Very often, in feature films and literary works on military topics, terms such as company, battalion, and regiment are used. The number of formations is not indicated by the author. Military people, of course, are aware of this issue, as well as many others related to the army.
This article is addressed to those who are far from the army, but still want to navigate the military hierarchy and know what a squad, company, battalion, division is. The number, structure and tasks of these formations are described in the article.
Smallest formation
A division, or department, is the minimum unit in the hierarchy of the Armed Forces of the Soviet and later Russian army. This formation is homogeneous in its composition, that is, it consists of either infantrymen, cavalrymen, etc. When performing combat missions, the unit acts as a single unit. This formation is led by a full-time commander with the rank of junior sergeant or sergeant. Among military personnel, the term “chest of drawers” is used, which is short for “squad commander.” Depending on the type of troops, units are called differently. For artillery the term “crew” is used, and for tank troops “crew”.
Unit composition
This formation consists of 5 to 10 people serving. However, a motorized rifle squad consists of 10-13 soldiers. Unlike the Russian army, in the United States the smallest army formation is a group. The US division itself consists of two groups.
Platoon
In the Russian Armed Forces, a platoon consists of three to four sections. It is possible that there are more of them. The number of personnel is 45 people. The leadership of this military formation is carried out by a junior lieutenant, lieutenant or senior lieutenant.
Company
This army formation consists of 2-4 platoons. A company can also include independent squads that do not belong to any platoon. For example, a motorized rifle company may consist of three motorized rifle platoons, a machine gun and an anti-tank squad. The command of this army formation is exercised by a commander with the rank of captain. The size of a battalion company ranges from 20 to 200 people. The number of military personnel depends on the type of military service. Thus, in a tank company the smallest number of military personnel was noted: from 31 to 41. In a motorized rifle company - from 130 to 150 military personnel. There are 80 soldiers in the landing force.
A company is the smallest military formation of tactical importance. This means that company soldiers can perform small tactical tasks independently on the battlefield. In this case, the company is not part of the battalion, but acts as a separate and autonomous formation. In some branches of the military, the term “company” is not used, but is replaced by similar military formations. For example, cavalry is equipped with squadrons of one hundred people each, artillery with batteries, border troops with outposts, and aviation with units.
Battalion
The size of this military formation depends on the type of troops. Often the number of military personnel in this case ranges from 250 to a thousand soldiers. There are battalions of up to one hundred soldiers. Such a formation is equipped with 2-4 companies or platoons, operating independently. Due to their significant numbers, battalions are used as the main tactical formations. It is commanded by an officer of at least the rank of lieutenant colonel. The commander is also called “battalion commander”. Coordination of the battalion's activities is carried out at the command headquarters. Depending on the type of troops using one or another weapon, the battalion can be tank, motorized rifle, engineering, communications, etc. A motorized rifle battalion of 530 people (on BTR-80) may include:
- motorized rifle companies, - mortar battery;
- logistics platoon;
- communications platoon.
Regiments are formed from battalions. In artillery the concept of battalion is not used. There it is replaced by similar formations - divisions.
Smallest tactical unit of armored forces
A TB (tank battalion) is a separate unit at the headquarters of an army or corps. Organizationally, a tank battalion is not included in tank or motorized rifle regiments.
Since the TB itself does not need to enhance its firepower, it does not contain mortar batteries, anti-tank or grenade launcher platoons. The TB can be reinforced by an anti-aircraft missile platoon. 213 soldiers - this is the size of the battalion.
Regiment
In the Soviet and Russian armies, the word “regiment” was considered key. This is due to the fact that the regiments are tactical and autonomous formations. Command is exercised by a colonel. Despite the fact that regiments are called by types of troops (tank, motorized rifle, etc.), they may contain different units. The name of the regiment is determined by the name of the predominant formation. An example would be a motorized rifle regiment consisting of three motorized rifle battalions and one tank. In addition, the motorized rifle battalion is equipped with an anti-aircraft missile battalion, as well as companies:
- communications;
- intelligence;
- engineering and sapper;
- repair;
- material support.
In addition, there is an orchestra and a medical center. The regiment's personnel does not exceed two thousand people. In artillery regiments, unlike similar formations in other branches of the military, the number of military personnel is smaller. The number of soldiers depends on how many divisions the regiment consists of. If there are three of them, then the number of military personnel in the regiment is up to 1,200 people. If there are four divisions, then the regiment has 1,500 soldiers. Thus, the strength of a battalion of a division regiment cannot be less than 400 people.
