Branch

Platoon

Several squads make up a 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. In the Soviet and Russian armies this is ml. 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 a company. In addition, a company may also include several independent squads not included in any of the platoons. For example, in motorized rifle company three motorized rifle platoons, a machine gun squad, an anti-tank squad. Usually a company consists of 2-4 platoons, sometimes more platoons. A company is the smallest formation of tactical importance, that is, 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 platoon material support, communications platoon. Battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel. The battalion already has its own headquarters. Usually, on average, a battalion, depending on the type of troops, can number from 250 to 950 people. However, there are battalions of about 100 people. In artillery, this type of formation is called a division.

Regiment

In the Soviet and Russian armies, 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 branches of the military, in fact this is a formation consisting of units of many branches of the military, and the name is given according to the predominant branch of the military. The number of personnel in the regiment ranges from 900 to 2000 people.

Brigade

Just like a regiment, it is the main tactical formation. Actually, the brigade occupies an intermediate position between a regiment and a division. 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

Frame

Just as a brigade is an intermediate formation between a regiment and a division, so 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 deprived of the characteristic of one type of military force. 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.

Overall material rating: 5

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Branch

In the Russian Army, a squad is the smallest military formation that has a full-time commander. 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. In some branches of the military the branch is called differently.
In artillery - crew, in tank forces - crew. Typically a squad is part of a platoon.

Platoon

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

Company

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

Battalion

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

Regiment

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

Brigade

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

Division

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

Army

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

District

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

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

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

Subdivision

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

Part

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

This will be my first blog post. It’s not a full-fledged article in terms of the number of words and information, but it’s a very important note, which can be read in one breath and has almost more benefits than many of my articles. So, what is a squad, platoon, company and other concepts known to us from books and films? And how many people do they contain?

What is a platoon, company, battalion, etc.

Branch
Platoon
Battalion
Brigade
Division
Frame
Army
Front (district)

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

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

How many people do they include?

Department. Numbers from 5 to 10 people. The squad is commanded by the squad leader. A squad leader is a sergeant's position, so commode (short for squad leader) is often a junior sergeant or sergeant.

Platoon. A platoon includes from 3 to 6 sections, that is, it can reach from 15 to 60 people. The platoon commander is in charge of the platoon. This is already an officer position. It is occupied by a minimum of a lieutenant and a maximum of a captain.

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

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

This is the position of lieutenant colonel. But in our country both captains and majors command, who in the future may become lieutenant colonels, provided they retain this position.

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

Brigade. A brigade is several battalions, sometimes 2 or even 3 regiments. The brigade usually has from 1,000 to 4,000 people. It is commanded by a colonel. The abbreviated title for the position of brigade commander is brigade commander.

Division. These are several regiments, including artillery and, possibly, tank + rear service + sometimes aviation. Commanded by a colonel or major general. The number of divisions varies. From 4,500 to 22,000 people.

Frame. These are several divisions. That is, in the region of 100,000 people. The corps is commanded by a major general.

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

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

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

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

control;
missile army (one - two);
army (five - six);
tank army (one - two);
air army (one - two);
air defense army;
separate formations and units of various types of troops and special troops of front-line subordination;
formations, units and establishments of operational rear services.

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

What other similar tactical terms exist?

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

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

IMPORTANT! Please note that the terms military unit and military unit do not mean exactly the same thing. The term “military unit” is used as a general designation, without specifics. If we are talking about a specific regiment, brigade, etc., then the term “military unit” is used. Usually its number is also mentioned: “military unit 74292” (but you cannot use “military unit 74292”) or, for short, military unit 74292.

Compound. As a standard, only a division fits this term. The word “connection” itself means to connect parts. The division headquarters has the status of a unit. Other units (regiments) are subordinate to this unit (headquarters). All together there is a division. However, in some cases, a brigade may also have the status of a connection. This happens if the brigade includes separate battalions and companies, each of which has the status of a unit in itself.

