How many people are in the army? The strength of a motorized rifle division is strength. Number of companies, battalions, regiments. Composition of the artillery regiment. Army group, army group

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 an 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 can 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 Peaceful time- military district. It’s difficult to give exact numbers here. They vary by region, military doctrine, political situation and similar things.

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 force(one - two);
• air defense army;
• separate formations and units of various types of troops and special troops front-line subordination;
• formations, units and establishments of operational logistics.

The front can be reinforced by formations and units of other types 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 training tank 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.

An 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

Other specific and grouping concepts in military hierarchy does not exist. In any case, in Ground forces. In this article we did not touch upon the hierarchy of military formations of the aviation and navy. However attentive reader Now he can 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,

Designed to operate behind enemy lines, destroy nuclear attack weapons, command posts, capture and hold important areas and objects, disrupt the control system and operation of the enemy rear, assist the Ground Forces in developing the offensive and crossing water barriers. Equipped with air transportable self-propelled artillery, missile, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, armored personnel carriers, combat vehicles, automatic small arms, communications and control equipment. The existing parachute landing equipment makes it possible to drop troops and cargo in any weather and terrain conditions, day and night from various heights. Organizationally, the airborne troops consist of (Fig. 1) airborne formations, airborne brigade, military units of special forces.

Rice. 1. Air-structure airborne troops

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

Part of the Armed Forces Russian Federation may be part of a joint armed force (for example, the CIS Allied Forces) or be under a unified command in accordance with international treaties Russian Federation (for example, as part of peacekeeping forces UN or CIS collective peacekeeping forces in zones of local military conflicts).

Branch

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

Platoon

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

Company

Several platoons make up company In addition, a company may also include several independent squads not included in any of the platoons. For example, in a motorized rifle company there are three motorized rifle platoons, machine gun compartment, anti-tank squad. Usually a company consists of 2-4 platoons, sometimes more platoons. A company is the smallest formation that has tactical significance, i.e. a formation capable of independently performing small tactical tasks on the battlefield. Company commander captain. On average, the size of a company can be from 18 to 200 people. Motorized rifle companies usually have about 130-150 people, tank companies 30-35 people. Usually a company is part of a battalion, but often the existence of companies 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

Regiment- This is the main tactical formation and a completely autonomous formation in the economic sense. The regiment is commanded by a colonel. Although regiments are named according to the types of troops (tank, motorized rifle, communications, pontoon-bridge, etc.), in fact this is a formation consisting of units of many types of troops, and the name is given according to the predominant type of troops. For example, in motorized rifle regiment two or three motorized rifle battalions, one tank battalion, one artillery battalion (read battalion), one anti-aircraft missile battalion, reconnaissance company, engineer company, communications company, anti-tank battery, chemical defense platoon, repair company, company material support, orchestra, medical center. The number of personnel in the regiment ranges from 900 to 2000 people.

Brigade

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

Division

Division- the main operational-tactical formation. Just like a regiment, it is named after the predominant branch of troops in it. However, the predominance of one or another type of troops is much less than in the regiment. A motorized rifle division and a tank division are identical in structure, with the only difference being that in a motorized rifle division there are two or three motorized rifle regiments and one tank, and in a tank division, on the contrary, there are two or three tank regiments and one motorized rifle. In addition to these main regiments, the division has one or two artillery regiments, one anti-aircraft missile regiment, a rocket battalion, a missile battalion, a helicopter squadron, an engineer battalion, a communications battalion, an automobile battalion, reconnaissance battalion, battalion electronic warfare, material support battalion, repair and restoration battalion, medical battalion, company chemical protection and several different auxiliary companies and platoons. Divisions can be tank, motorized rifle, artillery, airborne, missile and aviation. In other branches of the military, as a rule, the highest formation is a regiment or brigade. On average, there are 12-24 thousand people in a division. Division commander, Major General.

