:

• chemical forces;
• repair units;
• commandant's office;
• building structures;
• battalions involved in airfield maintenance.

At the same time, tank forces, in addition to military personnel, include 31 units of equipment, but if they are attached to motorized rifle troops, then the number of vehicles increases to forty vehicles.

Smallest units

In modern Russia, work is underway to transition the army structure to a ternary composition. This can be seen very clearly in the infantry. There, the battalion consists of three companies and several small structural units, for example, a communications platoon. Due to changes in the hierarchy, personnel changes and reductions in officer corps are taking place in the army. This is precisely what is associated with fluctuations in the number of battalions and other army units.

Companies appeared back in the time of Peter I. Then it became the main tactical unit of the infantry. The number of military personnel in a company has changed over time, as troops are constantly evolving. At the end of the Imperial period, some companies were called machine gun crews, they consisted of 99 people. At this time the number of soldiers was fixed.

How many companies and small units can be included in a battalion? It is permissible for this unit to include up to six companies, headed by a senior lieutenant or captain. One company can include up to eight platoons, which in turn are divided into sections and units.

Branch

IN Russian army a squad is the smallest military formation with a full-time commander. The squad is commanded by Lance Sergeant or sergeant. Usually there are 9-13 people in a motorized rifle squad. In departments of other branches of the military, the number of personnel in the department ranges from 3 to 15 people. In some branches of the military the branch is called differently.
In artillery - crew, in tank forces - crew. Typically a squad is part of a platoon.

Platoon

Several squads make up a platoon. Usually there are from 2 to 4 sections in a platoon, but it is possible large quantity. The platoon is headed by a commander with the rank of officer. In the Russian army this is junior lieutenant, lieutenant or senior lieutenant. On average, the number of platoon personnel ranges from 9 to 45 people. Usually in all branches of the military the name is the same - platoon. As a rule, a platoon is part of a company, but can exist independently.

Company

Several platoons make up a company. Typically a company consists of 2-4 platoons, sometimes more platoons. A company is the smallest formation of tactical importance*, i.e. a formation capable of independently performing small tactical tasks on the battlefield. The company commander is a captain. On average, the size of a company can be from 18 to 200 people. Motorized rifle companies usually have about 130-150 people, tank companies 30-35 people. Usually a company is part of a battalion, but it is not uncommon for companies to exist as independent formations. In artillery, this type of formation is called a battery.

Battalion

Consists of several companies (usually 2-4) and several platoons that are not part of any of the companies. The battalion is one of the main tactical formations*. A battalion, like a company, platoon, or squad, is named after its branch of service (tank, motorized rifle, engineer, communications). But the battalion already includes formations of other types of weapons. For example, in a motorized rifle battalion, in addition to motorized rifle companies, there is a mortar battery, a logistics platoon, and a communications platoon. Battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel. The battalion already has its own headquarters. Usually, on average, a battalion, depending on the type of troops, can number from 250 to 950 people. However, there are battalions of about 100 people. In artillery, this type of formation is called a division.

Regiment

In the Russian army this is the main tactical formation* and a completely autonomous formation in the economic sense. The regiment is commanded by a colonel. Although the regiments are named according to the types of troops (tank, motorized rifle, communications, pontoon-bridge, etc.), in fact this is a formation consisting of units of many types of troops, and the name is given according to the predominant type of troops. For example, in a motorized rifle regiment there are two or three motorized rifle battalions, one tank battalion, one artillery battalion, one anti-aircraft missile division, reconnaissance company, engineer company, communications company, anti-tank battery, chemical defense platoon, repair company, logistics company, orchestra, medical center. The number of personnel in the regiment ranges from 900 to 2000 people.

Brigade

Just like a regiment, it is the main tactical formation*. Actually, the brigade occupies an intermediate position between a regiment and a division. The structure of a brigade is most often the same as a regiment, but there are significantly more battalions and other units in a brigade. So in a motorized rifle brigade there are one and a half to two times more motorized rifle and tank battalions than in a regiment. A brigade can also consist of two regiments, plus battalions and auxiliary companies. On average, the brigade has from 2 to 8 thousand people. The brigade commander is a colonel.

