What is the size of the company. How many people in a company, regiment, division

Generals have always found it difficult to manage 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 manner of command, but the sub-units are often similar in different armies. After all, the management of 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 liability.

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

Link, or fire group

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

• submachine gunner;
• assistant machine gunner;
• shooter;
• designated team leader.

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

Military theorists regard effective fireteams as essential to the modern professional military as they serve as the core team. Psychological research conducted by the United States Army has shown that the survivability and readiness of soldiers to fight is more influenced by the desire to both protect and support other members of the fireteam than by abstract concepts or ideologies. Historically, nations with effective fireteam organization have had significant best performance from their infantry units in combat than those who were limited to traditional operations: with larger units.

The fireteam is the primary link on which the organization of modern infantry in the British Army, the regiments of the Royal Air Force, the Royal Marines, the US Army is based. The concept of fireteams is based on the need for tactical flexibility in infantry operations. The link is able to act autonomously as part of a larger unit. Successful operation as part of fireteams depends on the quality training of military personnel in small units, the experience of working together among members of fireteams, the existence of sufficient communications infrastructure and quality NCOs to provide tactical leadership of the group.

These requirements led to the successful use of the fireteam concept by the more professional military. Conscription makes squad development difficult as team members are less effective as they gain experience over time by working together and building personal connections. The tactics of actions of army units as part of a link are quite diverse.

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

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

Detachment

In military terminology, a detachment, or squadron, is a unit led by a non-commissioned officer who is subordinate to an infantry platoon. In countries that adhere to 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 fireteams.

During World War II, the infantry unit of the German Wehrmacht (or Gruppe) was built around a machine gun general purpose. The advantage of the general purpose machine gun concept was that it greatly increased the total amount of fire that could be given by the 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 deputy commander, a group of three people (a machine gunner, an assistant gunner and an ammunition carrier) and five shooters. as a personal small arms the squad leader was issued a rifle or, from around 1941, a submachine gun, the machine gunner and his assistant were issued pistols, and the deputy squad leader, ammunition carrier and marksmen were issued rifles.

Riflemen carried additional ammunition, hand grenades, explosives or a 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 Gewehr-43 semi-automatic rifles, and sometimes assault rifles StG-44s could be used to rearm the entire detachment, except for the machine gun.

In U.S. Army units, historically, a troop was a division 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 squads/sections/patrols. Platoon organization varies by country, but generally according to official organization charts published in U.S. military records, a full U.S. Infantry Rifle Platoon consists of 39 soldiers or 43 Marines (U.S. Army or Corps). marines USA, respectively). There are other types of rifle platoons (e.g. anti-tank, lightly armored recon, mortar, recon, 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 unit, not an organization. The system was invented by Swedish Gustav Adolf in 1618. In the French army in the 1670s, the battalion was divided into 18 platoons, which were grouped into three "shoots". Each firing platoon 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: 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 usually consist of a small platoon and three or four sections (commonwealths) or squadrons (USA). In some armies, the platoon is used in all divisions of the army. In several armies, such as the French army, the platoon is specifically a cavalry unit, and the infantry uses "section" as the equivalent unit. A unit consisting of several platoons is called a company/battery/detachment.

From October 1913, under the scheme of General Sir Ivor Maxs, the regular battalions of the British Army were reorganized from the previous eight companies into four company structures, with each company having four platoons as individual divisions, each commanded by a lieutenant with a platoon sergeant as his second-in-command. Each platoon was divided into four parts under the command of a corporal. Due to the lack 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 of the Russian army, a 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, for special purposes, independent or separate companies, such as the 1st Air Force Communications Company or the 3rd Reconnaissance Company. These companies are not organic to a battalion or regiment, but rather report directly to a higher level organization such as a Marine Expeditionary Force HQ (i.e. corps level command).

Companies in the units of the Russian army:

1. Motorized Rifle Company. A 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 armored personnel carrier of a rifle company consisted of a company headquarters, three motorized rifle platoons and a machine gun/anti-tank platoon. A rifle company with infantry fighting vehicles had the same number 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 seemingly smaller firepower, American commanders were advised to include more than 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 with a total of 39 people and 13 tanks; companies using the old T-54, T-55 or T-62 tanks had 10 or 13 additional troops. However, forces in Eastern Europe began to standardize tank companies with 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 Research Companies (Aerospace Force);
• 5th Research Company (Army);
• 6th Research Company (General Staff);
• 7th research company (communications);
• 8th research company (medical);
• 9th research company (RHBZ).