Frame

Just as a brigade is an intermediate formation between a regiment and a division, so frame is an intermediate formation between the division and the army. The corps is a combined arms formation, that is, it usually lacks the characteristic of one type of force, although there may also be tank or artillery corps, that is, corps with a complete predominance of tank or artillery divisions in them. The combined arms corps is usually referred to as the "army corps". There is no single structure of buildings. Each time a corps is formed based on a specific military or military-political situation, and 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. It is impossible to talk about the structure and strength of the corps, because as many corps exist or existed, so many of their structures existed. Corps commander, Lieutenant General.

Army

Army is a large military formation operational purpose. The army includes divisions, regiments, battalions of all types of troops. Armies are usually no longer divided by branch of service, although tank armies may exist where tank divisions predominate. An army may also include one or more corps. It is impossible to talk about the structure and size of the army, because as many armies exist or existed, so many of their structures existed. The soldier at the head of the army is no longer called “commander”, but “commander of the army.” Usually the regular rank of army commander is colonel general. In peacetime, armies are rarely organized as military formations. Usually divisions, regiments, and battalions are directly included in the district.

Front

Front (district)- this is the highest military formation strategic type. There are no larger formations. The name "front" is used only in war time for 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.

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

• Tactics(the art of combat). A squad, platoon, company, battalion, regiment solve tactical problems, i.e., fight.
• Operational art(the art of fighting, fighting). A division, a corps, an army solve operational problems, that is, they wage a battle.
• Strategy(the art of waging war in general). The front solves both operational and strategic tasks, that is, it wages major battles, as a result of which the strategic situation changes and the outcome of the war can be decided.

In literature, military documents, in mass media, in conversations, in official documents When dealing with military issues, terms are constantly encountered - formation, regiment, unit, military unit, company, battalion, army, etc. For military people, everything here is clear, simple and unambiguous. They immediately understand what we mean we're talking about, what number of soldiers these names hide, what this or that formation can do on the battlefield. For civilians, all these names mean little. Very often they are confused about these terms. Moreover, if in civilian structures “department” often means a large part firm, plant, then in the army a “department” is the smallest formation of several people. And vice versa, a “brigade” at a factory is only a few dozen people or even a few people, but in the army a brigade is a large military formation numbering several thousand people. It is so that civilians can navigate the military hierarchy and this article was written.

To understand the general terms that group types of formations - subdivision, unit, formation, association, we will first understand the specific names.

Department. 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 troops ah - the 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 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, 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, a formation of this type is called a battery; in cavalry, a squadron.

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

Note1: Name of 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 (I would say key) tactical formation and a completely autonomous formation in the economic sense. The regiment is commanded by a colonel. Although the regiments are named according to the types of troops (tank, motorized rifle, communications, pontoon-bridge, etc.), in fact this is a formation consisting of units of many 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 engineer 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 may consist of two regiments, plus battalions and auxiliary companies. On average, a brigade has from 2 to 8 thousand people. The commander of a brigade, as well as a 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, i.e. usually it is devoid of the characteristic of one type of military force, although tank or artillery corps may also exist, i.e. corps with a complete predominance of tank or artillery divisions. The combined arms corps is usually referred to as the "army corps". There is no single structure of buildings. Each time a corps is formed based on a specific military or military-political situation and may consist of two or three divisions and a varying number of formations of other branches of the military. Usually a corps is created where it is not practical to create an army. 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.

Front (district). This is the highest military formation of the strategic type. There are no larger formations. The name "front" is used only in wartime for a formation conducting combat operations. For such formations in peacetime, or located in the rear, the name “okrug” (military district) is used. The front includes several armies, corps, divisions, regiments, battalions of all types of troops. The composition and strength of the front may vary. Fronts are never subdivided by types of troops (i.e. there cannot be a tank front, an artillery front, etc.). At the head of the front (district) is the commander of the front (district) with the rank of army general.

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, 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.

