Reading literature, watching films or programs on military subjects, an ordinary person constantly encounters the names of various military units, which are not entirely clear to him. Any military officer will immediately understand what is at stake, what kind of troops is represented by this military formation, what is the number of soldiers, what tasks does it perform on the battlefield. For civilians, such information is not familiar because of their ignorance. The division also refers to such terms unfamiliar to the average person.

The meaning of the term "division"

A division is one of the main tactical military formations. It combines different types of troops, but one of them still prevails. The structures, for example, of the tank and motorized rifle divisions are fully consistent with each other. The only difference is that the tank consists of two or three tank regiments and one motorized rifle. But in a motorized rifle - exactly the opposite. It consists of two or three motorized rifle regiments and only one tank. But besides these regiments, the division also accommodates companies and battalions of other military branches. For example, an automobile battalion or a chemical protection company.

The modern army of the Russian Federation includes such divisions as missile, tank, airborne, aviation, artillery and motorized rifle divisions. The division for other branches of the armed forces is not the largest formation. Either a regiment or a brigade prevails there. The division commander is an important person in her life. They may become a military man with the rank of major general.

Historical need

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

Divisions during the war

The divisions in the USSR before the start of World War II were one of the main military formations. The number of such tactical units throughout the Red Army throughout the war totaled 132 divisions. The number of personnel of each of them was about 15 thousand people. The armament and technical equipment of the divisions was only slightly inferior to similar indicators. Each of them was also reinforced with 16 tanks and armored vehicles, which significantly increased combat power. Due to the time, the divisions also had horses in their composition, the number of which reached 1100 individuals. Insufficient funding for the army led to a drop in the power level of the division as a tactical military unit. But the war forced the country to step up all its forces, including financial ones. Divisions received missing resources, including replenishment of personnel. This greatly helped in the positive resolution of the situation at the front.

Regiment and division - what is the difference?

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

Division and brigade

The brigade serves as an intermediate link between the regiment and the division. In many countries of the world it is also referred to as the main military formation. The structure of the brigade is very similar to the regiment, but the number of units included in it is much larger. The personnel of the brigade - 2-8 thousand people. The main in this tactical formation, as well as in the regiment, is the colonel. A division is a larger formation. It has its headquarters to coordinate military operations, units and units. The brigade is considered more flexible and simple formation, in contrast to the division. This led to the fact that the Russian army was transferred to the brigade structure. Divisions survived in only a few combat arms.

Division Command

As mentioned earlier, Major General is at the helm of the division. This military rank is widespread in many countries of the world, including the Russian Federation. Major General is a senior officer. On a career ladder, he was located between the colonel and the lieutenant general.

The post of division commander appeared after the reform of the military forces in 1924. This was a typical team position. In 1935, after the decision of the CEC, the personal title of "division commander" was introduced, that is, a division commander. In the Red Army, the commander was above the brigade commander (commander) and below the commander (corps commander). This title lasted until 1940, when it was abolished, again turning into just a post.

Guards Division - what is it?

The Guards Division was considered one of the most elite military units. The most responsible and difficult tasks were entrusted to her. The Guard as an elite part of the army appeared in the era of slavery. The concept of "guard" in close to modern meaning was first applied in the XII century in Italy. So called the detachment of soldiers guarding the state flag. This innovation was adopted by Peter I. He created the first guard regiments in 1690.

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

In September 1941, by order of the People's Commissar of the USSR, even rifle divisions were converted into guard divisions. Subsequently, this day became the day of the Guard. For example, the 42nd Guards Rifle Division inherited its high rank from the First Guards Rifle Brigade. Each such division was given a banner that was of particular importance to them. In addition, the monetary reward for service in this part also increased. The salary of the bosses was increased by 1.5 times, ordinary soldiers - by 2 times.

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

Airborne troops

The Airborne Division is part of a special kind of troops that have the ability to operate behind enemy lines. This one was created in order to counteract the enemy, including destroying them and control points. Airborne forces, operating in the rear, should also help sailors. The equipment of such divisions is the most modern, the types of weapons are diverse. In order to dump the necessary cargo in the most difficult conditions (bad weather, open terrain, night darkness or daylight, high altitude), the airborne forces use parachute-landing equipment. The airborne division along with the brigade is the main unit of this type of troops.

In peacetime, the Airborne Forces do not cease to serve. They perform a variety of tasks that help maintain the level of combat readiness of the troops, as well as mobilization determination of the civilian population. This is very important, since in the event of a military conflict, it is the people's mood and high combat readiness that decide a lot. From the foregoing, it can be concluded that the airborne division is a kind of command reserve that is turned to if you need to perform an operation to capture the enemy either from the air or from the rear.

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

It has always been difficult for generals to manage large military units. To facilitate management, it was decided to create subunits commanded by junior commanders. The following is a list of these subunits. Of course, each army has its own way of controlling, but subunits 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 that the officer commands, the easier it is to understand the situation. This reduces liability.

This article will also consider the organization and armament of units of foreign armies. This is a very serious topic that many people are interested in. Large units of foreign armies are divided into small parts. The first such part is the link.

Link or fire group

The link is a small military subsection of infantry and is designed to optimize fire, movement, and tactical doctrine in battle. Depending on the requirements of the mission, a typical fire group consists of four or less members:

• submachine gunner;
• assistant submachine gunner;
• shooter;
• appointed team leader.

The role of each leader of fire groups is to ensure that everyone acts as a whole. Two or three firing groups are organized into a detachment or section in coordinated operations led by a detachment commander.

Military theorists consider effective fire groups to be extremely important for today's professional military, as they serve as the main group. Psychological research conducted by the United States Army showed that the survivability and preparedness of soldiers for battle is more influenced by the desire to both protect and support other members of the fire group than abstract concepts or ideologies. Historically, countries with effective organization of fire groups had significantly better performance from their infantry units in battle than those that were limited to traditional operations: with larger units.

The fire group is the primary link on which the organization of modern infantry in the British Army, the Royal Air Force regiments, the Royal Marines, the US Army are based. The concept of fire groups is based on the need for tactical flexibility in infantry operations. A link is able to act autonomously as part of a larger block. Successful work in the composition of the fire groups depends on the quality of training of the military personnel of small units, the experience of the joint work of the members of the fire groups, the availability of an adequate communications infrastructure and a good sergeant to ensure tactical leadership of the group.