Battalion

A battalion is a military unit. The use of the term "battalion" depends on the nationality and type of service. Usually a battalion consists of 300-800 soldiers and is divided into several companies. A 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 for "part of a regiment" is from 1708.

Independent Operations

The battalion is the smallest military organization capable of "limited independent operations" as the battalion is organizational unit the lowest level containing the organic coordinating or executive staff and the support and maintenance team (e.g. headquarters and company headquarters). The battalion must have a source of reinforcements so that it can continue operations for a long time. This is because the bulk of a battalion's 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 (typically 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, a staff member is provided to the commander, whose function is to coordinate ongoing operations and plan future operations. The battalion's subordinate units (companies and their organic platoons) depend on the battalion headquarters for command, control, communications, and intelligence, and the battalion's service and support organizational structure to carry out their 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 the units of the Russian army

A motorized rifle battalion could be mounted either on 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 launchers AT-3 or AT-4 and two 73mm SPG-9 recoilless guns. APC units on high alert sometimes had six rocket launchers and three recoilless guns.

tank battalion

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

Art division

The Soviet artillery battalion in the late 1980s consisted of a battalion headquarters, a platoon headquarters, a platoon Maintenance and supply and three firing batteries, each of six artillery units, whether self-propelled 2s1 "Gvozdika" or towed howitzers d-30, and consisted of 260 people or 240 people, respectively. 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

The brigade is the main tactical military formation, which, as a rule, consists of three to six battalions plus auxiliary elements. This is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades can make up a division.

Brigades formed within a division 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, as well as logistics units or units. Historically, such brigades were sometimes referred to as brigade groups. In terms of operations, a brigade may include both organic elements and attached elements, including some temporarily attached for a specific task.

Brigades can also be specialized and consist of battalions of the same unit, such as cavalry, mechanized, armored, artillery, anti-aircraft, aviation, engineering, signal or rear. Some brigades are classified as independent or detached and operate independently of traditional structure divisions. A typical standard NATO brigade consists of approximately 3,200-5,500 troops. However, in Switzerland and Austria, their number can reach 11,000 troops. Soviet Union, its predecessors and successors, mostly 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. The 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 second in command. 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 usually have its own liaison 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 8,000 to 30,000 men.

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

Although the focus of the article is on army units, in naval usage 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, coastal commands, and in naval aviation units (including navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Aviation), in a subgroup of several ships in a flotilla or squadron, or two or three aircraft sections, operating under the authority of a designated unit leader.

Within an administrative/functional unit, unit size varies widely, although typically unit strength in the army is less than 100 and is roughly equivalent in function and organizational hierarchy/command relation to a platoon.

Frame

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

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

field army

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

Specific field armies are usually named or numbered to distinguish them from "army" in the sense of the entire national land force. military force. In English, numbers such as "First Army" are commonly used to name field armies. While the corps, as a rule, are distinguished by Roman numerals (for example, I Corps) and subordinate formations - by serial numbers (for example, the 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, the Army of the Neman, or the 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 literally be translated as "sacred escort". The term comes from the fact that they were commanded by Roman emperors (considered sacred) when they acted as field commanders.

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

Modern field armies are large formations that differ significantly in numbers, composition and areas 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 different number of divisions. The level of the field army is affected by the movement of divisions and reinforcements from one corps to another in order to increase pressure on the enemy at a critical point. NATO troops are controlled by a general or lieutenant general.

army group, army group

Army group - military organization, consisting of several field armies, which is self-sufficient indefinitely. It is usually responsible for a specific geographic area. An army group is the largest field organization, run 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, the army group was known as the front.

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

In both the Commonwealth and the United States, the army group number is expressed in Arabic numerals (eg 12th Army Group), while the field army number is spelled out (eg "Third Army").

Theater of operations, front

The theater of war is a sub-area on the 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 areas or military regions, depending on whether it is a war or peacetime. The United States military is divided into Joint Combat Teams (Regions), which are assigned to a specific theater of operations. The strategic direction is the army group, also known as target (field) forces or battle groups. A strategic command or direction would essentially comprise a number of tactical military formations or an operational command. In modern militaries, strategic command is more commonly known as combat command, which may be a combination of groups.

