C FT with SC and three riflemen, D FT with 2IC, UGL, SS, LMG (ASM/NLAWs if appropriate). Intermediate ( think 300 blk or 7.62 AK) type calibres optimised for under 300m for carbines and/ or section belt feds. At the armoured end, I believe Boxer is designed to also carry all the kit required for an 8 man section, which does not mean extra seats / space for more stores is not a bad thing with 6 dismounts which takes us right back round to mass of dismounts. In armoured or mechanised formations the vehicle crew would be drawn mostly from Fire Support Section. I really disagree with the LMG being retired. A United States Marine Corps battalion includes the battalion headquarters, consisting of the commanding officer (usually a lieutenant colonel, sometimes a colonel), an executive officer (the second-in-command, usually a major), the sergeant major, and the executive staff (S-1 through S-4 and S-6). As we begin to look towards autonomous vehicles, REME support across all battalion types will become more important. I am not going into the argument about a Battalions manning however the REME manning is open to question. Tank battalions and mechanized infantry battalions no longer exist. MP - And as i wrote here in this blog in an earlier article especially the UK forces should be as multi-purpose and as flexible and mobile as possible, especially on the stratetigic and operational level. 3-battalion and can be augmented by 1 for every battalion in excess of 3. The battalion headquarters is supported by a headquarters and service company (battery). A battalion in the Indian Army consists of four rifle companies. PHILANTHROPY. These are: At one end of the spectrum, Armoured infantry battalions are well-resourced with 732 soldiers, while Specialised Infantry battalions have just 267, but this is for training and mentoring, not a primary combat role. Either way, this creates a requirement for 1 officer + 23 other ranks. General Frederick Weyand, from. These included heavy anti-tank TOW missile platoons, ground surveillance radar sections and man-portable air-defense system sections. United States Marine Corps infantry battalions are task organized into Battalion Landing Teams (BLTs) as the ground combat element (GCE) of a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). Infantry Organization. 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). In this older structure, U.S. Army mechanized infantry battalions and tank battalions, for tactical purposes, task-organized companies to each other, forming a battalion-sized task force (TF). It is also suitable for Light Role battalions operating on foot. Dubbed Infantry Battalion Experiment Campaign Plan, or IBX30, the three-battalion effort is part of the Corps' push to reorganize for conflicts with near-peer adversaries by 2030, which the. No, I am asking us to attack the sacred cows of ceremonial roles to put troops in combat formations ! After all, the Army Reserve is not the job which pays the bills. Other corps usually use the term "regiment" instead. An official website of the United States Government, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. @UKLP I fully agree that the infantry platoon needs a manpower uplift. With all these components, a battalion is the smallest military unit capable of "limited independent operations".[1]. There is also the fact that its not just about seating the troops but stowing all their personal kit and still having room for all the extra section kit and all the spare ammunition and stores and all the vehicle stores. However, what about this suggestion with platoon manning lifted to 36 as follows: Pl HQ: Pl Comd, Pl Signaller, Pl Sgt, Pl Medic. Usually commanded by a major general, divisions are made up of three or four brigades and include 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. Mortar platoons with 8 or 9 x 81 mm tubes has been proven on many occasions to be sufficient. Again, organisational structure is important. The basic individual weapon in the light infantry battalion was the M14 rifle, while the airmobile unit was authorized M16 rifles. Short answer: Ajax IFV has six seats (link at bottom). The division had also an antitank and . Why did / do we need mass, as in large numbers of infantry boots on the ground ? A battle group consists of an infantry battalion or armoured regiment with sub-units detached from other military units acting under the command of the battalion commander. Both featured the same support units as well, with a signal platoon, supply platoon, repair workshop and medical aid station. 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 ? Are/were you Guards, Captain Nemo? . Heavy armour battalion However, two of the infantry regiments were reduced to two battalions each and their supporting artillery battalions had only two firing batteries. Each of the infantry regiments had, besides its twelve rifle and heavy weapons companies, a 13th (infantry howitzer) and 14th (antitank) company. Each can conduct major tactical operations and sustained battlefield operations. 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. Remember this guy? 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]. One company With eachJavelin vehicle requiring a driver and commander, this creates a headcount requirement of 1 officer + 31 other ranks. that serves 2 M224 60mm light mortars for indirect fire support. This allows each platoon to have a total of four GPMGs and 4 DMRs. There are four companies to a battalion and four battalions to a regiment. Opportunity for Reservists too? Yn