These requirements have led to the successful use of the concept of fire groups by more professional military personnel. Calling up for military service makes it difficult to develop links because team members are less effective as they gain experience over time, working together and building personal ties. The tactics of the actions of army units as part of the unit are quite diverse.

In combat, when attacking or maneuvering, the firing group usually extends to a distance of 50 meters (160 feet), while in defensive positions the team can cover the range of their weapons or visibility, whichever is less. In open areas, an effective group can travel up to 500 meters (1600 feet), although the detection range limits effectiveness beyond 100 meters (330 feet) or so without special equipment. A team is effective as long as its primary weapon remains operational. The unit as part of an army unit is currently a very effective combat unit.

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

Detachment

In military terminology, a detachment, or squadron, is a unit led by a non-commissioned officer who reports 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 detachment consists of eight to fourteen soldiers and can be divided into fire groups.

During World War II, an infantry detachment of the German Wehrmacht (or Gruppe) was built around a general-purpose machine gun. The advantage of the concept of a general-purpose machine gun was that it significantly increased the total amount of fire that could be given by the detachment. MG-34 or MG-42 were actively used in the role of such a machine gun.

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

Arrows 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 Karabine 98k rifles of the standard release could be replaced with Gewehr-43 semi-automatic rifles, and sometimes the StG-44 assault rifles could be used to rearm the entire squad except for the machine gun.

In units of the US Army historically, the unit was a unit of the section, consisting of two soldiers up to 12 people, and was originally used mainly for training and administrative purposes.

Platoon

A platoon is a combat unit of an army, usually consisting of two or more units / sections / patrols. The platoon organization varies from country to country, but as a rule, according to the official tables of the organization published in US military documents, the entire US infantry platoon consists of 39 soldiers or 43 marines (US Army or US Marine Corps, respectively) . There are other types of infantry platoons (for example, anti-tank, lightly armored reconnaissance, mortar, reconnaissance, sniper), depending on the service and type of infantry company / battalion to which the platoon is assigned, and these platoons can range from 18 people (marine corps USA - sniper platoon) up to 69 people (USCM - mortar platoon).

The platoon was originally a firing squad, 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 "firing". Each platoon in shooting either actually fired or reloaded. The system was also used in the British, Austrian, Russian and Dutch armies. The platoon commander is usually a junior officer: junior or senior lieutenant or 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, a platoon is used in all army units. In several armies, such as the French army, the platoon is specifically a cavalry unit, and the infantry uses a "section" as an equivalent unit. A unit consisting of several platoons is called a company / battery / squad.

Since October 1913, according to the scheme of General Sir Ivor Max, the regular battalions of the British army were reorganized from the previous eight companies into four company structures, each company having four platoons as separate units, each of which was commanded by a lieutenant with a platoon sergeant as his deputy. 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 in command of platoons, the non-commissioned officer rank of sergeant major of the platoon 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 made up of three to six platoons, although the exact number may vary by country, type of unit, and structure.

Typically, several companies are grouped into a battalion or regiment, the last of which is sometimes formed by several battalions. Sometimes, for special purposes, independent or separate companies are organized, such as the 1st Air Force Communications Company or the 3rd Reconnaissance Company. These companies are not organic for a battalion or regiment, but rather are directly subordinate to a higher-level organization, such as the headquarters of naval expeditionary forces (i.e., corps level command).

Companies in the units of the Russian army:

1. Motorized Rifle Company. The Soviet motorized rifle company can be mounted with any armored personnel carrier, armored personnel carrier or infantry fighting vehicle, which were more numerous in the late 1980s. The armored personnel carrier of the rifle company consisted of the company headquarters, three motorized rifle platoons and a machine-gun / anti-tank platoon. A rifle company with infantry fighting vehicles had the same number of personnel and carriers, and consisted of a company headquarters, three motorized rifle platoons and a machine-gun platoon equipped with six RPK-74. Despite the seemingly lower firepower, American commanders were encouraged to include heavier BMP weapons in their calculations.
2. Tank company. Until the late 1980s, the Soviet tank company consisted of a company headquarters and three tank platoons with T-64, T-72 or T-80 tanks with a total number of 39 people and 13 tanks; companies using old T-54, T-55 or T-62 tanks had 10 or 13 additional troops. However, forces in Eastern Europe began standardizing tank companies for 10 tanks, with three tanks in each platoon instead of four.
3. Scientific company. Scientific companies were created in 2013 to allow higher education college draftees to perform research tasks. There are 7 research mouths:

• 2nd and 3rd research companies (aerospace forces);
• 5th research company (army);
• 6th research company (General Staff);
• 7th research company (communications);
• 8th research company (medical);
• 9th research company (RKhBZ).

Battalion

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

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

Independent Operations

The battalion is the smallest military organization capable of “limited independent operations,” since the battalion is the lowest level organizational unit with organic coordinating or executive personnel and a support and service team (for example, company headquarters and headquarters). The battalion must have a replenishment source so that it can continue operations for a long time. This is because the battalion’s main load on ammunition, consumable weapons (such as hand grenades and disposable rocket launchers), water, rations, fuel, lubricants, spare parts, batteries and medical supplies usually consists only of what they can carry battalion soldiers and organic battalion vehicles.

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

Motorized rifle battalion in units of the Russian army

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

Tank battalion

Until the late 1980s, the 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 soldiers of ordinary rank and file. Nonetheless, forces in Eastern Europe began to standardize for lesser education.

Art division

The Soviet artillery battalion in the late 1980s consisted of a battalion headquarters, a platoon headquarters, a maintenance and supply platoon, and three fire batteries, each of six artillery units, whether self-propelled 2s1 Gvozdika or towed howitzers D-30, and totaled 260 person or 240 people respectively. Artillery missile battalions consisted of a staff platoon, a service battery and three fire batteries equipped with BM-21 (Gradov), with a total number 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 shelf. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.

The brigades formed in the division, 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 rear support units or units. Historically, such brigades were sometimes called brigade groups. For operations, a team may include both organic elements and attached elements, including some temporarily attached to perform a specific task.