In the units of the Russian army

The large geographic division used by the Soviet and Russian Armed Forces to classify continental geographic areas is classified as a "theater". The separation of large continental and maritime areas helps to determine the limits within which action plans are developed for strategic military groupings of forces. This allows military operations to be carried out in specific, important strategic directions, known as fronts, which were named according to their "theatre" of warfare, such as the Southwestern Front ( Russian empire), 1st Ukrainian Front and Northern Front (Soviet Union). In peacetime, due to the loss of the strategic direction, the fronts were transformed into military regions (districts) responsible for the allotted sector of operations.

Conclusion

This article examined the military structure of units, as well as the number of units in the army. The history of such optimization of command and control goes back to antiquity. Even in the military units of the Roman army, there was a division of the legion into small formations. These formations were centuriae and cohorts. Military units in the army of the Roman Empire were very successful. Therefore, the commanders adopted this tactic.

Branch

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

Platoon

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

Company

Several platoons make up a company. Usually a company consists of 2-4 platoons, sometimes even more platoons. Rota is smallest formation having tactical significance*, 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 are usually about 130-150 people, tank companies 30-35 people. Usually the company is part of the battalion, but often the existence of companies as independent formations. In artillery, this type of formation is called a battery.

Battalion

It consists of several companies (usually 2-4) and several platoons that are not included in any of the companies. The battalion is one of the main tactical formations*. A battalion, like a company, platoon, squad, is named according to its type of troops (tank, motorized rifle, engineer-sapper, 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 are mortar battery, material support platoon, communications platoon. Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel. The battalion already has its 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 branches of the military, 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, engineering company, communications company, anti-tank battery, chemical protection platoon, repair company, material support company, orchestra, medical center. The number of personnel of the regiment is from 900 to 2000 people.

brigade

As well as the regiment is the main tactical formation*. Actually, the brigade occupies an intermediate position between the regiment and the division. The structure of the brigade is most often the same as that of the regiment, however, there are much more battalions and other units in the 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 may also consist of two regiments, plus auxiliary battalions and companies. On average, there are from 2,000 to 8,000 people in a brigade. The brigade commander is a colonel.

Division

The main operational-tactical formation *. As well as the regiment is named after the type of troops prevailing 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 regiment, while in a tank division, on the contrary, there are two or three tank regiments, and one motorized rifle regiment. 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 protection company, and several different support companies and platoons. In the modern Russian Army, there are or may be tank, motorized rifle, artillery, airborne, missile and aviation divisions. In other military branches, 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. At present, after the reorganization of the Russian army, divisions are being reduced and formed on their basis - the so-called reinforced brigades of a new look.

Army

The army is a large military formation of operational purpose*. The army includes divisions, regiments, battalions of all types of troops. Usually, armies are no longer subdivided according to the types of troops, although there may be tank armies, 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 how many armies exist or have existed, so many structures existed. The soldier at the head of the army is no longer called "commander", but "army commander". Usually the staff rank of the army commander is Colonel General.

county

This is the highest military formation of the strategic type*. Larger formations do not exist. On the basis of the district in wartime, a front is formed. The district includes several armies, corps, divisions, regiments, battalions of all types of troops. The composition and size of the district may be different. The districts are never subdivided according to the types of troops (i.e. there cannot be a tank district, an artillery district, etc.). At the head of the district is the commander of the district with the rank of general of the army.

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

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

Subdivision

This word denotes all the military formations that make up the unit. Squad, platoon, company, battalion - they are all combined in one word "unit". The word comes from the concept of division, divide. Those. part is divided into divisions.

Part

This is the main unit of the armed forces. The term "unit" most often refers to a regiment and a brigade. External signs parts are: the presence of their own office work, military economy, a bank account, a postal and telegraph address, their own stamp seal, the commander’s right to give written orders, open (44 training tank division) and closed (military unit 08728) combined arms numbers. That is, the part has sufficient autonomy. The presence of the Battle Banner for the part is optional. In addition to the regiment and brigade, division headquarters, corps headquarters, army headquarters, district headquarters, as well as other military organizations are also parts.
* The 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 next: "military unit 74292" (but you can not use "military unit 74292") or in short - military unit 74292.