Brigade
Just like the regiment, the brigade belongs to the main tactical formations. However, the number of personnel in the brigade is higher: from 2 to 8 thousand soldiers. In a motorized rifle brigade of motorized rifle and tank battalions, the number of military personnel is twice as large as in a regiment. The brigades consist of two regiments, several battalions and a auxiliary company. The brigade is commanded by an officer with the rank of colonel.
Division structure and strength
The division is the main operational-tactical formation, composed of various units. Just like a regiment, a division is named according to the branch of service that predominates in it. The structure of a motorized rifle division is identical to that of a tank division. The difference between them is that a motorized rifle division is formed from three motorized rifle regiments and one tank, and a tank division is formed from three tank regiments and one motorized rifle. The division is also equipped with:
- two artillery regiments;
- one anti-aircraft missile regiment;
- jet division;
- missile division;
- helicopter squadron;
- one chemical defense company and several auxiliary ones;
- reconnaissance, repair and restoration, medical and sanitary, engineering and sapper battalions;
- one electronic warfare battalion.
In each division under the command of a major general, from 12 to 24 thousand people serve.
What is the body?
The army corps is a combined arms formation. In a tank, artillery, or corps of any other type of army there is no predominance of one or another division. There is no uniform structure when forming buildings. Their formation is significantly influenced by the military-political situation. The corps is an intermediate link between such military formations as a division and an army. Corps are formed where it is impractical to create an army.
Army
The concept “army” is used in the following meanings:
- The country's armed forces as a whole;
- large military formation for operational purposes.
An army usually consists of one or more corps. It is difficult to indicate the exact number of military personnel in the army, as well as in the corps themselves, since each of these formations has its own structure and strength.
Conclusion
Military affairs is developing and improving every year, enriched with new technologies and branches of the military, thanks to which in the near future, as the military believes, the way of waging wars may be radically changed. And this, in turn, will entail an adjustment in the number of personnel of many military formations.
Each state has its own military organization - the armed forces. The number and tasks performed are determined by the state system. The armed forces of each state have their own hierarchy.
Let's take a company as an example. Company includes several platoons. In addition, it may also include separate sections that are not related to platoons. In addition to three platoons, a motorized rifle company includes two more sections: machine gun and anti-tank. When conducting combat operations, the company is obliged to carry out assigned tactical tasks. Moreover, it is the smallest formation that independently performs such tasks. The company is led by a captain. As a rule, a company includes 3-4 platoons, but if necessary, it can be more.
How many people are in the company?
How many people are in the regiment?
A regiment is the main tactical formation. The regiment commander is usually a colonel. The regiment includes a whole range of military branches. Depending on which troops there are more in it, the regiment itself receives this name. An example is a tank regiment. Its composition: 2-3 tank battalions, 1 motorized rifle, 1 artillery. In addition to the first aid station and the anti-tank battery, it also has several companies - repair, logistics, reconnaissance, etc. The amount of how many people are in the regiment varies depending on need - from 900 to 2000.
How many people are in the division?
The division is the main tactical and operational formation. A division receives its name in the same way as a regiment, depending on which types of troops predominate in it, and this is not as significant as in a regiment. The division commander is a major general. Divisions are divided into airborne, motorized rifle, artillery, tank, aviation and missile divisions. The amount of how many people are in the division varies and ranges from 12 to 24 thousand.
The word platoon comes from the Russian word "platoon", used in the command "to cock a weapon", and replaced the foreign word plutong (derived from the French peloton,) used as a designation for a small detachment of soldiers, introduced by Peter the Great.
Initially, the word platoon meant only a small infantry rifle detachment, indicating the type of unit and how many people there were in it, and not an army staffing and organizational unit as it is currently.
How many people are in a platoon of soldiers?
A platoon is a military unit, most often consisting of 2-4 sections, part of a company or battalion (in some cases it exists independently). Usually there are from 9-12 to 45-50 people in a platoon, depending on the type of troops, country or purpose of the platoon. Platoon commanders are sergeants, warrant officers, junior lieutenants, lieutenants or senior lieutenants, that is, they can be either an officer or a non-commissioned officer.
How many people were in a platoon in Tsarist Russia?
At the beginning of the 20th century, assault platoons began to appear in all infantry and grenadier regiments of the army of the Russian Empire. The platoon consisted of 48 privates, divided into four sections, and command was exercised by four sergeants and one officer, who was the platoon commander. The assault platoons were armed with carbines (officers had revolvers), bebut daggers and grenades. The equipment also included steel shields and “Hadrian’s helmets.” There were two bomb launchers per platoon.
Motorized rifles
Motorized rifle units were divided according to the type of equipment used. For example, in platoons on the BTR-50 there were three sections of 12 people, the total number was 37 (including the commander). The BMP-2 platoon consisted of 28 people. In addition to the riflemen, each squad usually had one machine gunner and a grenade launcher. The entire platoon was assigned one orderly and 1-2 snipers. The armament consisted of AKM assault rifles, PM pistols (for the officer), RPK machine guns, RPG-7 grenade launchers, SVD rifles and hand grenades.