Brigades can also be specialized and consist of battalions of the same unit, for example, cavalry, mechanized, armored, artillery, anti-aircraft, aviation, engineering, signal or rear. Some brigades are classified as independent or separate and operate independently of the traditional structure of divisions. A typical NATO standard brigade consists of approximately 3200-5500 troops. However, in Switzerland and Austria, their numbers can reach 11,000 troops. The Soviet Union, its predecessors and successors, mainly used a "regiment" instead of a brigade, and this was common in most 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 an officer general. The brigade commander has an autonomous headquarters and personnel. The chief staff officer, usually a lieutenant colonel or colonel, can be appointed chief of staff, although until the end of the 20th century the British and similar armies called the position "brigade major." Some brigades may also have a deputy commander. The headquarters has a core of staff officers and support staff (secretaries, assistants and drivers), which may vary depending on the type of brigade. Headquarters will typically have its own communications group.

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.

In most armies, a division consists of several regiments or brigades. In turn, several units, as a rule, make up the corps. Historically, the division was the default combined arms division capable of independent operations. Smaller units of combined weapons, such as the American Regimental Combat Group (RCT), during World War II, were used when conditions favored them. Recently, the modern Western military began to use a smaller brigade combat group (similar to the RCT) as the default combined arms unit. Moreover, the division to which they belong was less important.

Although the focus of the article is on army units, the division has a completely different meaning in naval use. This refers to either the administrative / functional unit of the department (for example, fire surveillance, the armament department of the administration) aboard the naval and coast guard, ships, coast teams, and in naval aviation units (including the navy, marine corps, Coast Guard and Aviation), in a subgroup of several ships in the flotilla or squadron, or two or three sections of the aircraft, operating under the direction of the appointed head of the unit.

In the administrative / functional unit, the size of the unit varies widely, although, as a rule, the number of units in the army is less than 100 people and is approximately equivalent in function and organizational hierarchy / team relation to the platoon.

Housing

An operational formation, sometimes known as a field corps, which consists of two or more divisions. Another variation is the administrative corps — a specialized unit of 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 customs often intersect. For example, during the Korean War, the tenth corps of the United States: the field corps included infantry units of the US Marine Corps and smaller units from various administrative corps of the US Army.

The corps may also be a general term for a non-military organization, such as the United States Peace Corps.

Field army

A field army (a numbered army or just an army) is a military formation in many armed forces, consisting of two or more corps and can be subordinated to a group of armies. Similarly, air armies are equivalent to formation in some air forces. The field army consists of 100-150 thousand troops.

Specific field armies are usually named or numbered to distinguish them from the “army” in the sense of the entire national land military force. In English, numbers are usually used to refer to field armies, such as "first army." While corps, as a rule, are distinguished by Roman numerals (for example, Corps I) and subordinate formations - by serial numbers (for example, 1st Division). A field army may be given a geographical name in addition to or as an alternative to a numerical name, such as the British Army of the Rhine, the Niemen Army, or the Aegean Army (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 sacer comitatus, which can literally be translated as "holy Escort". The term comes from being commanded by Roman emperors (considered sacred) when they acted as field commanders.

In some armed forces, an army is equivalent to or was equivalent to a corps level unit. In the units of the Red Army, the field army in time of war was subordinate to the front (the equivalent of an army group). It contained at least three to five divisions, together with artillery, air defense, reconnaissance, and other auxiliary units. It can be classified as a combined army or tank army. Although both were combined arms formations, the former contained a larger number of motorized rifle divisions, while the latter contained a larger number of tank divisions. In peacetime, the Soviet army was usually subordinate to the military district.

Modern field armies are large formations that differ significantly in numbers, composition and responsibilities. For example, in NATO, a field army consists of a headquarters and usually controls at least two corps under which a different number of divisions are located. 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

An army group is a military organization consisting of several field armies that is self-sufficient for an indefinite period. Usually she is responsible for a certain geographical area. An army group is the largest field organization managed by one commander — usually a general or field marshal — and includes between 400,000 and 1,000,000 soldiers.

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

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

In both the Commonwealth and the United States, the number of the army group is expressed in Arabic numerals (for example, the 12th Army group), while the number of the field army is registered (for example, the "third army").

Theater of war, front

A theater is a subdomain of the theater of war. The frontier of a theater of operations is determined by the commander who organizes or provides support for specific combat operations within the TO.

The theater of war is divided into strategic directions or military regions, depending on whether it is a question of war or peacetime. The United States Armed Forces were divided into Joint Belligerent Teams (Regions), which were assigned to a specific theater of operations. A strategic direction is a group of armies, also known as target (field) forces or battle groups. A strategic command or direction would essentially integrate a number of tactical military formations or operational command. In the modern armed forces, strategic command is better known as combat command, which can be a combination of groups.

In the units of the Russian army

The large geographic unit used by the Soviet and Russian Armed Forces to classify continental geographical territories is classified as a “theater”. The separation of large continental and marine areas helps in determining the limits in which action plans are developed for strategic military forces. This allows military operations to be carried out on specific important strategic areas known as fronts, which were named according to their “theater" of military operations, for example, the South-Western Front (Russian Empire), the 1st Ukrainian Front and the Northern Front (Soviet Union) . In peacetime, due to the loss of strategic direction, the fronts were transformed into military areas (areas) responsible for the allotted area of \u200b\u200boperations.

Conclusion

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

For many civilians, such words as separation, platoon, company, regiment, and others are known. However, most of them never thought about how it differs, for example, separation from a regiment, and a platoon from a company. In fact, the structure of military units is formed on the basis of the strength of the military personnel. In this article, we will consider the size of each military unit and deal in detail with the structure of military units.

Brief description of units and the number of troops

In order to clearly control the personnel of military personnel, military units have a certain structure, each link of which has its own commander or chief. Each unit has a different number of military personnel, and is part of a larger unit (the department is part of the platoon, the platoon is part of the company, etc.). The smallest unit is the department, it includes from four to ten people, and the largest formation is the front (district), the number of which is difficult to name, since it depends on a number of factors. In order to have a clearer idea of \u200b\u200bthe size of the military unit, it is necessary to consider each of them, which we will deal with further.

What is separation and how many people are in it

As noted above, the smallest military unit is a unit that is directly part of the platoon. The squad leader is the direct chief of the squad personnel. In army jargon, it is abbreviated as “Dresser”. Most often, the squad leader has the rank of junior sergeant, or sergeant, and the squad itself can consist of ordinary soldiers and corporal. Depending on the type of troops, a different number of people can be in the squad. Interestingly, the equivalent of the squad in tank units is the crew of the tank, and in the artillery units - calculation. The picture below shows some examples of differences between the crew, crew and crew

The picture shows a motorized rifle squad, but in fact there are various squads in the battalions, for example: squadron commander’s command department (4 people), command platoon reconnaissance department (4 people), weapon repair department, repair platoon (3 people), communications department (8 people) other.