Division, regiment, company, brigade, battalion - all these unit designations are something unknown to people who are far from military service. It will take a long time to describe their main features. Let's talk about the difference between a division and a brigade, because these military formations have many common features.

Definition

Division- tactical or operational-tactical formation in various branches of the armed forces and types of armed forces of the world, consisting of units, subunits and headquarters.

brigade- tactical military formation in all types of troops and types of armed forces, which is an intermediate link between a division and a regiment.

Comparison

In some states, the brigade, along with the regiment, belongs to the category of the main tactical formations. Serves as a kind of intermediate link between the regiment and the division. It has a structure similar to a regiment, but at the same time it has a larger number of battalions and other units. It may well include two regiments, as well as auxiliary companies and battalions. The number of people in the brigade varies from two to eight thousand, and its commander, as well as in the regiment, is a colonel.

A division is a larger military formation, consisting of a headquarters, subdivisions and units. It includes a large number of regiments, divisions, battalions, companies and platoons. The size of the division averages from twelve to twenty-four thousand people, and its commander bears the rank of major general.

Simplified organizational structure and the smaller staff makes the brigade a much more flexible formation than the division. However, the structure of logistic and combat support, in contrast to the brigade, is duplicated in the division, which gives the latter an advantage in the reliability of the functioning of units in combat conditions. It is logical that the maintenance of divisions, which are distinguished by a more complex staff, implies a much larger investment than the maintenance of brigade structures. This was the reason for the refusal of the Russian Armed Forces from divisions and the transition to a more mobile and flexible brigade structure. The only exception is the Rocket Forces strategic purpose and Airborne Troops. In NATO states, divisions are still one of the main types of military formations.

Findings site

1. The brigade serves as an intermediate link between the regiment and the division.
2. The division is a larger military formation, its average strength is from twelve to twenty-four thousand people. The personnel of the brigade consists of two to eight thousand people.
3. The division commander has the rank of major general, the brigade commander - colonel.
4. The brigade is considered to be much more flexible and mobile than the division.
5. The division has an advantage in the reliability of the functioning of units in combat conditions.
6. The maintenance of divisions implies a much larger investment than the maintenance of brigade structures.
7. To date, the Russian Armed Forces (unlike the NATO countries) have abandoned divisions, the only exceptions being the Strategic Rocket Forces and the Airborne Forces.

What is a platoon, company, battalion and so on

• Branch
• Platoon
• Battalion
• brigade
• Division
• Frame
• Army
• Front (district)

FULL SCREEN VERSION

These are all tactical units in the branches and types of troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. I have listed them in order from least to most to make it easier for you to remember them. During my service, I most often met with everyone up to the regiment.

It is impossible to give an EXACT answer to this question, the fact is that the very name “squad”, “platoon”, “company” does not depend on the strength, but firstly, from the type of troops, and secondly, from tactical tasks that are assigned to the formation of this type.

From the brigade and above (in terms of the number of people) for 11 months of service, we did not even say. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I do not serve in a military unit, but in an educational institution.

How many people do they include?

Branch. Depending on the type of troops, it has from 5 to 10 people. The squad leader is in charge. A squad leader is a sergeant's position, so a chest of drawers (short for squad leader) is often a junior sergeant or sergeant.

The department is named after its type of troops ( tank, motorized rifle, engineer-sapper, communications )

In the infantry department, approximately, from 9 to 13 people (in addition to the squad leader: grenade launcher, private with RPG-7, PM; assistant grenade launcher, private with AK74; machine gunner, private with RPK74; senior shooter, corporal with AK74; 3 ... 5 shooters, privates with AK74; BMP driver mechanic and gunner-operator \ BMP machine gunner \ BMP). If the department belongs to another branch of the military, then the personnel is 3 - 15 people. The artillery section is called the crew, and the tank section is the crew.

Motorized rifle department:

• Defense up to 100m
• Offensive up to 50m

Platoon. A platoon includes from 3 to 6 squads, that is, it can reach from 15 to 60 people . The platoon leader is in command. This is an officer position. It is occupied by a minimum of a lieutenant, a maximum of a captain.

