Fireteam
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NATO Map Symbols[1] |
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A fireteam |
An infantry fireteam |
a military police dog team |
an Engineer EOD team |
A fireteam or fire team is a small modern military subordinated element of infantry designed to optimize "NCO initiative", "combined arms", "bounding overwatch" and "fire and movement" tactical doctrine in combat.[2] Depending on mission requirements, a typical "standard" fireteam consists of four or fewer members: an automatic rifleman, a grenadier, a rifleman, and a designated fireteam leader. The role of each fireteam leader is to ensure that the fireteam operates as a cohesive unit. Two or three fireteams are organized into a section or squad in co-ordinated operations, which is led by a squad leader.[3][4][5][6][7][8]
Historically, militaries with strong reliance and emphasis on decentralized NCO-corp institutions and effective "bottom-up" fireteam organization command structures have had significantly better combat performance from their infantry units in comparison to militaries limited to officer-reliant operations, traditionally larger units lacking NCO-leadership and "top-down" centralized-command structures. Fireteam organization addresses the realities of 21st-century warfare where combat is getting exponentially faster and more lethal as it identifies and removes anything which slows down the reaction time between first detection of an enemy and rounds impacted.[9][10]
Concept
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The concept of the fireteam is based on the need for tactical flexibility in infantry operations. A fireteam is capable of autonomous operations as part of a larger unit. Successful fireteam employment relies on quality small unit training for soldiers, experience of fireteam members operating together, sufficient communications infrastructure, and a quality non-commissioned officer corps to provide tactical leadership for the team.
These requirements have led to successful use of the fireteam concept by more professional militaries. It is less useful for armies employing massed infantry formations, or with significant conscription. Conscription makes fireteam development difficult, as team members are more effective as they build experience over time working together and building personal bonds.
In combat, while attacking or maneuvering, a fireteam generally spreads over a distance of 50 metres (160 ft), while in defensive positions the team can cover up to the range of its weapons or the limits of visibility, whichever is less. In open terrain, up to 500 metres (1,600 ft) can be covered by an effective team, although detection range limits effectiveness beyond 100 metres (330 ft) or so without special equipment. A team is effective so long as its primary weapon remains operational.
National variations
Canada
In the
- C7 rifle.
- Rifleman: One corporal or private, carries a C7 rifle.
- M203 grenade launcher.
- Gunner: One corporal or private, carries a C9 light machine gun.
China
People's Liberation Army forces traditionally used three-man "cells" (equivalent to fireteams) as the smallest military formation and such organization was widely employed throughout the Second Sino-Japanese War, Chinese Civil War, Korean War, Sino-Indian War, Vietnam War as well as Sino-Vietnamese War. It is unofficially named the "three-three organization". (Chinese: 三三制)[15]
In Chinese sources, this tactic is referred to as "three-three fireteams", after the composition of the attack: three men would form one fireteam, and three fireteams one squad. A Chinese platoon, consisting of 50 men, would form three ranks of such fireteams, which would be employed to attack "one point" from "two sides."
An example of a People's Volunteer Army fireteam in the late Korean War,[15]
- machine gunner: Carried a Mosin–Nagant rifle or a DP-27machinegun
- Rifleman/assistant machine gunner: Carried a Mosin–Nagant rifle
French
The French section (groupe de combat – "combat group") is divided into two teams. The "fire team" (équipe de feu) is based around the section-level automatic rifle or light machine gun. The "shock team" (équipe de choc), made up of riflemen armed with rifle grenades or disposable rocket launchers, is the reconnaissance and maneuver unit. The teams employ bounding overwatch, with one element covering as the other moves. The team leaders have handheld radios so the elements can stay in contact with each other, as well as with the section leader's backpack radio set. The most common symbol of the modern French junior NCO (chef d'équipe) has been a radio hanging around their neck.
United Kingdom
Infantry units of the British Army, Royal Marines and RAF Regiment introduced the fireteam concept following the adoption of the SA80 rifle and light support weapon. An infantry section of eight men contains two fireteams, Charlie and Delta, each comprising an NCO (corporal or lance corporal) and three privates.
- underslung grenade launcher. Some units vary with one of the privates carrying the grenade launcher rather than the NCO.
- Rifleman: Two privates carry L85 rifles.[17] Under earlier fireteam organization there also were two riflemen,[18] but the second of these was later substituted with a designated marksman, leaving the section with one rifleman per fireteam.[19] From 2019, the earlier organization was restored and the section commander was given discretion to re-role the section gunner as a third rifleman if needed.[17]
- Designated marksman: One private per section carries an L129A1 sharpshooter rifle. Earlier fireteam organizations had one private per fireteam carrying either an L86A2 light support weapon[19] or an L129A1[20] depending on availability; the L86A2 was removed from service in 2019, with the L129A1 officially becoming the standard section DMR.[17]
The fireteam is generally used as a subdivision of the section for fire and maneuver rather than as a separate unit in its own right, although fireteams or fireteam-sized units are often used for reconnaissance tasks, special operations, and urban patrols (usually being to referred to as a "brick" in the latter scenario).[21]
United States
Army
The
Per U.S. Army doctrine a typical fire team consists of four soldiers.[25][26][27][28]- Team Leader (TL): Usually either a sergeant or corporal (although occasionally a team is led by a specialist or private first class when the platoon has a shortage of junior NCOs). Provides tactical leadership for the team at all times; standard equipped with backpack GPS/radio set, and either an M16 rifle or M4 carbine.