What is a platoon and how many people are in it

The next largest personnel is a platoon. Most often, it includes from three to six departments, respectively, its number ranges from fifteen to sixty people. As a rule, a platoon is commanded by a junior officer - a junior lieutenant, lieutenant or senior lieutenant.
  On the infographic, you can see examples of motorized rifle and tank platoons, as well as the firing platoon of a mortar battery


  Thus, we see that a motorized rifle platoon consists of a platoon command (platoon commander and deputy) and 3 squads (we examined the squad composition above in the picture). That is, only 29 people.
  The tank platoon consists of 3 tank crews. It is important that the commander of a tank platoon is also the commander of the first tank, so there are only 9 people in a tank platoon.
  The fire platoon consists of 3-4 calculations, each calculation consists of 7 people, so the number of platoon is 21-28 people.

Also, in addition to the units represented by the example, there are many more different platoons in various brigades and regiments. For example, we indicate only a few of them:

• Control platoon
• Communication platoon
• Reconnaissance platoon
• Engineering sapper platoon
• Grenade platoon
• Platoon of material support
• Medical platoon
• Anti-aircraft missile platoon
• Repair platoon, etc.

Company and the number of people in it

The third largest military formation is the company. Depending on the type of troops, the number of companies can be from 30 to 150 soldiers, which are part of 2 to 4 platoons. So, the number of tank companies is 31 - 40 people, and the number of servicemen of a motorized rifle company ranges from 150 people. A company is also a formation of tactical significance, which means that the military personnel that are part of the company, in the event of hostilities, can perform tactical tasks independently, without being part of the battalion. The company is often commanded by an officer with the rank of captain, and only in some units is this position occupied by a major. Also, depending on the type of troops, the company may have another name. For example, an artillery company is called a battery, an aviation company is called an aviation unit, and previously there was also a cavalry company, which was called a squadron.

In the example, we have a tank and a motorized rifle company, as well as a mortar battery

The battalion and the number of troops in it

As in other military units, the size of the battalion depends on the type of troops. The battalion consists of 2 to 4 companies, and employs from 250 to 1000 people. As you can see, this military unit is already quite impressive in number, and therefore it is considered the main tactical formation capable of acting independently.

Many have heard the song of the Lyube group called Combat, but not everyone knows what this means. So, the battalion commander commands the battalion, which abbreviated as “battalion commander”, in whose honor this composition of the same name was written. The battalion commander is a lieutenant colonel position, but most often battalion commanders are captains and majors who have the opportunity to curry favor with their rank and get the stars of the lieutenant colonel.

The activities of the battalion are coordinated at the headquarters of the battalion. Like a company, a battalion, depending on the type of troops, may be called differently. For example, in the artillery and anti-aircraft missile forces they are called divisions (artillery division, air defense division).

The battalions and divisions are much more specific units, which were mentioned above. Therefore, the structure can be represented as separate infographics

Regiment and its composition

The regiment includes from three to six battalions. The number of the regiment does not exceed two thousand people. The regiment itself is directly a key tactical formation, which is completely autonomous. To command such a formation, it is necessary to have the rank of colonel, but in practice, lieutenant colonels are more often placed as regiment commanders. The regiment may include several different units. For example, if there are three tank battalions and one motorized rifle in a regiment, the regiment will have the name tank. Also, depending on the type of troops, the regiment can perform different tasks: combined arms, anti-aircraft, rear.

There are also more numerous units that were heard by civilians much less often than the above formations. We will try to briefly talk about them in the next part of the article.

Brigade, division, corps, army, front

After the regiment, the next largest in number is the brigade, which usually numbers from two to eight thousand troops. The brigade includes several battalions (divisions), several auxiliary companies, and sometimes two, or even three regiments. The commander of the brigade (abbreviated as brigade commander) is an officer with the rank of colonel.

The main operational-tactical formation is a division. It includes several regiments, as well as many auxiliary units of various kinds of troops. High officers are allowed to command the division with the rank of major general and above, since the number of the division is an impressive 12-24 thousand people.

Another military formation is the army corps. It is formed from several divisions, which can reach one hundred thousand people. The predominance of any kind of troops during the creation of the army corps is absent, since it is a combined arms formation. A corps commander may be a soldier of the highest officer composition - major general and above.

The army as a military unit consists of several corps. The exact number of troops can range from two hundred thousand to a million, depending on the structure. The army is commanded by a major general or lieutenant general.

The front, and in peacetime, the military district is the largest division of all existing in the armed forces. Its number is very difficult to name, since it can vary depending on the political situation, military doctrine, region, etc. The position of front commander can be held by a lieutenant general or army general.

General principles for the formation of the number of units

From the above, you can build a certain chain that will help to finally clarify the general principles of forming the number of units:

• 5 to 10 people form a department;
• 3 to 6 squads form a platoon;
• 3 to 6 platoons create a company;
• 3-4 companies form a battalion;
• 3 to 6 battalions create a regiment;
• 2 to 3 battalions form a brigade;
• several brigades and auxiliary units form a division;
• 3-4 divisions create an army corps;
• 2 to 10 divisions are able to form an army

You also need to remember that the number of military units may depend directly on the type of troops. For example, tank units are always significantly inferior in numbers to motorized rifle units.

Other tactical terms

In addition to the above terms of the number of military units, the following concepts can also be distinguished:

1. Unit - all military units that are part of the unit. In other words, such military terms as detachment, platoon, company, etc., can be expressed by the word "unit".
2. The military unit is the main independent unit of the Armed Forces. Most often, the unit is a regiment or brigade. Separate companies and battalions can also be military units. The main features of the part are:

• the presence of open and closed combined arms rooms;
• military facilities;
• bank account;
• postal and telegraphic addresses;
• own paperwork;
• official stamp of a part;
• commander’s right to issue written orders.

All these signs indicate that the part has the autonomy it needs.

1. Compound. In fact, this term can only be used to describe a division. The word "connection" itself implies the union of several parts. If the composition of the brigade is formed from separate battalions and companies that have the status of units, then in this case the brigade can also be called a formation.
2. An association. It unites such units as the corps, army, front or district.

After analyzing all the above concepts, we can understand what principles the numerical class of military units is based on. Now, watching movies on military subjects, or communicating with a military man, having heard most of the military terms, you will have a clear idea about them. It is worth noting that this article does not pay due attention to the structure of aviation and naval formations, since they are not significantly different from the military.