Motorized rifle platoon:

• Defense 400m in front, 300m in depth.
• Offensive up to 200…300 meters

Company. A company includes from 3 to 6 platoons, that is, it can consist from 45 to 360 people . Commands a company company commander. This is a major. In fact, the senior lieutenant or captain(in the army, a company commander or is affectionately called and abbreviated as a company commander).

The company depends on the type of troops, so in a motorized rifle company 60-101 people; builders up to 250 people; Airborne Forces up to 80 people; tankers from 31 to 41 people.

Motor rifle company:

• Defense: 1…1.5 km along the front up to 1 km in depth
• Offensive: 0.5…1 km

Battalion. This is either 3 or 4 companies + headquarters and individual specialists (gunsmith, signalman, snipers, etc.), a mortar platoon (not always), sometimes air defense and tank destroyers (hereinafter referred to as PTB). The battalion includes from 145 to 500 people . Commanded by the battalion commander (abbreviated as battalion commander).

This is a position lieutenant colonel. But in our country both captains and majors command, who in the future can become lieutenant colonels, provided that this position is retained.

Battalions are different., therefore, it is impossible to accurately answer how many there are, for example, the SME on the BTR-80 has 530 people, and on the BMP-2 - 498 people; PDB - 360-400 people, and for DShB - 450-530 people; OBMP and ODSHB approximately 650-700 people; TB on the T-72 - 174 people, and motorized rifle - 213 people; OBS - 200-250 people; reconnaissance battalion of about 600 people; OISB - about 300 people; doctors - 157 people; chemists, repairmen, builders, commandants, as well as airfield maintenance workers do not have a staffing list at all and are formed depending on the need

Motorized rifle battalion:

• Defense: 3…5 km along the front and 2…2.5 km in depth
• Offensive: 1…2 km

Regiment. From 3 to 6 battalions, that is from 500 to 2500+ people + headquarters + regimental artillery + air defense + PTB. The regiment is commanded by a colonel. But maybe also a lieutenant colonel.

NOTE: For example, in a motorized rifle regiment there are 2 ... 3 motorized rifle battalions, one tank battalion, one artillery battalion (battalion), one anti-aircraft missile division, reconnaissance company, engineering company, communications company, anti-tank battery, chemical protection platoon, repair company, material support company, orchestra, medical center

Brigade. A brigade is several battalions, sometimes 2 or even 3 regiments. The brigade usually consists of 1,000 to 4,000 people. It is commanded by a colonel. The abbreviated name of the position of brigade commander is brigade commander. The main difference from the regiment is a larger number of both battalions and other units. (Let's say there are two tank battalions in the MTB).

Division. These are several regiments, including artillery and, possibly, tank + rear service + sometimes aviation. Commanded by a colonel or major general. The number of people in the division is formed on the basis of the type of troops and the need to use personnel. From 4,500 to 22,000 people. In a motorized rifle division, there are two motorized rifle regiments; in a tank division, on the contrary, there is one motorized rifle regiment for two tank regiments.

The numbers are very different depending on the type of troops. In ordinary motorized rifle troops Typically the numbers are:

• in the department- 9-10 soldiers,
• in a platoon 3 squads - 30-33 fighters,
• in the company 3 platoons - 100 military personnel,
• in a battalion 3 companies - 3 companies - 300-350 fighters,
• in the regiment 3 battalions - 1,000 people,
• in division 3 regiment - 3 100-3 400 people.

Frame. These are several divisions. That is, around 100,000 people. Commands a corps major general. Intermediate military formation from division to army. The corps is a combined arms formation. The corps was usually created in those cases when the formation of an army was impractical. After completing the combat mission, the corps was disbanded.

Now there are 7 Corps in Russia ( commander data may be outdated):
- 57th Army Corps (Ulan-Ude) (Major General Alexander Maslov)
- 68th Army Corps (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) (Lieutenant General Vladimir Varennikov)
- 1st Air Defense Corps (Balashikha, Moscow region) (Lieutenant General Nikolai Dubovikov)
- 23rd Air Defense Corps (Vladivostok, Primorsky Territory) (Major General Viktor Ostashko)
- 21st Air Defense Corps (Severomorsk, Murmansk region) (Lieutenant General Sergey Razygraev)
- 16th operational submarine squadron (Vilyuchinsk, Kamchatka region) (Vice Admiral Alexander Neshcheret)
- 7th operational squadron of surface ships (Severomorsk, Murmansk region) (Vice Admiral Gennady Radzevsky)

Army. From two to ten divisions of different types of troops + rear units + repair shops and so on. The number can be very different. On average, from 200,000 to 1,000,000 people and above. Commands an army major general or lieutenant general.