- Rifleman (R): Is 'the baseline standard for all infantrymen'. They are equipped with the M16 rifle or M4 carbine. The rifleman is usually assigned with the grenadier to help balance the firepower capabilities of the automatic rifleman.
- M320 grenade launcher) mounted to the weapon.
- Automatic rifleman (AR): Provides overwatch and suppressive fire through force multiplication. The most casualty-producing person in a fireteam, in terms of firepower and maneuverability when compared to the standard nine-man rifle squad. An automatic rifleman is equipped with an M249 light machine gun. The automatic rifleman is usually assigned with the team leader to maximize directed fields of fire and to help balance the firepower capabilities of the grenadier.
In a stryker brigade combat team's (SBCT) infantry rifle companies, one man in each rifle squad fireteam is either the squad anti-armour specialist (RMAT) armed with an FGM-148 Javelin, or the squad designated marksman (DM) who carries an M4 carbine and M14 rifle. In both cases, these two positions replace the basic rifleman of the standard rifle squad.[29]
Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps doctrine dictates that any active fireteam will include at least one 2-man gunnery-team and summarizes its fireteam organization with the mnemonic "ready-team-fire-assist", the following being the arrangement of the fireteam when in a column:
- Rifleman: acts as a scout for the fireteam; "ready".
- Team leader: uses an M203 and works as the designated grenadier; "team".
- Designated automatic rifleman: uses an M249 light machine gun or M27 IAR and serves as second in command for the fireteam; "fire".
- Assistant automatic rifleman: standard rifleman tasked with providing spotting support, range-finding, carries extra LMG ammunition, and offers close-protection should the fireteam fall under attack; "assist".
Navy construction force, "Seabee" construction battalions, utilize fireteams (as well as companies, platoons, and squads), similar in size to those employed by the USMC, in their organizational structure. Seabee units may be attached to Marine Corps units.
Other
Many other
History
Fireteams have their origins in the early 20th century. From the Napoleonic Wars until World War I, military tactics involved central control of large numbers of soldiers in mass formation where small units were given little initiative.
Groups of four soldiers were mainly employed for guard duty, or as bodyguards for VIPs. In the
Skirmishers in the Napoleonic War would often work in teams of two, ranging ahead of the main group and providing covering fire for each other.
World War I
During World War I,
Interwar period
In the inter-war years,
Carlson, who later went to
World War II
WWII US Army rifle squads consisted of twelve soldiers[32] divided into three teams: The A "Able" (contemporary spelling alphabet) team consisted of the squad leader and two scouts, the support B "Baker" team of the BAR gunner, assistant gunner, and ammunition bearer, and C "Charlie" team of the assistant squad leader, also serving as the anti-tank grenadier, and five riflemen, one of whom served as the alternate anti-tank grenadier).[33] In an assault the A team would provide overwatch and security or assist the C team in the assault, as the squad leader directed, while the B team provided suppressive fire. Suppressive fire from the BAR would be supplemented by fire from the rifles of his team as he reloaded, and could be further supplemented by platoon medium machine guns.
The US Army Rangers and Special Service Force adopted an early fireteam concept when on campaign in Italy and France. Each squad sub-unit of four or five men was heavily armed, composed of a two-man BAR automatic rifleman and assistant, a scout (marksman/grenadier) armed with an M1903 Springfield with a rifle grenade discharger, and a team leader armed with an M1 carbine or M1 Thompson submachine gun. Their later misuse as conventional infantry negated their special training and fighting skill and their use as "fire brigades" against larger enemy forces negated their advantages in aggressiveness and firepower.
Meanwhile, the communist Chinese established the three-man fireteam concept as the three-man cell when they organized a regular army, and its organization seemed to have been disseminated throughout all of Asia's communist forces, perhaps the most famous of which are the PAVN/NVA (People's Army of Vietnam/North Vietnamese Army) and the Viet Cong.[citation needed]
Battle pair
A battle pair is the smallest unit above the individual soldier, in the modern era chiefly employed by Baltic militaries and special forces like the Special Air Service. It consists of two soldiers with one soldier acting as senior of the two fighters (decided amongst the two or by their superior). A fireteam in turn consists of at least two fire and maneuver teams, and a squad of two or more fireteams.
It may be known in the United States as a fire and maneuver team.[citation needed] This concept has not been widely utilized. The United States and most Commonwealth armies mainly rely on the concept of fire teams forming a squad.
Estonia
Such a team is known as a
Finland
Until 2015 in the Finnish Defence Forces, three taistelupari (combat pairs) formed a squad along with a squad leader. A three-man fireteam is now the smallest standard unit in Finnish infantry doctrine.