Armed Forces of the state   - defense and combat organizations supplied by the government, used in the interests of the state. In some countries, the structure Sun   militarized organizations are included.

Types of aircraft

BOC are usually divided into different types; they are usually the army (ground forces), aviation (air force), and the navy (navy / navy). A number of countries organize part of their Armed Forces as separate corps - the Marine Corps (USA), etc. The Coast Guard can also be part of the Armed Forces (although in many countries it refers to the police, or is a civilian institution). The French structure, copied by many countries, includes three traditional species, and, as a fourth, the Gendarmerie.

Often used the term combined forces, meaning military units composed of two or more types of Armed Forces.

Aircraft Organizational Hierarchy

The smallest unit of aircraft is a unit. A unit usually acts as a whole, and is homogeneous in composition (for example, only infantry, only cavalry, etc.). In turn, units can be divided into smaller units.

In the Soviet and Russian armies, the main unit is the battalion, or company. They are tactical level .

Larger units of the Armed Forces of Russia are called, depending on size, units, formations and associations. Examples of formations are brigades, divisions, wings, etc. They form strategic level , in a number of countries, for example, in Russia, stands out operational level , the main operational unit was the division.

In different states (and even in different types of armed forces of one state), the same unit name can be used in different meanings, for example, a squadron (English squadron). It can be used in the fleet as a designation of the formation of several ships; can be used in aviation, as the name of the unit (squadron); in a number of armies, including in the American and Red Army - the name of the cavalry unit corresponding to the battalion; in the armies of the British Commonwealth, a squadron often refers to a tank company.

Command (eng. Command) are units, units and formations that form together a single whole, and are under the command of one officer. Usually this is a high-level organizational unit responsible directly to the government or the national general headquarters. In a number of countries, commands are united by type of armed forces, for example, the Command of the Ground Forces.

In the Russian Army, the term “command” roughly corresponds to the term “association”.

Hierarchy of modern armies

Symbol	Army unit name   (units; connections)	Number of soldiers	Number of subordinate units	Army Unit Command   (units; connections)
XXXXXXX	region or theater of operations	300 000 +	2+ fronts	marshal or commander in chief
XXXXXX	front district	200 000 +	2+ army groups	army general marshal
Xxxxx	army group	100 000 +	2+ army	army general marshal
Xxxx	army	50 000 - 60 000+	2+ buildings	colonel General
XXX	body	30 000 - 50 000	2-4 divisions	lieutenant general
XX	division	10 000 - 20 000	2-4 brigades	major general
X	team	3000-5000	2+ regiments	colonel Major General
III	regiment	2000-3000	2-3 battalions	lieutenant colonel
II	battalion division	300-1000	2-6 mouth	major, lieutenant colonel
I	company, battery, squadron	70-250	2-8 platoons	senior lieutenant or captain
	platoon	25-60	3-4 branches	junior lieutenant, lieutenant or senior lieutenant
?	department, crew, calculation	8-16	2 groups, links	junior Sergeant, Sergeant, Senior Sergeant
?	link, group, team	4-8	0	corporal, Junior Sergeant

Steps in this ladder can be skipped: for example, a NATO battalion-brigade organization is usually organized by NATO forces (such an organization is also used in Russia, it is an alternative to division of a battalion-regiment-division). However, units of higher levels can exist only in large armed forces.

The army, army group, district and theater of operations are the largest associations (English formations), which can be very different from each other in size and composition. At the division level, support forces are usually added (field artillery, medical service, rear service, etc.), which may not be at the level of regiments (English regiments) and battalions. In the USA, a regiment with support units is called a regimental combat team, and in England and other countries it is called a battle group.

In some countries, traditional confusing names may be used. Thus, the British and Canadian tank battalions are divided into squadrons (companies, English companies) and troops, English. troops (resp. platoons), while in the American cavalry the squadron corresponds not to a company, but to a battalion, and is divided into troops (troops, resp. companies) and platoons.

The fronts of the Red Army during World War II corresponded, according to this classification, to army groups.

Additions

1. The names of these units may vary depending on the type of troops. For instance:

  and). In the Soviet Army (and, accordingly, in the Russian), a squad can be called a crew. Functionally corresponds to the crew of one combat vehicle;
  b) In missile troops and artillery, air defense troops, a squad may be called a calculation. Functionally corresponds to the calculation that serves one gun or combat vehicle; at). In missile and artillery, air defense troops, a company is called a battery, and a battalion is called a division; d). In cavalry, the battalion was called a squadron. Currently in the armies of the Anglo-Saxon countries (Britain, USA) there are so-called. armored cavalry troops in which such a name is preserved; e). In cavalry, a company was called a half-squadron. Currently in the armies of the Anglo-Saxon countries (Britain, USA) there are so-called. armored cavalry troops in which such a name or "corpse" is preserved; e). Other names also exist in the Russian Cossack troops;

1. The indicated strength refers to infantry (motorized infantry, motorized rifle) troops. In other types of troops, the number of units with the same names can be significantly less. For example, an infantry regiment consists of 3 to 4 thousand people, an artillery regiment consists of 1 thousand.
2. Any military unit in the army has not one, but two states - peacetime and wartime. In the wartime state, new posts are added to existing units, new units and new units. Missing soldiers are called up for general mobilization in wartime. In the Soviet (and Russian) Army distinguish:

  and). Deployed wartime staff; b) Reduced staff at). Cadre units (in which the staff consists only of level officers from platoon or company commanders and above);

In the modern Russian Army, about 85% of military units have reduced staff, the remaining 15% are so-called. “Units of constant readiness”, which are deployed in full staff. In peacetime, the Armed Forces in Russia are divided into military districts, each of which is headed by the commander of the district’s troops with the rank of colonel general. In wartime, fronts are deployed on the basis of military districts.