a|FKtpW"[I'nJpbR].VB`8~q}RBTw'#g( Someone pointed out that US stryker brigades had been gamed against Russian motorized and were looking at I think 50% casualty rates in under a week. This creates a requirement for 1 officer + 44 other ranks. So that the tanks can seperate from the infantry completly and then act as an force for their own. 2) Would it work for the role of the specialised infantry battalions? 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. A battalion may also contain a combat support company. Unfortunately, the third rifle platoon is not present in peacetime, but is furnished by the Army Reserve should a battalion deploy on operations. Not being Guards and having never done public duties, how would this sound: This would give the heavy infantry battalions more fire power when dealing with more formidable foes. I understand the need to count drivers and gunners in overall numbers, but in an armoured infantry platoon the actual number you put in the field is 28 because your vehicles might want to go away again, whereas (if I understand you correctly) paras would land and fight with 36, so platoon combat effectiveness is going to vary by up to 25% by unit. Does it have to be infantry? This is in the interest of reducing the standing commitment to one Guards battalion instead of two. Pins of regiments and artillery battalions that served in A platoon consists of a few squads and up to a few dozen soldiers. My conclusion out of this is therefore that the UK infantry should be an general-purpose trained force and also that the headcore and structure of all bataillons should be the same, but that the protected mobility should not be an organic part of the infantry, but organised in an complete different and independent form, in own and indipendent units. @Captain Nemo Recon The battalion is usually part of a regiment, group, or brigade depending on the branch of service. endstream
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It was formerly used in the Royal Engineers (before they switched to regiments), and was also used in the now defunct Royal Army Ordnance Corps and Royal Pioneer Corps. 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. Thisproposal is in-line with what rifle companies already have. 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. A British battalion in theatre during World War II had around 845 men; as of 2012, a British battalion had around 650 soldiers. With a universal size, it is easy to see gaps and to fill them. I think were missing a trick with not using the reserve transition from regular service. Im not sure that he can wave farewell to Warrior so easily. 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. A nominal structure of 1 + 35 soldiers is proposed. This would imo truly increase flexibility, fighting power and would it make even more easier to re-role the units. One of the most readable and enjoyable articles on defence I have read recently. 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#| 37mm An important issue that has to be maintained are weapons then there are radios. 1945-1950. That said, mounting guard for a month would I think be novel and exciting and interesting, not least because of the opportunity for the junior ranks to live it up in London. Are you implying that there is a problem with their professionalism and, therefore, competency? If it isnt possible to reintroduce 51 mm, then a lightweight 60 mm mortar could be an option. In between are the intermediate elements of Army organization, including the squad, platoon, company, battalion, brigade and division. If so, the Army Reserve has undergone an immeasurable transformation over the past ten years. A field army consists of two or more corps and is run by a general or lieutenant general. A Carl Gustav 84mm in the Coy. The way my unit does it is to strip kit down to belt kit and daysack for fighting and then have gonk bag in a canoe bag and a single rocket pouch containing admin kit. To solve this problem, and to give flexibility through spare seats (needed for terps, picking up dismounts whose wagons are elsewhere and any atts and dets), to build on your idea would it be an idea to give the Pl Sgt and Pl Comd their own wagon each? of the two vehicles seem to vary somewhat according to which source you use. NOTE: This summary of Army Tables of Organization and Equipment includes only combat and directly related major support units. In the U.S. Marine Corps, an infantry or "rifle" battalion typically consists of a headquarters and service company, three rifle, or "line", companies (designated alphabetically A through M depending upon which battalion of the parent regiment to which they are attached) and a weapons company. 100th Infantry Battalion. I like your set up for the battalion except for the support company which I think itshould be split into 2. With eachJavelin vehicle requiring a driver and commander, t. As noted above, there is no reason why other weapon types and combinations could not also be used. 