Division

Main operational-tactical formation*. Just like a regiment, it is named after the predominant branch of troops in it. However, the predominance of one or another type of troops is much less than in the regiment. A motorized rifle division and a tank division are identical in structure, with the only difference being that in a motorized rifle division there are two or three motorized rifle regiments and one tank, and in a tank division, on the contrary, there are two or three tank regiments and one motorized rifle. In addition to these main regiments, the division has one or two artillery regiments, one anti-aircraft missile regiment, a rocket battalion, a missile battalion, a helicopter squadron, an engineer battalion, a communications battalion, an automobile battalion, a reconnaissance battalion, a battalion electronic warfare, logistics battalion. a repair and restoration battalion, a medical battalion, a chemical defense company, and several different support companies and platoons. In the modern Russian Army, there are or may be divisions of tank, motorized rifle, artillery, airborne, missile and aviation divisions. In other branches of the military, as a rule, the highest formation is a regiment or brigade. On average, there are 12-24 thousand people in a division. Division commander, Major General. Currently, after the reorganization of the Russian army, divisions are being reduced and so-called reinforced brigades of a new look are being formed on their basis.

Army

An army is a large military formation for operational purposes*. The army includes divisions, regiments, battalions of all types of troops. Armies are usually no longer divided by branch of service, although tank armies may exist where tank divisions predominate. An army may also include one or more corps. It is impossible to talk about the structure and size of the army, because as many armies exist or existed, so many of their structures existed. The soldier at the head of the army is no longer called “commander”, but “commander of the army.” Usually the regular rank of army commander is colonel general.

District

This is the highest military formation of the strategic type*. There are no larger formations. In wartime, a front is formed on the basis of the district. The district includes several armies, corps, divisions, regiments, battalions of all types of troops. The composition and size of the district may vary. Districts are never subdivided by types of troops (i.e. there cannot be a tank district, an artillery district, etc.). The district is headed by a district commander with the rank of army general.

Above in the text there are the concepts “tactical formation”, “operational-tactical formation”, “strategic..”, etc. These terms indicate the range of tasks solved by this formation in the light of military art. The art of war is divided into three levels:

1. Tactics (the art of combat). A squad, platoon, company, battalion, regiment solve tactical problems, i.e. are fighting.
2. Operational art (the art of fighting, battle). A division, corps, army solve operational problems, i.e. are fighting.
3. Strategy (the art of warfare in general). The front solves both operational and strategic tasks, i.e. leads major battles, as a result of which the strategic situation changes and the outcome of the war can be decided

Subdivision

This word means everything military formations included in the part. A squad, platoon, company, battalion - they are all united by one word "unit". The word comes from the concept of division, to divide. Those. part is divided into divisions.

Part

It is the basic unit of the armed forces. The term “unit” most often means regiment and brigade. The external features of the unit are: the presence of its own office work, military economy, bank account, postal and telegraph address, its own official seal, the commander’s right to give written orders, open (44 tank training division) and closed (military unit 08728) combined arms numbers. That is, the part has sufficient autonomy. The presence of a Battle Banner is not necessary for a unit. In addition to the regiment and brigade, the units also include division headquarters, corps headquarters, army headquarters, district headquarters, as well as other military organizations.
*terms military unit and military unit do not mean exactly the same thing. The term "military unit" is used as a general designation, without specifics. If we are talking about a specific regiment, brigade, etc., then the term “military unit” is used. Usually its number is also mentioned: “military unit 74292” (but you cannot use “military unit 74292”) or, for short, military unit 74292.

Generals have always found it difficult to control large military units. To facilitate management, it was decided to create subunits commanded by junior commanders. Below is a list of these subunits. Of course, each army has its own style of management, but subunits are often similar in various armies. After all, managing military units of the army is an extremely responsible matter, and the smaller the unit commanded by an officer, the easier it is for him to understand the situation. This reduces responsibility.

In this article we will also consider the organization and armament of units of foreign armies. This is a very serious topic that is of interest to many. Large units of foreign armies are divided into their own small units. The first such part is a link.

Flight or fire group

A flight is a small military infantry unit and is designed to optimize fire, movement, and tactical doctrine in combat. Depending on mission requirements, a typical fireteam consists of four or fewer members:

• machine gunner;
• machine gunner's assistant;
• shooter;
• designated team leader.