1. In all modern armies, the “triple” (sometimes “quadruple”) composition is adopted. This means that the infantry regiment consists of three infantry battalions ("three-battalion composition"). In addition to them, it includes smaller auxiliary units - for example, a mortar battery, a repair company, etc. In turn, each infantry battalion of the regiment consists of three infantry companies, and smaller auxiliary units - for example, a communications platoon.
2. Thus, the hierarchy may not go directly, for example, a mortar battery in an infantry regiment is not part of any battalion (division). Accordingly, separate battalions can be allocated, each of which is an independent military unit, or even individual companies. Also, each regiment can be part of a division, or (at a higher level) obey immediately the command of the corps ("regiment of corps subordination"), or, even higher, the regiment can report directly to the command of the military district ("regiment of district subordination");
3. In an infantry regiment, the main units — infantry battalions — report directly to the regiment commander. All auxiliary units are already subordinate to his deputies. The same system is repeated at all levels. For example, for an artillery regiment of district subordination, the chief will be not the commander of the district’s troops, but the chief of the district’s artillery. The communications platoon of the infantry battalion is not subordinate to the battalion commander, but to his first deputy - the chief of staff.
4. A separate unit is the brigade. In terms of their position, brigades stand between the regiment (regiment commander — colonel) and the division (division commander — major general). In most armies of the world, between the ranks of Colonel and Major General there is an intermediate rank "Brigadier General"corresponding to the brigade commander. In Russia, traditionally there is no such title. In the modern Russian Army, the Soviet division military district-corps-division-regiment-battalion, as a rule, is replaced by an abbreviated military district - brigade - battalion.

Currently, there is a transition to the “new look of the armed forces” of the Russian Federation with the corresponding corps-brigade-battalion structure. This transition leads to a reduction in the number of officers, which presents certain difficulties for the Ministry of Defense, the need to provide housing for dismissed officers with housing or housing certificates. As well as the redistribution of personnel and weapons of the disbanded units.

Different levels

In the Russian Army, the units specified in this article are divided into units   (squad - battalion), parts(separate battalion - regiment), connections   (brigade, division) and associations   (corps, army, front). Accordingly, the lowest tactical   the level at which the main unit is a division, operational   level (army front), the largest - strategic   (group of fronts).

Detailed description

Branch

In the Soviet and Russian army, a detachment is the smallest military unit with a full-time commander. The unit is commanded by a junior sergeant or sergeant. Usually in the motorized rifle department 9-13 people. In the departments of other branches of the armed forces, the number of personnel in the department is from 3 to 15 people. In some military branches, the branch is called differently. In artillery - crew, in tank troops - crew. In some other armies, detachment is not the smallest formation. For example, in the US Army, the smallest formation is a group, and the separation consists of two groups. But basically, in most armies, detachment is the smallest formation. Usually a squad is part of a platoon, but can exist outside of a platoon. For example, the reconnaissance and diving department of the engineering battalion is not included in any of the platoon of the battalion, but is directly subordinate to the chief of staff of the battalion.

Platoon

Several squads make up the platoon. Usually in a platoon from 2 to 4 departments, but a larger number is possible. At the head of a platoon is a commander in an officer rank. In the Soviet and Russian army, this is a mln. Lieutenant, lieutenant or senior lieutenant. On average, the number of platoon personnel ranges from 9 to 45 people. Usually in all branches of the army the name is the same - a platoon. Usually a platoon is part of a company, but can exist independently.

Company

Several platoons make up the company. In addition, several independent units, not included in any of the platoons, may also enter the company. For example, in a motorized rifle company there are three motorized rifle platoons, a machine gun compartment, and an anti-tank compartment. Usually a company consists of 2-4 platoons, sometimes of a larger number of platoons. A company is the smallest formation that has tactical significance, that is, a formation capable of independently carrying out small tactical tasks on the battlefield. The company commander is the captain. On average, the number of companies can be from 70 to 200 people. Motorized rifle companies are usually around 101-150 people, tank companies 30-35 people. Usually a company is part of the battalion, but often the existence of companies as independent formations. In artillery, the formation of this type is called a battery, in cavalry - a squadron.

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 units. The battalion, like the company, platoon, squad, is named for its type of troops (tank, motorized rifle, engineer-sapper, communications). But the battalion already includes the formation of other weapons. For example, in a motorized rifle battalion, in addition to motorized rifle companies, there is a mortar battery, a platoon of material support, a platoon of communications. The battalion commander major or 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 150 people. In artillery, the formation of this type is called the division.

• Note1   : The name of the formation — detachment, platoon, company, etc., does not depend on the size of the personnel, but on the type of troops and those tactical tasks that are assigned to the formation of this type. Hence, such a spread in the number of personnel in the formations having the same name.

Regiment

In the Soviet and Russian army, this is the main (we can say - key) tactical formation and a formation that is completely autonomous in the economic sense. The regiment is commanded by the colonel. Although the regiments are named according to the combat arms (tank, motorized rifle, communications, pontoon-bridge, etc.), but in fact it is a formation consisting of units of many military branches, and the name is given according to the prevailing military branch. For example, in a motorized rifle regiment, two or three motorized rifle battalions, one tank battalion, one artillery battalion (read the battalion), one anti-aircraft missile battalion, a reconnaissance company, an engineer-sapper company, a communications company, an anti-tank battery, a chemical defense platoon, a repair company, material support company, orchestra, medical center. The number of personnel of the regiment 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 the regiment, but the battalions and other units in the brigade are much larger. So in the motorized rifle brigade of motorized rifle and tank battalions, one and a half to two times more than in the regiment. The brigade can also consist of two regiments, plus battalions and auxiliary companies. On average, the team from 2 to 8 thousand people. The brigade commander, as well as the regiment, is the colonel.

Division

The main operational-tactical formation. As well as the regiment is named according to the predominant type of troops. However, the predominance of one kind or another of the troops is much smaller than in the regiment. The motorized rifle and tank divisions 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 armored division, while in a tank division, on the contrary, two or three armored regiments are one and a motorized rifle one. In addition to these main regiments, the division has one or two artillery regiments, one anti-aircraft missile regiment, a jet division, a missile division, a helicopter squadron, an engineer and combat battalion, a communications battalion, an automobile battalion, an reconnaissance battalion, an electronic warfare battalion, and a material support battalion. repair and restoration battalion, health battalion, chemical defense company and several different auxiliary companies and platoons. In the modern Russian Army, there are or may be tank, motorized rifle, artillery, airborne, missile and aviation divisions. In other types of troops, as a rule, the highest formation is a regiment or brigade. On average, 12-24 thousand people are in the division. The commander of the division is major general.

