A civilian knows about the army only in general terms. It is difficult for him to navigate in questions that any military man remembers the answers to. Here, for example: how many people are in the company? Here, many are thoughtful. In the article we will analyze the following questions: the number of companies, battalions, units in the Russian army and the armies of other countries. Consider what a company, what size was characteristic of the units of the USSR.
Army tactical units
So how many people are in the company? First, let's deal with existing tactical units. Here is their arrangement from largest to smaller:
- Front (or district).
- Army.
- Body.
- Division.
- The brigade.
- Regiment.
- Battalion.
- Company.
- Platoon.
- Branch.
Such tactical units are characteristic of the domestic army. We will now deal with their numbers.
Number of troops
We will find out how many people are in the company, as well as deal with the number of tactical units of the armed forces.
- Office: 5-10 people. The chapter here is the squad leader. In abbreviated form it is called "dresser". This is a sergeant position, so both a sergeant and a junior sergeant can be a squad leader.
- Platoon. Includes 3-6 branches. Therefore, in a platoon there can be from 15 to 60 people. It is led, respectively, by the platoon commander. This is already an officer military position. She is occupied by a soldier in the rank of lieutenant to captain.
- Company. Includes 3-6 platoons. How many people are in the company? From 45 to 360. The main here is the company commander. Unofficially, it can be called company. This is a major position. However, often the company may be commanded by both the senior lieutenant and the captain.
- Battalion. These are 3-4 companies, as well as headquarters, individual military specialists (signalman, sniper, gunsmith). In some cases, a mortar platoon, air defense (air defense) and PTB (anti-tank fighter) are added. In total, the battalion numbers from 145 to 500 people. At its head is the battalion commander (battalion commander). It is considered the post of lieutenant colonel. However, in fact, it can be occupied by both the captain and the major, who in the near future have the opportunity to become lieutenant colonels while maintaining this position.
- Regiment. Includes 3-6 battalions. That is, from 500 to 2500 people. They also include headquarters, air defense, regimental artillery, and PTB. The regiment commander is a colonel. In some cases, this may be a lieutenant colonel.
- The brigade. It may have several battalions. Or 2-3 regiments. On average, 1000-4000 people are in the brigade. The brigade commander is only a colonel. Abbreviated position called "brigade commander."
- Division. Combines several regiments at once. Among them, there are necessarily artillery, aviation. Perhaps the rear services and tank regiments. The size of the division can be very different - from 4, 500 to 22, 000 people. The division commander has a rank from colonel to major general.
- Body. Combines several divisions. The total number of corps can reach 100, 000 people. The commander here is in the rank of major general.
- Army. Includes 2-10 divisions of various arms. Rear parts, repair specialists and so on are sure to be added to them. The size of the army is different. On average, from 200, 000 thousand to 1 million people (and above). Army commander - lieutenant general or major general.
Front (military district)
We made out how many people (soldiers) are in the company. Now the reader should focus on the last and most ambitious tactical unit in the Armed Forces. This is the front (in peacetime - the military district). The main feature is that even average figures are difficult to name here. The size of the front depends on several factors at once: the region, the political situation, military doctrine, and so on.
The front is a self-sufficient structure with its reserves, training units, warehouses, military schools and so on. Its head is the front commander. In the Russian army, this position is held by a lieutenant general or army general.
Accordingly, the composition of the front depends on the environment and the tasks performed. Usually it includes the following:
- Control.
- Missile Army (1-2).
- Tank Army (1-2).
- Air Army (1-2).
- Ground Army.
- Air Defense Forces.
- Separate units, formations of specific combat arms, front-line special forces.
- Unions, institutions and parts of the operational rear.
In Russia, the front can be strengthened by formations and units of other fronts of the Armed Forces, as well as from the reserve of the Supreme High Command.
Other tactical terms
How many people are in a company in Russia? As a rule, 45-360 military personnel. Now we will analyze other tactical terms that may not be clear to a civilian:
- Subdivision.
- Part.
- Compound.
- An association.
Let's consider them in detail.
Subdivision
This term refers to all military units that are part of the military unit. What can be called a unit? Battalion, company, platoon, squad. The term comes from "share." That is, the division of the part into separate formations.
Part
In the Russian Armed Forces, this is the main tactical unit. Most often, the part is called the brigade or regiment. It also has distinctive features, such as: its own paperwork, military economy, account in a banking organization, zip code, official seal, open and closed combined arms numbers, the commander’s right to give written orders. Part is almost completely autonomous.
It is important to distinguish between the following:
- Military unit. The most general definition, not specific.
- Military Unit. More specific union. Usually it means something specific: a brigade, regiment. Be sure to use her number. For example: “military unit 12345” or “military unit 12345”. In army circles, the phrase "military unit 12345" is considered a mistake.
Join and join
How many people are in the company and army, we found out. Now let's get acquainted with two more army terms:
- Compound. By default, only a division is called this definition. The word itself means "combine in one part." The division headquarters has a status of a unit. Such units (headquarters) will be subordinate to other units (in this case, regiments). All of them together will make up the division. In some cases, the brigade can also receive the status of a unit, but only if it includes separate companies and battalions, each of which has its own unit status.
- An association. This term refers to such tactical units as the corps, army (or army groups), front (military district). The headquarters of the association acts as a separate part, to which all components are subordinate.
What is a company?
How many people are in the company of the Russian army, we have made out. Now we’ll take a closer look at the term. It comes from the German Rotte, which translates as "squad", "crowd". This is the name of tactical units not only in Russia, but also in many other countries of the world.
It can be part of a regiment, battalion, or be an independent unit. A separate company is an organizationally autonomous administrative-economic and tactical unit. It can act as an independent military unit.
Depending on the destination, the following companies are distinguished:
- Rifle (or motorized rifle).
- Tank.
- Mortar.
- Infantry (or motorized infantry).
- Engineering and sapper.
- Marine Corps.
- Radio engineering.
- Automotive.
- Staff, security and so on.
Company in the USSR
We know how many people are in the 1st company in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. But what about the situation in the USSR?
The company size was also not uniform for all divisions. It was influenced by the number of squads and platoons. Also the military branch. For comparison, the following examples (the army of the USSR of the 80s):
- Motorized rifle company. Could include from 110 to 160 people. Moved on BMP and armored personnel carriers.
- Air assault company. About 75 people. Moved to BMD.
- Tank company belonging to the tank regiment. Composed of 30 people.
- Tank company belonging to the motorized rifle regiment. The number is 40 people.
- Reconnaissance company - 55 people.
- Engineer-engineering company. It consists of 60 people.
- Company of material support. About 90 military personnel.
- Repair company - 65 people.
- A company of signalmen - 50 people.