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 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 of Forces, Southern group troops). 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 team - engineering formation, intended for drilling wells for water extraction in areas where there is no surface sources water. The term “detachment” is also used to designate a group of units organized temporarily for the period of battle (advanced detachment, encircling 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. 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, 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. 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 plant consumer services, central school 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 numbers. For example, the 650th separate airborne transport battalion, the 1257th separate communications company, the 65th separate radio reconnaissance 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, 120 separate regiment guards mortars.

Note 3: 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. 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.

An 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.

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. As far as the author knows: in aviation - a unit, a squadron, a regiment, a division, a corps, an air army. In the fleet - ship (crew), division, brigade, division, flotilla, fleet. However, this is all inaccurate; aviation and naval experts will correct me.

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 Russian army- 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 structural 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 troops or country, the names may 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 small arms this type of army building has ceased to be relevant, but the name has taken root all over 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;
• be apart military unit as part of an association, corps, fleet or army.

If a regiment includes several battalions of the same type, they are given 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.

As for the landing troops, the number depends on the characteristics vocational training divisions:

• the parachute battalion includes from 360 to 400 people;
• air assault consists of 450-530;
• separate divisions Marine Corps and air assault have the highest numbers - from 650 to 700 troops.

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 table. 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 with motorized rifle troops, then the number of vehicles increases to forty cars.

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.

Very often in feature films And literary works on military theme terms such as company, battalion, regiment are used. The number of formations is not indicated by the author. Military people, of course, are aware of this issue, as well as many others related to the army.

This article is addressed to those who are far from the army, but still want to navigate the military hierarchy and know what a squad, company, battalion, division is. The number, structure and tasks of these formations are described in the article.

Smallest formation

A division or branch is minimum unit in the hierarchy of the Armed Forces of the Soviet and later Russian army. This formation is homogeneous in its composition, that is, it consists of either infantrymen, cavalrymen, etc. When performing combat missions, the unit acts as a single unit. This formation is led by a full-time commander with the rank of junior sergeant or sergeant. Among military personnel, the term “chest of drawers” ​​is used, which is short for “squad commander.” Depending on the type of troops, the units are called differently. For artillery the term “crew” is used, and for tank troops “crew”.

Unit composition

This formation consists of 5 to 10 people serving. However, a motorized rifle squad consists of 10-13 soldiers. Unlike the Russian army, in the United States the smallest army formation is a group. The US division itself consists of two groups.

Platoon

In the Russian Armed Forces, a platoon consists of three to four sections. It is possible that there are more of them. The number of personnel is 45 people. The leadership of this military formation is carried out by a junior lieutenant, lieutenant or senior lieutenant.

Company

This army formation consists of 2-4 platoons. A company can also include independent squads that do not belong to any platoon. For example, a motorized rifle company may consist of three motorized rifle platoons, machine gun and anti-tank squads. The command of this army formation is exercised by a commander with the rank of captain. The size of a battalion company ranges from 20 to 200 people. The number of military personnel depends on the type of military service. Thus, in a tank company the smallest number of military personnel was noted: from 31 to 41. In a motorized rifle company - from 130 to 150 military personnel. There are 80 soldiers in the landing force.

A company is the smallest military formation of tactical importance. This means that company soldiers can perform small tactical tasks independently on the battlefield. In this case, the company is not part of the battalion, but acts as a separate and autonomous formation. In some branches of the military, the term “company” is not used, but is replaced by similar military formations. For example, cavalry is equipped with squadrons of one hundred people each, artillery with batteries, border troops with outposts, and aviation with units.