The role of each fire team leader is to ensure that everyone operates as a unit. Two or three fireteams are organized into a squad or section in coordinated operations led by a squad leader.

Military theorists consider effective fireteams to be critical to the modern professional military because they serve as the primary force. Psychological research conducted by the United States Army has shown that soldiers' survivability and readiness for combat is influenced more by the desire to both protect and support other fireteam members than by abstract concepts or ideologies. Historically, countries with effective fireteam organization have had significantly better performance from their infantry units in combat than those that have limited themselves to traditional operations with larger units.

The fire group is the primary link on which the organization of modern infantry is based in the British Army, Royal Air Force regiments, Royal Marines, and US Army. The fireteam concept is based on the need for tactical flexibility in infantry operations. The link is capable of operating autonomously as part of a larger unit. Successful work as part of fire groups depends on the quality training of military personnel of small units, experience collaboration fire team members, sufficient communications infrastructure and quality NCOs to provide tactical leadership to the team.

These requirements led to successful use fire team concepts by more professional military personnel. Military conscription makes it difficult for teams to develop because team members are less effective as they gain experience over time by working together and building personal connections. The tactics of action of army units within a flight are quite diverse.

In combat, when attacking or maneuvering, the fireteam typically extends out to a distance of 50 meters (160 ft), while in defensive positions the team may cover the range of their weapons or their visual limits, whichever is less. In open terrain, an effective team can travel up to 500 meters (1,600 ft), although detection range limits effectiveness beyond 100 meters (330 ft) or so without specialized equipment. A team is effective as long as its main weapon remains operational. Link as part of an army unit on this moment a very effective combat unit.

The next division consists of several units. This large unit of the army is called a detachment.

Squad

In military terminology, a detachment, or squadron, is a unit led by a non-commissioned officer who reports to an infantry platoon. In countries following the traditions of the British army (Australian Army, Canadian Army, etc.), this organization is called a section. In most armies, a squad consists of eight to fourteen soldiers and can be divided into fire teams.

During World War II, an infantry unit German Wehrmacht(or Gruppe) was built around a general purpose machine gun. The advantage of the general purpose machine gun concept was that it greatly increased the total volume of fire that could be given to a squad. MG-34 or MG-42 were actively used as such a machine gun.

The infantry group consisted of ten people: a non-commissioned officer, a second-in-command, a group of three (machine gunner, assistant gunner and ammunition carrier) and five riflemen. As a personal small arms, the detachment commander was issued a rifle or, from about 1941, a submachine gun, the machine gunner and his assistant were issued pistols, and the deputy detachment commander, ammunition carrier and riflemen were issued rifles.

The shooters carried additional ammunition, hand grenades, explosives or machine gun tripod, as needed. They provided security and covering fire for the machine gun group. Two of the standard issue 98k Carbine rifles could be replaced with semi-automatic Gewehr-43 rifles, and sometimes assault rifles The StG-44 could be used to rearm the entire squad, except for the machine gun.

In U.S. Army units, historically, a squad was a unit of a section consisting of two soldiers up to 12 men, and was originally used primarily for training and administrative purposes.

Platoon

Platoon is combat unit army, usually consisting of two or more troops/sections/patrolls. Platoon organization varies by country, but generally, according to official organization tables published in US military documents, a full US Infantry rifle platoon consists of 39 Soldiers or 43 Marines (US Army or US Marine Corps respectively) . There are other types of rifle platoons (e.g., anti-tank, lightly armored reconnaissance, mortar, reconnaissance, sniper), depending on the service and the type of infantry company/battalion to which the platoon is assigned, and these platoons can range from 18 men (Marine Corps USA - sniper platoon) up to 69 people (USMC - mortar platoon).

The platoon was originally a firing squad, not an organization. The system was invented by the Swedish Gustavus Adolphus in 1618. In the French army in the 1670s, a battalion was divided into 18 platoons, which were grouped into three "firings". Each platoon in the range either actually fired or reloaded. The system was also used by the British, Austrian, Russian and Dutch armies. The platoon leader is usually a junior officer: a junior or senior lieutenant, or a soldier of equivalent rank. The officer is usually assisted by a platoon sergeant. A platoon is usually the smallest military unit led by an officer.