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. As far as anti-tank weapons are concerned, these tend to be issued according to the threat faced. The battalion must have a source of re-supply to enable it to sustain operations for more than a few days. However, your suggestion of four rifle sections will require even greater manpower to maximise effect. Therefore, this exercise will commence by considering how platoons and rifle sections should be organised and how this determines overall rifle company size and structure. I do think the reserves however have a huge role to play in defending airfields, HQs, dockyards, ammo dumps etc etc. DUI Additionally, a Combat Medic (Specialist), Forward Observer (Sergeant), and Fire Support RTO (Specialist) are also typically attached, but are not integral to the unit. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/mhvThis video gives an overview on the structure and organization of an US Army Infantry Battalion in 1944. There is a case for a light mortar to be carried by each Platoon HQ. The Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment is the parent administrative regiment and corps of regular and reserve infantry battalions in the New Zealand Army.It was originally formed in 1947 with a singular Regular regiment and multiple reserve regiments. Army Infantry Division Infantry Battalion (AEF) of the Infantry Regiment Rifle Company (1917 1921) Army Air Service Monoplace Pursuit Group of the Monoplace Pursuit Wing Monoplace Pursuit Squadron (1918) Marine Regiment Infantry Battalion (AEF) Rifle Company (Sep. 1918) Army Regular Division Regular Brigade Regular Infantry Regiment (1861 1867) HQ for direct fire support would also be nice (dont forget those 10 man BAOR sections in their FV432 had a lot more of them). 1. Traditionally, most British regiments have had more than one battalion. We recommend you cite primary sources. This has the unfortunate side effect of not creating many TA officers above the rank of major. The battalion is "the smallest infantry organization that can arrange for a concentration of support weapons of different kinds" (War Office training manual, 15 January 1944), and is usually grouped with other units such as armoured regiments or other infantry battalions into higher formations: brigades, divisions, corps, armies and army groups. While Light Role battalions will primarily operate on foot, they will still need all-terrain vehicles that support them in the field. worn on US uniforms. 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. I am also a big advocate of platoons having their own medic and signaller. Do we need to simplify the rank structures of UK Armed Forces? General Creighton Abrams, from 1968 to 1972. The elements in the organizational chart for the U.S. Army span from the individual soldier all the way to the largest building block commonly used, the Corps. It is estimated that a typical Armoured infantry or Mechanised Battalion will operate around 90 IFVs or MIVs and have an additional 60 support vehicles including MRVPs for command and liaison, MAN 44 trucks plus MAN 44 fuel trucks for resupply, and MAN Recovery vehicles. (b) In principal belongs to the auxiliary service. corporal. Unless you seek to change the structure of Reserve TACOS call-up liability then keeping reserve battalions paired to regular battalions is a good way of being able to generate an extra company of volunteers. I was wondering how you would fill that gap as a matter of urgency. [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. 1 Combat Support battalion. With common ORBATs, marine battalions can quickly be prepared for the allocated mission. Your email address will not be published. Therefore, there may be a case to standardise all infantry battalions around a common structure with an identical headcount for each. .?UF&-b4W[u&SgJ`/24$4jfbH@\t,#QG^*)W&HTSE|:=:pl9xp}u KNv They are normally identified by ordinal numbers (1st Battalion, 2nd Squadron, etc.) 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 ?? Quartermasters Department Carl Gustav could perform many of the roles that 51mm/60mm mortars were employed for and also do a better job of it than 40mm MV weapons. 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. Also in such an modular overall force you can also much more easily deploy and re-role then only tank units or only infantry units and this would the increase the strategical mobility and the overall flexibility of the UK forces imo very much. This amounts to 1 officer and 38 permanent enlisted personnel, as well as 3 usually attached enlisted personnel. The Table of Organization (T/O) of the Marine Corps lays out the organizational structure and the equipment required to function. Radio operators, medics and anti-tank weapon operators would carry assault rifles with shorter barrels for reduced weight and increased convenience. With IFVs, MIVs and MRVPs, the British Army will have a range of vehicles that can each carry a full section or 9 soldiers. Doing this has massively increased the company in vehicles (+6) and personnel (platoon now being 9+9+9+9+4+4=44 without a Signaller or