France
The French Army has the concept of a binôme ('pair'). In the regular forces it is the pairing of an experienced soldier with a recruit or replacement. The new soldier learns from the experienced soldier how to properly perform the everyday tasks and responsibilities of his assignment.
In the old colonial forces (like the French Foreign Legion) it was a means of imposing order. The pair were responsible for each other – if one member broke the rules or deserted, the other would be punished for not preventing it.
Sweden
According to the Swedish Armed Forces field manual, a Stridspar working in unison is as effective as four soldiers of same quality acting individually.
See also
- Battle buddy
- Infantry
- Military science
- Sniper team
References
- ^ APP-6C Joint Military Symbology (PDF). NATO. May 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-21.
- ^ "U.S. Army Infantry Squad Organization". AAManual. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
- ^ "Field Manual" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-11-20. Retrieved 2015-01-12.
- ^ "MOS 11B - Infantryman Duty Descriptions". www.armywriter.com. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
- ^ "Job Description of a United States Army Infantry Team Leader". Retrieved 14 August 2017.
- ^ "What Are the Duties of Infantry Team Leaders?". Retrieved 14 August 2017.
- ^ http://www.usnavy.vt.edu/Marines/PLC_Junior/Fall_Semester/TACT3022_Offensive_Combat1&Combat_Signs_Student_Outline.pdf Archived 2020-01-22 at the Wayback Machine [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Sample Army Team Leader Duties, Responsibilities and Job Description - Citizen Soldier Resource Center". 26 February 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
- ^ "How Ukraine's Roving Teams of Light Infantry Helped Win the Battle of Sumy: Lessons for the US Army". 17 August 2022.
- ^ https://static.rusi.org/403-SR-Russian-Tactics-web-final.pdf
- ^ ADP 3-90 Offense and Defense. Washington, DC: US Department of the Army. 31 August 2012. p. 7.
- ^ FM 1-02.2 Military Symbols. Washington, DC: US Department of the Army. 10 November 2020. pp. 2–6.
- ^ APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. pp. 3–67.
- ^ Department of National Defence (Canada) (1996). B-GL-309-003/FT-001, The Infantry Section and Platoon in Battle.
- ^ a b "Chinese Influences on Foreign Militaries". China Defence Forum. 19 September 2007. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
- ^ 林彪 (1948). 《一点两面与班组的三三制战术》. 辽吉第五军分区.
- ^ a b c d "Soldier Magazine September 2018". British Army. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ a b Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) (1999). Army Code No. 71641, Infantry Tactical Doctrine Volume 1, Pamphlet No. 3 Infantry Platoon Tactics.
- ^ a b c Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) (2009). Army Code No. 71882, Infantry Tactical Doctrine Volume 1, Pamphlet No. 3 Infantry Platoon Tactics.
- ^ "Janes | Latest defence and security news".
- ^ "The British Experience in Northern Ireland: A Model for Modern Peacemaking Operations?" (PDF). School of Advanced Military Studies. 1993. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 26, 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ Room reaching and clearing techniques based on the "US Army Field Manual FM 3-06.11" from June 2011.
- ^ https://fas.org/irp/doddir/army/attp3-06-11.pdf Combined Arms Operations in Urban Terrain (ATTP 3-06.11 (FM 3-06.11) June 2011
- ^ OE TSC G&V (25 October 2011). "Individual Movement Techniques & Fire Team Formations". Archived from the original on 2021-12-11. Retrieved 14 August 2017 – via YouTube.
- ^ U.S. Army Field Manual FM 3-21.8: The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad, Figure 1-5: Infantry fire team and Figure 1-6: Infantry squad. http://www.globalsecurity.org/jhtml/jframe.html#http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/3-21-8/fm3-21-8. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ OE TSC G&V (25 October 2011). "Introduction to Rifle Squad". Archived from the original on 2021-12-11. Retrieved 14 August 2017 – via YouTube.
- ^ Headquarters, Department of the Army: ATTP 3-06.11 (FM 3-06.11) – Combined Arms Operations in Urban Terrain (June 2011)
- ^ Headquarters, Department of the Army: FM 3-21.8 – The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad (March 2007)
- ^ U.S. Army Field Manual FM 3-21.11: SBCT Infantry Rifle Company, Figure 1-4. SBCT infantry rifle platoon organization http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/3-21-11/c01.htm#sectionii1_7. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
- ^ "Vietnam People's Army Rifle Platoon (2019)". battleorder.org. Archived from the original on 2023-03-31. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
- ^ c.f. Acts 12:4 "When he had captured him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each [quattuor quaternionibus militum; τέσσαρσιν τετραδίοις στρατιωτῶν] to guard him"
- ^ Army Lineage Series Infantry Part I: Regular Army, pp. 56 & 73 http://www.history.army.mil/html/books/060/60-3-1/index.html Archived 2020-10-01 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
- ^ War Department The Rifle Platoon and Squad in Offensive Combat Part 1, Section 1: Organization of the Rifle Platoon, March 15, 1943 (see FM 7-10, para. 133). http://www.hardscrabblefarm.com/ww2/offensive_combat.htm Retrieved 28 October 2016.