Rifle platoons typically consist of a small platoon and three or four sections (commonwealth) or squadrons (USA). In some armies, a platoon is used in all branches of the army. In several armies, such as the French Army, a platoon is specifically a cavalry unit, and infantry uses a "section" as its equivalent unit. A unit consisting of several platoons is called a company/battery/detachment.

From October 1913, under General Sir Ivor Maxx's scheme, the British Army's regular battalions were reorganized from the previous eight companies into four company structures, with each company having four platoons as separate units, each commanded by a lieutenant with a platoon sergeant as his deputy. Each platoon was divided into four units under the command of a corporal. Due to a shortage of officers in 1938-1940. For experienced non-commissioned officers who commanded platoons, the non-commissioned officer rank of platoon sergeant major was introduced. IN modern units Russian Army platoon is one of the main army units.

Company

A company is a military unit, usually consisting of 80-150 soldiers, commanded by a major or captain. Most companies are formed from three to six platoons, although the exact number may vary by country, unit type and structure.

Usually several companies are grouped into a battalion or regiment, the latter of which is sometimes formed by several battalions. Sometimes independent or separate companies are organized for special purposes, such as the 1st Air Force Signal Company or the 3rd Reconnaissance Company. These companies are not organic to the battalion or regiment, but rather report directly to a higher level organization, such as Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters (i.e., corps-level command).

Companies in units of the Russian army:

1. Motorized rifle company. The Soviet motorized rifle company can be mounted with any armored personnel carrier, armored personnel carrier or infantry fighting vehicle, which were more numerous in the late 1980s. The rifle company's armored personnel carrier consisted of a company headquarters, three motorized rifle platoons, and a machine gun/anti-tank platoon. A rifle company with an infantry fighting vehicle had the same number of personnel and carriers, and consisted of a company headquarters, three motorized rifle platoons and a machine gun platoon equipped with six RPK-74s. Despite the apparent smaller firepower, American commanders were advised to include more heavy weapons BMP.
2. Tank company. Until the end of the 1980s, a Soviet tank company consisted of a company headquarters and three tank platoons with T-64, T-72 or T-80 tanks for a total of 39 men and 13 tanks; companies using the old T-54, T-55 or T-62 tanks had 10 or 13 additional troops. However, the forces in Eastern Europe began to standardize tank companies into 10 tanks, with three tanks in each platoon instead of four.
3. Scientific company. Scientific companies were created in 2013 to allow conscripts with higher education serve by performing research tasks. There are 7 research companies:

• 2nd and 3rd Exploration Companies (Aerospace Forces);
• 5th Research Company (Army);
• 6th Exploration Company ( General base);
• 7th Research Company (Communications);
• 8th Research Company (Medical);
• 9th Research Company (RKhBZ).

Battalion

A battalion is a military unit. The use of the term "battalion" depends on nationality and type of service. Typically a battalion consists of 300-800 soldiers and is divided into several companies. The battalion is usually commanded by a lieutenant colonel. In some countries the word "battalion" is associated with infantry.

The term was first used in Italian as battaglione (no later than the 16th century). It comes from the Italian word battaglia. The first use of battalion in English was in the 1580s, and the first use to mean "part of a regiment" was from 1708.

Independent Operations

The battalion is the smallest military organization capable of "limited independent operations" since the battalion is the organizational unit of the low level, containing organic coordinating or executive personnel and a support and maintenance group (e.g., headquarters and company headquarters). The battalion must have a source of reinforcement so that it can continue operations for a long time. This is because the battalion's main load of ammunition, expendable weapons (such as hand grenades and expendable rocket launchers), water, rations, fuel, lubricants, spare parts, batteries and medical supplies usually consists of only what can be carried battalion soldiers and organic vehicles battalion

In addition to sufficient personnel and equipment (usually at least two main mission companies and one mission support company) to carry out significant operations, as well as limited autonomous administrative and logistical capacity, the commander is provided with a staff member whose function is to coordinate ongoing operations and plan future operations. The subordinate units of the battalion (companies and their organic platoons) depend on the battalion headquarters for command, control, communications and intelligence, as well as on organizational structure service and support to the battalion to accomplish its mission. A battalion is usually part of a regiment, brigade, or group, depending on the organizational model used by that service.