Housing

Just as a brigade is an intermediate formation between a regiment and a division, a corps is an intermediate formation between a division and an army. The corps is already a combined-arms formation, that is, it is usually devoid of the attribute of one kind of troops, although there may exist tank or artillery corps, that is, corps with the complete predominance of tank or artillery divisions in them. The combined arms corps is commonly referred to as the “army corps”. A single housing structure does not exist. Each time, the corps is formed on the basis of a specific military or military-political situation and may consist of two or three divisions and a different number of formations of other military branches. Typically, a corps is created where it is not practical to create an army. In peacetime, there were literally three to five corps in the Soviet Army. During World War II, corps were usually created either for an offensive in a secondary direction, an offensive in a zone where it is impossible to deploy an army, or vice versa, to concentrate forces in the main direction (tank corps). Very often then the corps existed in a matter of weeks or months, and upon completion of the task it disbanded. It is impossible to talk about the structure and size of the corps, because as many corps existed or existed, so many of their structures existed. Corps commander lieutenant general.

Army

This word is used in three basic meanings: 1. Army - the armed forces of the state as a whole; 2.Armiya - ground forces of the armed forces of the state (in contrast to the fleet and military aviation); 3. The army is a military formation. Here we are talking about the army as a military formation. The army is a large military formation of operational designation. The army includes divisions, regiments, battalions of all military branches. Usually armies are no longer subdivided according to the branches of the armed forces, although tank armies may exist where tank divisions predominate. An army may also contain 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 referred to as the “commander”, but the “commander of the army”. Usually the full-time rank of army commander is Colonel General. In peacetime, armies as military units are rarely organized. Usually divisions, regiments, battalions are directly included in the district.

Military District (Front)

This is the highest military formation of the strategic type. Larger formations do not exist. The designation “front” is used only in wartime for a formation conducting hostilities. For such formations in peacetime, or located in the rear, the name "district" (military district) is used. The front includes several armies, corps, divisions, regiments, battalions of all military branches. The composition and size of the front may be different. Fronts are never divided by types of troops (that is, there can be no tank front, artillery front, etc.). At the head of the front (district) is the commander of the front (district) with the rank of army general.

• Note 2   : The concepts “tactical formation”, “operational - tactical formation”, “strategic ..”, etc. are used higher in the text. These terms indicate the range of tasks that can be solved by this formation in the light of military art. Military art is divided into three levels:

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

There is also such a name as a "group of troops." In wartime, this is the name of military units that solve operational tasks inherent in the front, but operating in a narrower sector or secondary direction and, accordingly, are much smaller and weaker than such a formation as the front, but stronger than the army. In peacetime, so-called in the Soviet Army were associations of formations deployed abroad (the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, the Central Group of Forces, the Northern Group of Forces, the Southern Group of Forces). In Germany, this group of forces included several armies and divisions. In Czechoslovakia, the Central Group of Forces consisted of five divisions, three of which were combined into a corps. In Poland, the military group consisted of two divisions, and in Hungary of three divisions.

In the literature, in military documents, such names as “team” and “detachment” also appear. The term “team” has now become obsolete. It was used to designate special forces formations (sappers, signalmen, scouts, etc.) that are part of the military forces. Usually, in terms of numbers and combat missions, there is something in between a platoon and a company. The term "detachment" was used to designate such formations according to tasks and strength as the average between a company and a battalion. Occasionally, it is now used as a designation for a constantly existing formation. For example, a drilling unit is an engineering group designed to drill wells for water production in areas where surface water sources are not available. The term "detachment" is also used to designate temporarily for the period of battle the organized group of units (advanced detachment, bypassing detachment, cover detachment).

Above the text, I deliberately did not use concepts - subdivision, part, connection, unification, replacing these words with the faceless “formation”. I did this so as not to cause confusion. Now that we have figured out the specific names, we can move on to the names uniting, grouping.

Subdivision

This word designates all military formations that are part of the unit. A detachment, a platoon, a company, a battalion - all of them are united in one word "division". The word comes from the concept of division, divide. That is, the part is divided into units.

Part (V.Ch.)

This is the basic unit of the armed forces. Under the concept of "part" most often refers to the regiment and brigade. External signs of the unit are: the presence of its own paperwork, military facilities, bank account, postal and telegraphic addresses, its own official seal, the commander’s right to give written orders, open ( W / H 08728) and closed ( 44th training tank division) names. That is, the part has sufficient autonomy. Having a Battle Banner is optional for a part. In addition to the regiment and brigade, the divisions headquarters, corps headquarters, army headquarters, district headquarters, as well as other military organizations (voentorg, army hospital, garrison clinic, district food warehouse, district song and dance ensemble, officers garrison house, garrison factory services, central school of junior specialists, military school, military institute, etc.). In some cases, the status of a unit with all its external features may have formations, which we attributed to units above. Units can be a battalion, company, or even occasionally a platoon. Such formations are not included in the composition of regiments or brigades, and directly as an independent military unit on the rights of a regiment or brigade can be part of both a division and a corps, army, front (district) and even directly report to the General Staff. Such formations also have their open and closed names. For instance, 650 Separate Transfer - Airborne Battalion, 1257 separate communications company, 65 separate platoon of electronic intelligence. A characteristic feature of such parts is the word "separate", standing after the numbers before the name. However, a regiment may have the word "separate" in its name. This is if the regiment is not part of the division, but is directly part of the army (corps, district, front). For example, 120 separate regiment of guards mortars.

• Note 3   : Please note that the terms military unit (military unit) and military unit (military unit no.) Mean not the same thing. The term "military unit" is used as a general designation, without specificity. If we are talking about a specific regiment, brigade, etc., then the term "military unit" is used. Usually, her number is also mentioned next: “military unit 74292” (but “military unit 74292” cannot be used) or, in short form, military unit 74292.

Compound

Usually, this term refers to a division. Here, the word "connection" means a combination of parts. The division headquarters has the status of a unit. Other units (regiments) are subordinate to this part (headquarters). All together and forms a connection - a division. However, in some cases, the brigade may have the status of the connection. This happens when the brigade includes separate battalions and companies, which in itself have the status of units. The headquarters of the brigade in this case, like the headquarters of the division, has the status of a unit, and battalions and companies as independent units report to the headquarters of the brigade. By the way, at the same time, battalions and companies may exist in the headquarters of the brigade (division). So at the same time, battalions and companies as units, and battalions and companies as units can be in combination.

An association

This concept includes a corps, army, district (front) troops, and army groups. The headquarters of the association is the management (part), which subordinate various formations and military units.