Armies are usually not formed in peacetime and regiments, divisions and battalions are part of the District. Now in Russia there is 30 armies: 37th Air Army (strategic) of the Supreme High Command (Moscow), 61st Air Army (military transport aviation) of the Supreme High Command (Moscow), 27th Guards Rocket Army (Vladimir), etc.

NOTE: If you disagree with something, you can write about it in the comments.

Front. In peacetime - military district . It's hard to give exact numbers here. They vary by region, military doctrine, political environment, and the like.

Front- this is already a self-sufficient structure with reserves, warehouses, training units, military schools and so on. The front commander is in command. This is a lieutenant general or army general.

As part of the reorganization of the armed forces in 2010, the number administrative districts It was reduced to 4 (was 6 military regions , 4 military fleets). When creating new structures, the United States combat commands were taken as a model. On the basis of territorial combined-arms formations, new operational-strategic command subjects were formed. In 2014, to organize the defense of the Arctic areas from the three districts, the creation of the northern group began. The effectiveness of the implemented innovation system combat control The General Staff should be provided by the military districts of Russia formed according to the new principle. The list of military administrative units is as follows:

• West district (OSK "West").

During the structural changes in the armed forces in 2010, the first Western Military District of Russia. The basis for the creation of a new subject of the military-administrative division was the former Moscow and Leningrad combined arms formations. Also subordinate to the strategic command is Baltic Fleet. The headquarters is located in St. Petersburg. Military garrisons are located within administrative boundaries thirty subjects of the North-Western, Central and part of the Volga-Vyatka federal districts.

• Southern district (OSK "South").

Southern Military District Russia is organized on the basis of combat and administrative units North Caucasian and part of the Volga-Ural military associations.

• Central district (OSK "Center").

By merging Volga-Ural and Siberian(up to the territory of Baikal) districts created Central Military District of Russia. The headquarters of the joint command is located in Yekaterinburg. This district is the largest in the country. Its area is 7 million km2 - this is 40% of the area of ​​the state and 39% of the population. Military units are deployed in Volga region, Western Siberia and in the Urals - in 29 regions of three federal districts.

• Oriental district (OSK "Vostok").

As a result of structural changes in the operational-strategic command and control, the Eastern Military District of Russia included part of the Siberian, Trans-Baikal and Far Eastern combined arms formations.

• USC "Sever" is in the process of creation.

The composition of the front depends on the assigned tasks and the situation. Typically, the front includes:

• control;
• missile army (one - two);
• army (five - six);
• tank army (one - two);
• air army (one - two);
• air defense army;
• individual formations and units of various types of troops and special troops of front subordination;
• formations, units and institutions of the operational rear.

The front can be strengthened by formations and units of other types Armed Forces and reserve of the Supreme High Command.

What other similar tactical terms exist?

Subdivision. This word denotes all the military formations that make up the unit. Squad, platoon, company, battalion - they are all united by one word "unit". The word comes from the concept of division, divide. That is, the part is divided into divisions.

Part. This is the main unit of the Armed Forces. The term “part” most often refers to a regiment and a brigade. The external features of the unit are: the presence of its own office work, military economy, a bank account, a postal and telegraph address, its own stamp seal, the commander’s right to give written orders, open (44 training tank division) and closed (military unit 08728) combined arms numbers. That is, the part has sufficient autonomy.

NOTE: Please note that the 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, and so on, then the term "military unit" is used. Usually, its number is also mentioned next: “military unit 65819” (but you can’t use “military unit65819 "") or abbreviated - in / h65819 .

For part characteristic:

• own business,
• military economy,
• having a bank account,
• postal and telegraphic address,
• the presence of its own official seal,
• commander's right to give written orders,
• the presence of open and closed combined arms numbers (this is written above).

The presence of the Battle Banner for the part is optional.

In addition to the regiment and brigade, division headquarters, corps headquarters, army headquarters, district headquarters, as well as other military organizations (military department, army hospital, garrison clinic, district food depot, district song and dance ensemble, garrison house of officers, garrison household complex services, central school of junior specialists, military school, military institute, etc.)