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

Bottom line

There are no other specific and grouping concepts in the military hierarchy. At least in the Ground Forces. In this article we did not touch upon the hierarchy of military formations of the aviation and navy. However, the attentive reader can now imagine the naval and aviation hierarchy quite simply and with minor errors.

Now it will be easier for us to dialogue, friends! After all, every day we are getting closer to speaking the same language. You are learning more and more military terms and meanings, and I am getting closer and closer to civilian life!))

I wish everyone to find in this article what they were looking for,

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

Personnel of the division and its units: average values

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is a battalion

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

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

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

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

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

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

What types of battalions are there?

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

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

Regarding airborne troops, then the quantity depends on the features vocational training divisions:

the parachute battalion includes from 360 to 400 people;
air assault consists of 450-530;
individual marine and air assault units are distinguished by the highest numbers - from 650 to 700 military personnel.

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

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

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

Smallest units

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

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

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

Armed forces(AF) states- defensive and military organizations supplied by the government and used in the interests of the state. In some countries the structure Sun paramilitary organizations are included.

Types of aircraft

VoS are usually divided into various types; usually they are the army ( ground forces), aviation ( air force) and navy ( navy / naval forces). A number of countries organize part of their Armed Forces as separate corps - marines(USA), etc. May also be part of the Armed Forces Coast Guard(although in many countries it is part of the police force, or is a civilian agency). The French structure, copied by many countries, includes three traditional branches, and, as a fourth, the Gendarmerie.

The term consolidated forces is often used, meaning military units made up of two or more branches of the Armed Forces.

Organizational hierarchy of the Armed Forces

The minimum unit of the aircraft is a unit. The unit usually operates as a single unit, and is homogeneous in composition (for example, only infantry, only cavalry, etc.). In turn, divisions can be divided into smaller units.

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

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

IN different countries(and even in different types Armed Forces of the same state) the same unit name can be used in different meanings, for example, squadron. It may be used in the navy to designate a formation of several ships; can be used in aviation as the name of a unit (squadron); in a number of armies, including the American and Red Army - the name of the cavalry unit corresponding to the battalion; in British Commonwealth armies, a squadron often denotes a tank company.

Command (English command) are units, units and formations that together form a single whole and are under the command of one officer. This is usually a high-level organizational unit responsible directly to the government or national general staff. 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 “union”.

Hierarchy of modern armies

Symbol	Army unit name (divisions; connections)	Number of soldiers	Number of subordinate units	Command of an army unit (divisions; connections)
XXXXXXX	region or theater of war	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+ armies	army general, marshal
XXXX	army	50 000 - 60 000+	2+ buildings	general, colonel general
XXX	frame	30 000 - 50 000	2-4 divisions	lieutenant general
XX	division	10 000 - 20 000	2-4 brigades	major general
X	brigade	3000-5000	2+ regiments	colonel, major general
III	regiment	2000-3000	2-3 battalions	lieutenant colonel, 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, detachment	25-60	3-4 compartments	junior lieutenant, lieutenant or senior lieutenant
?	squad, crew, crew	8-16	2 groups, links	junior sergeant, sergeant, senior sergeant
?	unit, group, team	4-8	0	corporal, junior sergeant

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

An army, an army group, a region and a theater of military operations are the largest formations, which can differ greatly from each other in size and composition. At the division level, support forces are usually added (field artillery, medical service, logistics service, etc.), which may not be present at the regiment and battalion level. In the USA, a regiment with support units is called a regimental combat team, in England and other countries - a combat group.

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

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

Add-ons

The names of the listed units may vary depending on the type of troops. For example:

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

The indicated number refers to infantry (motorized infantry, motorized rifle) troops. In other branches of the military, the number of units with the same names may be significantly smaller. For example, an infantry regiment consists of 3 - 4 thousand people, an artillery regiment - of 1 thousand.
Any military unit in the army has not one, but two states - peacetime and wartime. The wartime workforce adds new positions in existing units, new units, and new units. Missing military personnel are called up by general mobilization in wartime. In the Soviet (and Russian) Army there are:

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

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

In all modern armies a “ternary” (sometimes “quaternary”) composition was adopted. This means that an 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.
The hierarchy, therefore, may not be direct; 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 separate companies. Also, each regiment can be part of a division, or (at a higher level) directly subordinate to the command of the corps (“corps subordination regiment”), or, at an even higher level, the regiment can subordinate directly to the command of a military district (“district subordination regiment”);
In an infantry regiment, the main units - infantry battalions - report directly to the regimental commander. All auxiliary units are subordinate to his deputies. The same system is repeated at all levels. For example, for an artillery regiment of district subordination, the chief will not be the commander of the district troops, but the chief of the district artillery. The communications platoon of an infantry battalion is subordinate not to the battalion commander, but to his first deputy - the chief of staff.
Brigades are a separate unit. In terms of their position, brigades stand between a regiment (the regiment commander is a colonel) and a division (the division commander is a major general). In most armies of the world there is an intermediate rank between the ranks of colonel and major general "Brigadier General", corresponding to the brigade commander. In Russia, traditionally there is no such title. In the modern Russian Army, the Soviet division of military district-corps-division-regiment-battalion, as a rule, is replaced by the abbreviated military district - brigade - battalion.

Currently there is a transition to a “new look of the armed forces” Russian Federation corresponding to the 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 or housing certificates for dismissed officers. As well as the redistribution of personnel and weapons of disbanded units.

Different levels

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

Detailed description

Branch

In the Soviet and Russian armies, a squad is the smallest military formation with a full-time commander. 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. In some branches of the military the branch is called differently. In artillery - crew, in tank forces - crew. In some other armies, the squad is not the smallest formation. For example, in the US Army, the smallest formation is a group, and a squad consists of two groups. But basically, in most armies, the squad is the smallest formation. Typically, a squad is part of a platoon, but can exist outside of a platoon. For example, the reconnaissance diving section of an engineer battalion is not part of any of the battalion’s platoons, but is directly subordinate to the battalion chief of staff.

Platoon

Several squads make up a 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. In the Soviet and Russian armies this is junior lieutenant, lieutenant or senior lieutenant. On average, the number of platoon personnel ranges from 9 to 45 people. Usually in all branches of the military the name is the same - platoon. Usually a platoon is part of a company, but can exist independently.

Company

Several platoons make up a company. In addition, a company may also include several independent squads that are 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 of tactical importance, that is, a formation capable of independently performing small tactical tasks on the battlefield. The company commander is a captain. On average, the size of a company can be from 70 to 200 people. Motorized rifle companies usually have about 101-150 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. The battalion commander is a major or 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 150 people. In artillery, this type of formation is called a division.

Note1: The name of the formation - squad, platoon, company, etc. depends not on the number of personnel, but on the type of troops and the tactical tasks assigned to the formation of this type. Hence the dispersion in the number of personnel in formations that have the same name.

Regiment

In the Soviet and Russian armies, this is the main (one might say key) 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 battalion (read battalion), one anti-aircraft missile battalion, a reconnaissance company, an engineering company, a communications company, an anti-tank battery, a chemical defense platoon, a repair company, logistics company, orchestra, medical center. The number of personnel in the regiment ranges from 900 to 2000 people.

Brigade

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

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, and a logistics battalion. a repair and restoration battalion, a medical battalion, a chemical defense company, and several different support companies and platoons. In the modern Russian Army, there are or may be divisions of tank, motorized rifle, artillery, airborne, missile and aviation divisions. In other branches of the military, as a rule, the highest formation is a regiment or brigade. On average, there are 12-24 thousand people in a division. Division commander, Major General.

Frame

Just as a brigade is an intermediate formation between a regiment and a division, so a corps is an intermediate formation between a division and an army. The corps is already 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 can consist of two or three divisions and various quantities formations of other military branches. Usually 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 the Great Patriotic War 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, conversely, for concentrating forces in the main direction ( tank corps). Very often then the corps existed for a few weeks or months and was disbanded upon completion of the task. 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

This word is used in three main meanings: 1. Army - the armed forces of the state as a whole; 2. Army - ground forces of the armed forces of the state (as opposed to the fleet and military aviation); 3.Army - military formation. Here we are talking about the army as a military formation. The 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.