Battalion

The size of this military formation depends on the type of troops. Often the number of military personnel in this case ranges from 250 to a thousand soldiers. There are battalions of up to one hundred soldiers. Such a formation is equipped with 2-4 companies or platoons, operating independently. Due to their significant numbers, battalions are used as the main tactical formations. It is commanded by an officer of at least the rank of lieutenant colonel. The commander is also called “battalion commander”. Coordination of the battalion's activities is carried out at the command headquarters. Depending on the type of troops using one or another weapon, the battalion can be tank, motorized rifle, engineering, communications, etc. A motorized rifle battalion of 530 people (on BTR-80) may include:

• motorized rifle companies, - mortar battery;
• logistics platoon;
• communications platoon.

Regiments are formed from battalions. In artillery the concept of battalion is not used. There it is replaced by similar formations - divisions.

Smallest tactical unit of armored forces

A TB (tank battalion) is a separate unit at the headquarters of an army or corps. Organizationally, a tank battalion is not included in tank or motorized rifle regiments.

Since the TB itself does not need to enhance its firepower, it does not contain mortar batteries, anti-tank or grenade launcher platoons. TB may be aggravated anti-aircraft missile platoon. 213 soldiers - this is the size of the battalion.

Regiment

In the Soviet and Russian armies, the word “regiment” was considered key. This is due to the fact that the regiments are tactical and autonomous formations. Command is exercised by a colonel. Despite the fact that regiments are called by types of troops (tank, motorized rifle, etc.), they may contain different units. The name of the regiment is determined by the name of the predominant formation. An example could be motorized rifle regiment, consisting of three motorized rifle battalions and one tank. In addition, the motorized rifle battalion is equipped with an anti-aircraft missile battalion, as well as companies:

• communications;
• intelligence;
• engineering and sapper;
• repair;
• material support.

In addition, there is an orchestra and a medical center. The regiment's personnel does not exceed two thousand people. In artillery regiments, unlike similar formations in other branches of the military, the number of military personnel is smaller. The number of soldiers depends on how many divisions the regiment consists of. If there are three of them, then the number of military personnel in the regiment is up to 1,200 people. If there are four divisions, then the regiment has 1,500 soldiers. Thus, the strength of a battalion of a division regiment cannot be less than 400 people.

Brigade

Just like the regiment, the brigade belongs to the main tactical formations. However, the number of personnel in the brigade is higher: from 2 to 8 thousand soldiers. In a motorized rifle brigade of motorized rifle and tank battalions, the number of military personnel is twice as large as in a regiment. The brigades consist of two regiments, several battalions and a auxiliary company. The brigade is commanded by an officer with the rank of colonel.

Division structure and strength

The division is the main operational-tactical formation, composed of various units. Just like a regiment, a division is named according to the branch of service that predominates in it. The structure of a motorized rifle division is identical to that of a tank division. The difference between them is that a motorized rifle division is formed from three motorized rifle regiments and one tank, and a tank division is formed from three tank regiments and one motorized rifle. The division is also equipped with:

• two artillery regiments;
• one anti-aircraft missile regiment;
• jet division;
• missile division;
• helicopter squadron;
• one chemical defense company and several auxiliary ones;
• reconnaissance, repair and restoration, medical and sanitary, engineering and sapper battalions;
• one electronic warfare battalion.

In each division under the command of a major general, from 12 to 24 thousand people serve.

What is the body?

The army corps is a combined arms formation. In a tank, artillery, or corps of any other type of army there is no predominance of one or another division. There is no uniform structure when forming buildings. Their formation is significantly influenced by the military-political situation. The corps is an intermediate link between such military formations as a division and an army. Corps are formed where it is impractical to create an army.

Army

The concept “army” is used in the following meanings:

• The country's armed forces as a whole;
• large military formation for operational purposes.

An army usually consists of one or more corps. It is difficult to indicate the exact number of military personnel in the army, as well as in the corps themselves, since each of these formations is different own structure and numbers.

Conclusion

Military affairs is developing and improving every year, enriched with new technologies and branches of the military, thanks to which in the near future, as the military believes, the way of waging wars may be radically changed. And this, in turn, will entail an adjustment in the number of personnel of many military formations.