In some cases, a Unit may be a unit other than a regiment or brigade. Battalion, Company and even a platoon. Such parts are referred to as separate» before name

Compound. By default, only a division is suitable for this term. The very word "connection" means - to connect the parts. The division headquarters has the status of a unit. Other units (regiments) are subordinate to this unit (headquarters). That's all together and there is a division. However, in some cases, the brigade can also have the status of a connection. This happens if the brigade includes separate battalions and companies, each of which in itself has the status of a unit.

An association. This term combines corps, army, army group and front (district). The headquarters of the association is also a part to which various formations and units are subordinate.

Outcome

Other specific and grouping concepts in military hierarchy does not exist. In any case, in ground forces. In this article, we did not touch on the hierarchy of military formations of aviation and navy. However, an attentive reader can now quite simply and with minor errors imagine the naval and aviation hierarchy.

To understand what a regiment is made up of, it is necessary to understand the standard structure of military formations. The primary unit of the army structure is a squad, the number of which can reach 10-16 fighters. Usually three make up a platoon. As part of motorized rifle company there are three or four platoons, as well as a machine-gun crew and a squad, problem solver to protect 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 followed by the regiment. It is an autonomous and key military formation designed to solve tactical tasks, as well as take part in operations and strategic maneuvers. A regiment is usually led by an officer of a fairly high rank - a lieutenant colonel or colonel.

The composition of the regiment and its weapons are not homogeneous. Subdivisions belonging to a variety of species can be represented here. The name of the regiment usually includes the name of the branch of service prevailing in terms of numbers. It should be borne in mind that the structure and total strength of the regiment is largely determined by the characteristics of the tasks being solved. In conditions of hostilities, the number of units can be increased.

Regiment as an independent combat unit

A motorized rifle regiment includes two or three motorized rifle battalions, tank, artillery and anti-aircraft missile battalions, and a medical and sanitary unit. In addition, a regiment may have several auxiliary companies, such as reconnaissance, sapper, repair, and so on. The composition of the regiment in the armies of different countries is determined by the charter and the needs of wartime. As a rule, the strength of the regiment is from 900 to 1500 people, and sometimes more.

The regiment differs from other subunits in that it is an organizationally independent combat, economic and administrative unit. Any regiment has in its composition a management called headquarters.

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

AT different times and in different countries the number and purpose of platoons varied greatly. The concept of platoons, which has survived to this day, as an organizational combat unit, was not formed immediately.

The concept of a platoon in history.

Historically, it was not just an organizational unit, but had a specific purpose - firing at opponents. So, in the time of the Swedish king Gustav II, three rifle teams were considered platoons, which were divided into two types: those that fire and those who reload weapons.

In Russia, the concept of a platoon first appeared in imperial times - at the end of 1915. Initially, they appeared in the grenadier and infantry, and later spread to other types. They consisted of one officer, four non-commissioned officers and 48 ordinary soldiers who were in their command.

Platoons in the USSR and the Russian Federation.

Started a glorious military tradition in Soviet army are preserved to this day. This primarily concerns the number of platoons depending on which is still considered optimal and has not changed for more than eighty years. The number of platoons of the GRU special forces unit, which are considered one of the most elite troops Russian Federation, has from 9 to 18 people, depending on the number of special groups included in its composition.

In the tank troops, a platoon is formed based on the number of people needed to drive the tank and serve it during departures and at the time of downtime. So, for example, for the T-72 tank, a platoon is formed, which consists of 9 people.

Artillery troops have a more complex structure for the formation of a platoon. It all depends on what type of weapon a given platoon uses and, as a result, how many units of such equipment should be per one organizational unit according to the charter. In practice, it turns out that the strength of an artillery platoon can be from 10-12 people in mortar platoons, up to 20-25 people in cannon platoons.

Platoons in the armies of the world.

Since the formation of the military bloc of NATO countries, it has so happened that most of the armies of the world have adopted the practice used by the army of the United States of America. On the this moment A US Army platoon consists of 42 people, including a platoon sergeant, a platoon spotter, and a platoon leader.

African countries most often have platoon numbers based on the practice of the countries that colonized them and now patronize as an apology for all the troubles brought by their ancestors.