Motorized rifle battalion in Russian army units

A motorized rifle battalion could be mounted on either APCs or BMP infantry fighting vehicles, with the former being more numerous in the late 1980s. The battalion headquarters includes 12 personnel and three motorized rifle companies (110 people each). The APC battalion also had an anti-tank platoon with four AT-3 or AT-4 launchers and two 73 mm SPG-9 recoilless cannons. Armored personnel carrier units on high alert sometimes had six rocket launchers and three recoilless rifles.

Tank battalion

Until the late 1980s, Soviet tank battalions consisted of three tank companies of 13 T-64, T-72 or T-80 tanks each, along with a battalion headquarters, for a total of 165 personnel and 40 tanks. Battalions, using the old T-54, T-55 or T-62, had 31 or 40 additional enlisted soldiers. However, forces in Eastern Europe began to standardize towards less education.

Artillery division

Soviet artillery battalion in the late 1980s it consisted of battalion headquarters, platoon headquarters, platoon Maintenance and supplies and three fire batteries, each of six artillery units, either self-propelled 2S1 "Gvozdika" or towed D-30 howitzers, and numbered 260 people or 240 people respectively. The artillery rocket battalions consisted of a headquarters platoon, a service battery and three fire batteries equipped with BM-21 (Grads), with a total strength of 255 people.

Brigade

A brigade is the primary tactical military formation, which typically consists of three to six battalions plus supporting elements. This is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced shelf. Two or more brigades may form a division.

Brigades formed into divisions are usually infantry or armored (sometimes called combined arms brigades). In addition to combat units, they may include combat support units or units, such as artillery and engineers, and logistics support units or units. Historically, such brigades were sometimes called brigade groups. In terms of operations, the team may include: organic elements, and attached elements, including some temporarily attached to perform a specific task.

Brigades can also be specialized and consist of battalions of one unit, such as cavalry, mechanized, armored, artillery, anti-aircraft, aviation, engineering, signal or logistics. Some brigades are classified as independent or detached and operate independently of the traditional division structure. A typical standard NATO brigade consists of approximately 3,200-5,500 troops. However, in Switzerland and Austria their number may reach 11,000 troops. The Soviet Union, its predecessors and successors, generally use "regiment" instead of brigade, and this was common in much of Europe before World War II.

The brigade commander is usually a major general, brigadier general, brigadier or colonel. In some armies the commander is rated as a general officer. The brigade commander has an autonomous headquarters and personnel. A chief staff officer, usually a lieutenant colonel or colonel, may be appointed chief of staff, although until the late 20th century the British and similar armies referred to the position as "brigade major". Some brigades may also have a deputy commander. The headquarters has a core of staff officers and support staff (secretaries, assistants and drivers), which can vary depending on the type of brigade. Headquarters will typically have its own communications team.

Division

A division is a large military unit, or formation, usually consisting of 10,000-20,000 soldiers. Infantry divisions during the world wars had a nominal strength of between 8,000 and 30,000 men.

In most armies, a division consists of several regiments or brigades. In turn, several units, as a rule, make up a corps. Historically, the division has been the default combined arms unit, capable of independent operations. Smaller combination weapons units, such as the American Regimental Combat Team (RCT) during World War II, were used when conditions favored them. IN Lately modern Western militaries have begun to use the smaller brigade combat team (similar to the RCT) as the default combined arms unit. However, the division to which they belonged was less important.

Although the focus of the article is army units, in naval use the division has a completely different meaning. Refers to either an administrative/functional division of a department (e.g., fire department, weapons department) aboard naval and coast guard ships, shore commands, and naval aviation units (including navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force), in a subgroup of several ships in a flotilla or squadron, or two or three aircraft sections, operating under a designated unit leader.

Within an administrative/functional branch, unit size varies widely, although generally the size of a unit in the Army is less than 100 men and is roughly equivalent in function and organizational hierarchy/command relationship to a platoon.