Intended for operating behind enemy lines, destroying nuclear attack facilities, command and control posts, capturing and holding important areas and objects, disrupting the enemy rear command and control system, and assisting the Ground Forces in developing an offensive and forcing water barriers. Equipped with airborne self-propelled artillery, missile, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, armored personnel carriers, military vehicles, automatic small arms, communications and control equipment. The available parachute-landing equipment allows you to throw troops and cargo in any weather and terrain conditions, day and night from various heights. Organizationally airborne troops consist of (Fig. 1) airborne formations, airborne brigades, military units of special forces.

Fig. 1. The structure of the Airborne Forces

The Airborne Forces are armed with ASU-85 airborne self-propelled guns; self-propelled artillery "Octopus-SD"; 122 mm howitzer D-30; BMD-1/2/3/4 landing combat vehicles; armored personnel carriers BTR-D.

A part of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation may be part of the combined armed forces (for example, the CIS Allied Forces) or may be under joint command in accordance with international treaties of the Russian Federation (for example, as part of the UN peacekeeping forces or the CIS collective peacekeeping forces in areas of local military conflicts )

Branch

The smallest military unit in -   branch. The unit is commanded by a junior sergeant or sergeant. Usually in the motorized rifle department 9-13 people. In the departments of other branches of the armed forces, the number of personnel in the department is from 3 to 15 people. Usually a squad is part of a platoon, but can exist outside of a platoon.

Platoon

Several departments make up   platoon.   Usually in a platoon from 2 to 4 departments, but a larger number is possible. At the head of a platoon is a commander in the officer rank - 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 army the name is the same - a platoon. Usually a platoon is part of a company, but can exist independently.

Company

Several platoons make up   company.   In addition, a company may include several independent units not included in any of the platoons. For example, in a motorized rifle company there are three motorized rifle platoons, a machine gun compartment, and an anti-tank compartment. Usually a company consists of 2-4 platoons, sometimes of a larger number of platoons. A company is the smallest formation with tactical significance, i.e. formation capable of independently performing small tactical tasks on the battlefield. Company commander captain. On average, the number of companies can be from 18 to 200 people. Motorized rifle companies are usually around 130-150 people, tank companies 30-35 people. Usually a company is part of the battalion, but often the existence of companies as independent formations. In artillery, the formation of this type is called the battery, in the cavalry squadron.

Battalion   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 units. The battalion, like the company, platoon, squad, is named for its type of troops (tank, motorized rifle, engineer-sapper, communications). But the battalion already includes the formation of other weapons. For example, in a motorized rifle battalion, in addition to motorized rifle companies, there is a mortar battery, a platoon of material support, a platoon of communications. Commander of the battalion 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, the formation of this type is called the division.

Regiment

Regiment - This is the main tactical formation and completely autonomous in the economic sense of the formation. The regiment is commanded by the colonel. Although the regiments are named according to the combat arms (tank, motorized rifle, communications, pontoon-bridge, etc.), but in fact it is a formation consisting of units of many military branches, and the name is given according to the prevailing military branch. For example, in a motorized rifle regiment, two or three motorized rifle battalions, one tank battalion, one artillery battalion (read the battalion), one anti-aircraft missile battalion, reconnaissance company, civil 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 from 900 to 2000 people.

Brigade

Like a regiment,   team   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 the regiment, but the battalions and other units in the brigade are much larger. So in the motorized rifle brigade of motorized rifle and tank battalions, one and a half to two times more than in the regiment. The brigade can also consist of two regiments, plus battalions and auxiliary companies. On average, the team from 2 to 8 thousand people. The brigade commander, as well as the regiment, is the colonel.

Division

Division - The main operational-tactical formation. As well as the regiment is named according to the predominant type of troops. However, the predominance of one kind or another of the troops is much smaller than in the regiment. The motorized rifle and tank divisions 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 armored division, while in a tank division, on the contrary, two or three armored regiments are one and a motorized rifle division. In addition to these main regiments, the division has one or two artillery regiments, one anti-aircraft missile regiment, a jet division, a missile division, a helicopter squadron, an engineer and combat battalion, a communications battalion, an automobile battalion, an reconnaissance battalion, an electronic warfare battalion, a material support battalion, and repair -remediation battalion, health battalion, chemical defense company and several different auxiliary companies and platoons. Divisions can be tank, motorized rifle, artillery, airborne, missile and aviation. In other types of troops, as a rule, the highest formation is a regiment or brigade. On average, 12-24 thousand people are in the division. The commander of the division is major general.

Housing

As a brigade is an intermediate formation between a regiment and a division, so   body   is an intermediate formation between a division and an army. The corps is a combined-arms formation, i.e., it is usually devoid of the attribute of one kind of troops, although there may also be tank or artillery corps, i.e. corps with the complete predominance of tank or artillery divisions in them. The combined arms corps is commonly referred to as the “army corps”. A single housing structure does not exist. Each time, the corps is formed on the basis of a specific military or military-political situation, and may consist of two or three divisions and a different number of formations of other military branches. Typically, a corps is created where it is not practical to create an army. It is impossible to talk about the structure and size of the corps, because as many corps existed or existed, so many of their structures existed. Corps commander lieutenant general.

Army

Army - This is a large military formation of operational designation. The army includes divisions, regiments, battalions of all military branches. Usually armies are no longer subdivided according to the branches of the armed forces, although tank armies may exist where tank divisions predominate. An army may also contain 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 referred to as the “commander”, but the “commander of the army”. Usually the full-time rank of army commander is Colonel General. In peacetime, armies as military units are rarely organized. Usually divisions, regiments, battalions are directly included in the district.

Front

Front (district)   - This is the highest military formation of the strategic type. Larger formations do not exist. The name "front" is used only in wartime for a formation conducting hostilities. For such formations in peacetime, or located in the rear, the name "district" (military district) is used. The front includes several armies, corps, divisions, regiments, battalions of all military branches. The composition and size of the front may be different. Fronts are never divided by types of troops (i.e., there can be no tank front, artillery front, etc.). At the head of the front (district) is the commander of the front (district) with the rank of army general.

Military art in Russia, as well as throughout the world, is divided into three levels:

• Tactics   (art of warfare). The detachment, platoon, company, battalion, regiment solve tactical tasks, that is, they are fighting.
• Operational art   (the art of battles, battles). The division, corps, army solve operational tasks, that is, they are fighting.
• Strategy   (the art of war as a whole). The front solves both operational and strategic tasks, that is, it conducts major battles, as a result of which the strategic situation changes and the outcome of the war can be decided.