Military District (Front)

This is the highest military formation of the strategic type. There are no larger formations. The name “front” is used only in wartime for the formation leading fighting. 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.

Note 2: Above in the text there are the concepts “tactical formation”, “operational-tactical formation”, “strategic..”, etc. These terms indicate the range of tasks solved by this formation in the light of military art. The art of war is divided into three levels:

1. Tactics (the art of combat). A squad, platoon, company, battalion, regiment solve tactical problems, that is, fight. 2. Operational art (the art of fighting, battle). A division, corps, or army solve operational problems, that is, they conduct a battle. 3. Strategy (the art of warfare 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.

There is also such a name as “group of troops”. In wartime, this is the name given to military formations that solve operational tasks inherent in the front, but operate in a narrower area or a secondary direction and, accordingly, are significantly smaller in number and weaker than such a formation as the front, but stronger than the army. In peacetime, this was the name in the Soviet Army for associations of formations stationed abroad (Group Soviet troops in Germany, Central Group of Forces, Northern group troops, Southern Group of Forces). In Germany, this group of troops 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 group of troops consisted of two divisions, and in Hungary of three divisions.

In the literature and in military documents one also encounters such names as “team” and “detachment”. The term “team” has now fallen out of use. It was used to designate formations of special troops (sappers, signalmen, reconnaissance officers, etc.) that are part of general military formations. Usually, in terms of numbers and combat missions solved, it is something between a platoon and a company. The term “detachment” was used to designate similar formations in terms of tasks and numbers as the average between a company and a battalion. It is still occasionally used to designate a permanently existing formation. For example, a drilling squad is an engineering formation designed to drill wells for water extraction in areas where there are no surface water sources. The term “detachment” is also used to designate a group of units organized temporarily for the period of battle (advance detachment, outflanking detachment, covering detachment).

Above in the text, I specifically did not use the concepts - division, part, connection, association, replacing these words with the faceless “formation”. I did this in order to avoid confusion. Now that we have dealt with specific names, we can move on to unifying and grouping names.

Subdivision

This word refers to all military formations that are part of the unit. Squad, platoon, company, battalion - they are all united by one word “unit”. The word comes from the concept of division, to divide. That is, the part is divided into divisions.

Part (V.ch.)

It is the basic unit of the armed forces. The term “unit” most often means regiment and brigade. The external features of the unit are: the presence of its own office work, military economy, bank account, postal and telegraph address, its own official seal, the commander’s right to give written orders, open ( Military unit 08728) and closed ( 44th tank training division) names. That is, the part has sufficient autonomy. The presence of a Battle Banner is not necessary for a unit. In addition to the regiment and brigade, the units include division 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, garrison officers' house, garrison household goods services, central school of junior specialists, military school, military institute, etc.). In some cases, the status of a part with all its external signs may have formations that we classified above as divisions. Units can be a battalion, a company, and sometimes even a platoon. Such formations are not included in regiments or brigades, but directly as an independent military unit with the rights of a regiment or brigade can be part of both a division and a corps, army, front (district) and even directly subordinate General Staff. Such formations also have their own open and closed names. For example, 650th separate transport and landing battalion, 1257 separate communications company, 65th separate radio intelligence platoon. A characteristic feature such parts is the word “separate”, which appears after the numbers before the name. However, a regiment can also have the word “separate” in its name. This is the case if the regiment is not part of the division, but is directly part of the army (corps, district, front). For example, the 120th separate regiment of guards mortars.

Note 3: Please note that the terms military unit (V.ch.) and military unit (V/Ch No.) do not mean the same thing. The term “military unit” is used as a general designation, without specifics. If we are talking about a specific regiment, brigade, etc., then the term “military unit” is used. Usually its number is also mentioned: “military unit 74292” (but you cannot use “military unit 74292”) or, for short, military unit 74292.

Compound

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

Association

This concept includes corps, army, district (front) troops, and army groups. The headquarters of an association is a department (part) to which various formations and military units are subordinated.