medic). The Assault Pioneer Platoon is usually comprised of 19 other ranks. In the U.S. Marine Corps, the brigade designation is used only in "Marine Expeditionary Brigade" (MEB). Some would argue that the 40 mm low velocity grenade is a substitute for 51 mm mortars, but maximum range is 300-400 metres not 700-800 metres. On a related subject, getting more Infantry into standard modular structured Battalions; how would you feel about an idea I think that was first floated over on Think Defence many years ago moving the ceremonial role over to a specific, non-regular setup ? Tri-Service? Co - Medics require a lot of expensive training and continuous clinical exposure to remain competent, in date, and able to operate in the complex world of modern combat medicine. Genuine question because I do not think that Guardsmen do dislike public duties to the extent you suggest. 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). My Army 2020 would see 1XX and 3XX each have an armoured brigade, mechanised brigade and motorised bridges. One concern about the existing structure is that the third rifle platoon in each infantry company is furnished by the Army Reserve. Ultimately, this discussion is about maximising Boots on the ground. It can best be achieved by ensuring that British infantry units are structured around ground combat roles that ensure responsiveness and efficiency, rather than being organised according to financial constraints. This set up allows the squad to fire and maneuver at the same time, with one team able to act as a "support" element and the other as an "assault" element. 6 Battalions of Foot Guards (armoured infantry), 6 battalions of The Light Infantry 6 Battalions of The Fusilliers (Mech infantry in Boxer) and 18 Battalions of The Rifles ? To differentiate them from field armies, groups are usually written with Arabic numerals (example - 12th Army Group) as opposed to having their number written out. , First Lieutenant (OF-1), armed with 1 M4A1 Carbine, , Staff Sergeant (OR-6), armed with 1 M4A1 Carbine, , Specialist (OR-4), armed with 1 M4A1 Carbine, , Specialist (OR-4), armed with 1M4A1 Carbine, Fire support personnelattached from Field Artillery Battalion, 3 RiflePlatoons(1Officer, 39 Enlisted, 3 Attached each), 1 Platoon Headquarters (1Officer and 3Enlisted + 3 Attached), , Specialist (OR-4), armed with 1 M9/M17 Pistol, , Sergeant (OR-5), armed with 1M4A1 Carbine, Forward observer and fire support RTO attached from Field Artillery Battalion. This new structure eliminated the need to task-organize companies between battalions; each combined arms battalion was organically composed of the requisite companies. Company Headquarters However, forces in Eastern Europe began to standardize to a smaller formation with 135 personnel and 31 tanks total, with each tank company consisting of 10 tanks total. In this context, a BTG can be defined as a task-organised, combined arms, tactical formation created by a brigade or regiment commander to complete a specific, discrete mission. Under the observation of the Marine Corps. Regimental Administration Office It can also go by different names, depending on the function: Company-sized artillery units are called batteries, while in armor and air cavalry units, they are called troops. Starting in 20052006, the U.S. Army's mechanized and tank battalions were reorganized into combined arms battalions (CABs). 3743 0 obj
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Various members of the platoon will also carry a 9 mm Glock 17 pistol. With the Army embracing other new technologies, such as drones and loading carrying autonomous vehicles, having sufficient technical personnel to operate and maintain them suggests that having sufficient REME personnel is essential. The discussion has been first -rate too. Three platoons of 36 soldiers would need to be supported by a Company HQ comprised of the Company Commander, Company 2IC, CSM, CQMS, two storemen, two clerks, two radio operators, four drivers, and two runners. Price. The Quartermasters Platoon will be comprised of support staff whose job it is to manage and distribute material and other resources to each of the rifle companies. You might be interested to know that my battalion reflects this by rarely having more than five dismounts as a matter of routine! It allows Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs) to be generated quickly. Mechanised units usually have an attached light aid detachment (LAD) of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) to perform field repairs on vehicles and equipment. A brigade consists of a few battalions and anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers. The commander can also accept augmentation of units. A step in the right direction? While the US army will no doubt eventually start fielding thier new 6.8mm super calibre I think 2 rifle calibres in sections will remain wise. While this underwent amendments, most particularly in terms of antitank weapons, its overall structure influenced all subsequent Tables of Organization issued for the Battalion. 2019-2023 Battle Order. This formation of three infantry battalions, an engineer battalion, an artillery battalion, a cavalry squadron, and a support battalion needs to be restructured to maximize an infantry . 