Frame

An operational formation, sometimes known as a field corps, that consists of two or more divisions. Another variety is the administrative corps - a specialized branch of a military service (such as an artillery corps, a medical corps, or a military police unit) or in some cases a separate service within a national military (such as the United States Marine Corps). These customs often overlap. For example, during Korean War United States Tenth Corps: The field corps included infantry units of the United States Marine Corps and smaller units from various administrative corps of the United States Army.

Corps can also be a general term for a non-military organization such as the US Peace Corps.

Field Army

A field army (numbered army or simply army) is a military formation in many armed forces, consisting of two or more corps and may be subordinate to an army group. Likewise, air armies are equivalent to formations in some air force. The field army consists of 100-150 thousand military personnel.

Specific field armies are usually named or numbered to distinguish them from an "army" in the sense of the entire national land military force. In English, it is common to use numbers such as "First Army" to name field armies. While corps are usually distinguished by Roman numerals (for example, I Corps) and subordinate formations - by serial numbers (for example, 1st Division). A field army may be given a geographical name in addition to or as an alternative to a numerical name, such as the British Army of the Rhine, Army of the Niemen or Army of the Aegean (also known as the Fourth Army).

The Roman army is one of the first official field armies, in the sense of a very large combined arms formation, namely the sacer comitatus, which can be translated literally as "sacred escort". The term comes from the fact that they were commanded by Roman emperors (considered sacred) when they acted as warlords.

In some militaries, the army is or was equivalent to a corps-level unit. In Red Army units, the field army was subordinate to the front in wartime (the equivalent of an army group). It contained at least three to five divisions along with artillery, air defense, intelligence and other auxiliary units. It may be classified as a combined army or tank army. Although both were combined arms formations, the former contained larger number motorized rifle divisions, and the second - a larger number of tank divisions. In peacetime Soviet army usually subordinated to the military district.

Modern field armies are large formations that differ significantly in size, composition and area of ​​responsibility. For example, in NATO, a field army consists of a headquarters and usually controls at least two corps, under which are located a varying number of divisions. The level of the field army is affected by the movement of divisions and reinforcements from one corps to another to increase pressure on the enemy at a critical point. NATO troops are controlled by a general or lieutenant general.

Army group, army group

An army group is a military organization consisting of several field armies that is self-sufficient indefinitely. She is usually responsible for a specific geographic area. An army group is the largest field organization, commanded by a single commander—usually a general or field marshal—and includes between 400,000 and 1,000,000 soldiers.

In the Polish Armed Forces and the former Soviet Red Army, an army group was known as a front.

Army groups can be multinational formations. For example, during World War II, the Southern Army Group (also known as the 6th US Army Group) included the US Seventh Army and the French First Army; The 21st Army Group included the British Second Army, the First Canadian Army and the US Ninth Army.

In both the Commonwealth and the United States, the number of army groups is expressed Arabic numerals(for example, 12th Army Group), while the number of the field army is spelled out (for example, "Third Army").

Theater of war, front

A theater of operations is a sub-area in a theater of war. The theater boundary is determined by the commander who organizes or provides support for specific combat operations within the TO.

The theater of operations is divided into strategic directions or military regions depending on whether we are talking about war or peacetime. The United States Armed Forces are divided into Unified Fighting Commands (regions), which are assigned to a specific theater of war. A strategic direction is an army group, also known as a target (field) force or battle groups. A strategic command or direction would essentially unite a number of tactical military formations or operational command. In modern militaries, strategic command is more commonly known as combatant command, which may be a combination of groups.

In Russian Army units

The large geographic division used by the Soviet and Russian Armed Forces to classify continental geographic areas is classified as "theater". The separation of major continental and maritime areas helps in determining the limits within which plans for action by strategic military force groups are developed. This allowed military operations to be carried out on specific important strategic directions, known as fronts, which were named according to their "theater" of operations, such as the Southwestern Front ( Russian empire), 1st Ukrainian Front and Northern Front (Soviet Union). In peacetime, due to the loss of strategic direction, the fronts were transformed into military districts (districts) responsible for the designated area of ​​​​operations.

Conclusion

This article discussed military structure units, as well as the number of units in the army. The history of such optimization of troop control goes back to antiquity. Even in the military units of the Roman army, the legion was divided into small units. These units were centuries and cohorts. Military units in the army of the Roman Empire were very successful. Therefore, the commanders adopted this tactic.