Paratroopers and Marines
The platoon of parachute troops on the BMD-1 and the platoon of marines on the BTR-70 had 28 people, but when carrying out reconnaissance missions, the number was reduced to 15-18 people. The weapons used were AKMS, RPG-7D, PM pistols, RPKS machine guns, SVD-S sniper rifles and hand grenades.
Tank forces
A tank platoon could be part of a tank battalion that was part of a tank regiment and then it had three tanks, or it could be part of a tank battalion that was part of a motorized rifle regiment and then it had 4 tanks. Since a section of a tank platoon is the tank crew, depending on the type of tank it could have 3 people (T-72) or 4 people (T-54). The total number of personnel ranged from 9 to 16 people, depending on the type of troops and type of tanks.
Special Forces Units
In Special Forces units, a military unit equivalent to a platoon was called a group, which also included 3 squads, with a total number of 9 to 18 people. Due to the specific nature of reconnaissance and sabotage missions, requiring increased mobility and secrecy, squads of 3-4 people could act completely independently. There are often cases when special forces groups are staffed exclusively by officers and warrant officers, which once again emphasizes the elitism of these units. They were armed with a wide range of infantry weapons of various types, from AKS-U assault rifles and Stechkin pistols with a silencer, to ATGMs, MANPADS or long-range sniper rifles, depending on the nature of the mission.
Artillery units
The number of sections (crews) in an artillery platoon and its total strength varied depending on the type of guns. Most often, mortar (2S4) platoons had 2 fire crews of 5 people each, and howitzer platoons (2A36) had 3 fire crews of 8 people each. The total number ranged from 10-12 to 25-27 people. The exception was the anti-tank platoon, whose total strength reached 42 people. The standard equipment was 6 9K11 ATGMs, 3 SPG-9M grenade launchers, 5 armored personnel carriers.
How many people are in a platoon in the army of modern Russia?
The organizational and staffing structure of platoons in the Russian Army has practically not undergone significant changes in relation to the Soviet period after the 60s. The weapons used have changed somewhat, generally corresponding to the late Soviet period. In modern platoons, a section near the board has begun to stand out in terms of size and composition.
The motorized rifle platoon now has 32 soldiers on the BTR-80, and 30 soldiers on the BMP-2. More attention has been paid to sniper fire, with a sniper often present in every squad. Now soldiers are equipped with individual communications equipment, and the range of automatic grenade launchers has been expanded.
The organization of Special Forces platoons (groups) has undergone virtually no changes. Tank platoons have a strength of 9-12 people (depending on the type of troops), all tank crews now have 3 people each.
The equipment of soldiers of the Russian Army began to include the promising Ratnik equipment. It includes special frost- and heat-resistant clothing, armor protection covering up to 80-90% of the surface of the soldier’s body (including 6B47 body armor, which provides protection from bullets of modern assault and sniper rifles with a caliber of 5.56 and 7.62 mm), communications equipment and positioning, physical state sensors, sighting systems with optical and thermal imaging channels, night vision devices, eye monitors (allowing shooting from behind cover while transmitting a television image from the sight), friend-or-foe sensors, wearable field computers (field tablets) to exchange tactical information and orders.
According to its characteristics, Ratnik equipment meets the most modern requirements and is similar to the uniform of soldiers in the most advanced armies of NATO countries.
How many people are in a Marine platoon in the US Army?
A US Marine platoon consists of three rifle squads and a headquarters. The headquarters consists of 3 people, a platoon commander (usually a first lieutenant or second lieutenant), a platoon sergeant and a medic. Each rifle squad includes 3 fire groups of 4 people (a group commander with the rank of corporal, armed with M4/M16, one machine gunner with M249 and 2 machine gunners with M4\M16). Squads are commanded by sergeants or staff sergeants. The total strength of the platoon is 39-48 soldiers (with additional staffing of the platoon headquarters with snipers, machine gunners and machine gunners).
The main weapon is the M4\M16 assault rifle, the main machine gun used is the M249, various sniper rifles (including foreign ones), M72 LAW grenade launchers, and TOW ATGMs are used. HMMWV, MRAP armored vehicles and LAV-25 armored personnel carriers are used as transportation and support vehicles.
