Military unit
A military unit is an organisation within a military force. It may consist of a number of soldiers, ships, vehicles, or aircraft. Armies, navies, and air forces, are organised hierarchicaly into groups of various sizes for functional, tactical and administrative purposes. This organisation is sometimes called an ""Order of Battle" or Orbat for short.
This article gives an overview of some of the terms used to describe military units in armed forces across the world. Whilst it is recognised that there will be differences between armies of different nations, it seems that a large proportion are modelled on the British and/or American models. Readers interested in the detailed specifics of a national army (including the British and American) should consult the relevant entry for that country.
| Name | Number of personnel | Number of subordinate units | Officer in charge | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corps | 30,000+ | Varies | Lieutenant General | |
| Division | 10,000–20,000 | 2-4 brigades | Major General | |
| Brigade | 2000–5000 | 2+ regiments or 3-6 battalions | Brigadier General | |
| Regiment (UK) | 650+ | 1+ battalions | Brigadier or Colonel | |
| Battalion | 300–1000 | 2–6 companies | Lieutenant Colonel | |
| Company | 150–300 | 3–6 platoons | Captain | |
| Platoon | 30–40 | 2+ squads | First or Second lieutenant | |
| Squad | 8–12 | 2+ fireteams | NCO (Staff Sergeant) | |
| Fireteam (Mostly USA) | 4–5 | n/a | NCO (Sergeant) |
In addition to these, further units include Section and Squadron. Army, Army Group and Theater are all large units which vary significantly between armed forces in size and hierarchy position.