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. A company consists of three or four platoons and is generally commanded by a captain. Moreover, having an SF Pl means that you have more PIDs to play with too, which could be redistributed to REME or Anti-Tanks, both of which should be enlarged in Armd/Mech BGs (as well as the extra personnel in Coy HQs: Warrior Sergeant Major, CQMS(T) etc). However number of boots might make the difference for protected mobility (motorized) inf. of US Divisions, Corps and independant units that served in Italy. Gary Uchida was an original member of the 100th Infantry Battalion. They are structured roughly analogous to an Army or Marine Corps battalion with staff and commanding officers of similar grade and experience. Could we not then consider having whole crews staying with the vehicle rather than depleting them when the section has to dismount? An infantry battalion is numbered ordinarily within its regiment (e.g., 1st Battalion, The Rifles, usually referred to as 1Rifles). (c) distributed as required when regiment is broken-up in detachments. Should we be looking to bring UAVs to company or even platoon-level? In the United States Army, a battalion is a unit composed of a headquarters and two to six batteries, companies, or troops. The Army is composed of an active duty component and a reserve component that comprises the Army Reserve and Army National Guard. Infantry Headquarter Companys have the following elements: The Netherlands have four battalions that are permanently reserved for the United Nations, for the purpose of peacekeeping duties. An infantry battalion, logistical battalion, combat battalion, and the Netherlands Marine Corps all have a battalion structure. Moving from the micro to the macro, the organization of the army overall is a little wacky, given the number of infantry battalions youd expect to see simple structures equivalent to ten brigade combat teams, but you dont; Id say this is a worry not just operationally but because it lends itself to questions and to cuts, the fighting and the support units should explain and justify each others existence. In an infantry squad, the teams divide duties: one serves as a base-of-fire element, while the other serves as the maneuver element. The Company Headquarters is also allocated one senior company Combat Medic who provides second-line, company-level tactical casualty care. I advocate that dressing up and waving the Colours to the sound of the drums enhances and instils pride and camaraderie tremendously. Public duties are despised and dont help Guards recruitment really? 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. In Platoon HQs that have 9 soldiers, the same structure would be adopted, providing an additional machine gun and designated marksman rifle. (d) 3 from auxiliary service. German Organization for Combat, 1944. The size of a regiment could range from 1,000 to 5,000 troops. ~T,=y-2ZxKx FrV{^=bB&T* u \'
UUplpD_&e\ Three rifle companies with 190 men each. on Bushmaster as their ride. I have manunauch silly ideas I can assure you. Commando Battalion (joint para/RM group) The other support company would have the assault pioneers and the 2-3 anti tank platoons. - light cannon, assigned to AT unit. Platoon-size unit per Division That will make a massive difference. 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. of the U.S. Army as it exists within the Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT). Thanks for the idea. Mollo, Tranquillo and Joseph Georg Mansfield The Austrian Army in 1798: the Uniform Plates of Tranquillo Mollo and Joseph George Mansfield Contemporary prints of the Austrian Army in 1798. Where does firepower fit into the manning equation ? Cramming ten blokes kit in is a nightmare. A sacred cow! I thought of this after reading your article on assault guns. Does it belong to WW1 and before ? (Please click on the image for a larger version) The company overall is led by a Captain infantry officer who travels with a Forward Signal Support NCO and two Radiotelephone Operators (RTOs) who operate and maintain the communications equipment in the company commander post. The Combat Medic and Platoon Sergeant are generally paired as the Platoon Sergeant is responsible for coordinating CASEVAC. Marine infantry regiments use battalion and company designations as described above under World War II, with company letters D, H, and M not normally used but rather held in reserve for use in augmenting a fourth rifle company into each battalion as needed. An infantry platoon might include a weapons squad, which is divided into two M240 machine gun teams, and two close-combat missile teams armed with Javelin missiles. 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. Total raised: $5,448,951.00 Total includes user, company, and offsite donations. The battalion-level system we have used since WW2, with mortars organised in a separate platoon, still seems to work well. The French and Germans have them at infantry-company level and the Australians have a surveillance section as part of their recce platoons. Theyre generally run by a lieutenant, often with a noncommissioned officer as second in command.