Designed to operate behind enemy lines, destroy nuclear attack weapons, command posts, capture and hold important areas and objects, disrupt the control system and operation of the enemy rear, assist the Ground Forces in developing the offensive and crossing water barriers. Equipped with air transportable self-propelled artillery, missile, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, armored personnel carriers, combat vehicles, automatic small arms, communications and control equipment. The existing parachute landing equipment makes it possible to drop troops and cargo in any weather and terrain conditions, day and night from various heights. Organizationally, the airborne troops consist of (Fig. 1) airborne formations, an airborne brigade, and military units of special forces.
Rice. 1. Structure of the Airborne Forces
The Airborne Forces are armed with the ASU-85 airborne self-propelled guns; Sprut-SD self-propelled artillery guns; 122 mm howitzers D-30; airborne combat vehicles BMD-1/2/3/4; armored personnel carriers BTR-D.
Part of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation may be part of the joint armed forces (for example, the CIS Allied Forces) or be under a unified command in accordance with international treaties of the Russian Federation (for example, as part of the UN peacekeeping forces or collective CIS peacekeeping forces in zones of local military conflicts ).
Branch
The smallest military formation in - department. The squad is commanded by a junior 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. Typically, a squad is part of a platoon, but can exist outside of a platoon.
Platoon
Several branches make up platoon. Usually there are from 2 to 4 squads in a platoon, but more are possible. The platoon is headed by a commander with the rank of officer - 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. Usually a platoon is part of a company, but can exist independently.
Company
Several platoons make up company In addition, a company may also include several independent squads not included in any of the platoons. For example, a motorized rifle company has three motorized rifle platoons, a machine gun squad, and an anti-tank squad. Typically a company consists of 2-4 platoons, sometimes more platoons. A company is the smallest formation that has tactical significance, i.e. a formation capable of independently performing small tactical tasks on the battlefield. Company commander 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, a formation of this type is called a battery; in cavalry, a squadron.
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
Regiment- This is the main tactical formation and a completely autonomous formation in the economic sense. The regiment is commanded by a colonel. Although 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 division (read battalion), one anti-aircraft missile division, a reconnaissance company, an engineering company, a communications company, an anti-tank battery, a chemical protection platoon , repair company, material support company, orchestra, medical center. The number of personnel in the regiment ranges from 900 to 2000 people.
Brigade
Just like the regiment, brigade 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, as well as the regiment, is a colonel.
Division
Division- the 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, an electronic warfare battalion, a logistics battalion, and a repair battalion. - a recovery battalion, a medical battalion, a chemical defense company and several different auxiliary companies and platoons. Divisions can be tank, motorized rifle, artillery, airborne, missile and aviation. 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.
Frame
Just as a brigade is an intermediate formation between a regiment and a division, so frame is an intermediate formation between the division and the army. The corps is a combined arms formation, that is, it usually lacks the characteristic of one type of force, although there may also be tank or artillery corps, that is, corps with a complete predominance of tank or artillery divisions in them. The combined arms corps is usually referred to as the "army corps". There is no single structure of buildings. Each time a corps is formed based on a specific military or military-political situation, and may consist of two or three divisions and a varying number of formations of other branches of the military. Usually a corps is created where it is not practical to create an army. It is impossible to talk about the structure and strength of the corps, because as many corps exist or existed, so many of their structures existed. Corps commander, Lieutenant General.
Army
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. In peacetime, armies are rarely organized as military formations. Usually divisions, regiments, and battalions are directly included in the district.
Front
Front (district)- This is the highest military formation of the strategic type. There are no larger formations. The name “front” is used only in wartime for a formation conducting combat operations. For such formations in peacetime, or located in the rear, the name “okrug” (military district) is used. The front includes several armies, corps, divisions, regiments, battalions of all types of troops. The composition and strength of the front may vary. Fronts are never subdivided by types of troops (i.e. there cannot be a tank front, an artillery front, etc.). At the head of the front (district) is the commander of the front (district) with the rank of army general.
The art of war in Russia, as throughout the world, is divided into three levels:
- Tactics(the art of combat). A squad, platoon, company, battalion, regiment solve tactical problems, i.e., fight.
- Operational art(the art of fighting, fighting). A division, a corps, an army solve operational problems, that is, they wage a battle.
- Strategy(the art of waging war in general). The front solves both operational and strategic tasks, that is, it wages major battles, as a result of which the strategic situation changes and the outcome of the war can be decided.
Regiment, you need 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 soldiers. 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 that solves the problem of protecting 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 name of the dominant branch of the army. 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 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, a tank, artillery and anti-aircraft missile battalions, and a medical unit. Additionally, a regiment may have several auxiliary companies, for example, reconnaissance, sapper, repair, and so on. The composition of a regiment in the armies of different countries is determined by the regulations and wartime needs. As a rule, the strength of a regiment ranges from 900 to 1,500 people, and sometimes more.
What distinguishes the regiment from other units is that it is an organizationally independent 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.