Fireteam
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A fireteam is a small military unit of infantry. It is the smallest unit in the militaries that use it and is the primary unit upon which infantry organization is based in the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, Canadian Forces, Australian Army and British Army. Fireteams generally consist of four or fewer soldiers and are grouped into squads or sections.
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.
The creation of effective fireteams is seen as essential for creating an effective professional military as they serve as a primary group. Psychological studies by the United States Army have indicated that the willingness to fight is more heavily influenced by the desire to defend and avoid a loss of face among other members of the fireteam and the squad than by abstract concepts. Historically, nations with effective fireteam organization have had significantly better performance from their infantry units in combat than those limited to operations by larger units.
In combat, while attacking or maneuvering, a fireteam generally spreads over a distance of 50 m, while in defensive positions the team can cover up to the range of its weapons or the limits of visibility, whichever is smaller. In open terrain, up to 500 m can be covered by an effective team, although detection range limits effectiveness beyond 100 m or so without special equipment. A team is effective so long as its primary weapon remains operational. A team is often reduced to only two men in combat.
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[edit] National variations
[edit] United States Army
The United States Army particularly emphasizes the fireteam concept, as do most special operations units.
A United States Army Rangers fireteam consists of 4 soldiers equipped with a personal weapon and special equipment based on position:
- Team Leader — first in command, provides tactical leadership
- Grenadier (M203) — operates the grenade launcher
- Automatic Rifleman (M249 SAW) — provides suppressive fire for the fireteam
- Rifleman — carries communications equipment and covers the rear
[edit] United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps 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
- Team Leader (M203) — also works as the grenadier
- Automatic Rifleman (M249 SAW) — also serves as second in command for the fireteam
- Assistant Automatic Rifleman — carries extra ammunition
The United States Marine Corps fireteam is organized around the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. When on the objective, the fireteam assumes a "hasty 180", where the Automatic Rifleman covers 11 o'clock to 1 o'clock (12 o'clock being the most likely avenue of enemy approach), with the Rifleman and Assistant Automatic Rifleman covering 9 to 11 and 1 to 3 respectively. The Team Leader is next to the Automatic Rifleman to complement his fire with grenade rounds and to assign targets for the M249. Once a frontal enemy counterattack is deemed unlikely, the fireteam then will assume a "consolidated 360" to ensure the flanks of the fireteam are protected. Also known as RTFA (Ready-Team-Fire-Assist).
[edit] British Army
The British Army also uses the fireteam. An infantry section of eight men usually contains two fireteams (Charlie and Delta), each comprising an NCO (Corporal or Lance-Corporal) and three Privates. The NCO will carry an SA80 Rifle, with the privates carrying one SA80 with underslung grenade launcher, one LMG (FN Minimi) and one Light Support Weapon between them.
[edit] Other nations
In the Canadian Army "fireteam" refers to two soldiers, with two fire teams forming a group and two groups forming a section of 8 soldiers. Many other armed forces see the squad as the smallest military unit; some countries' armies have a "pair" consisting of two soldiers as the smallest military unit. In others a fireteam is composed of two pairs of soldiers (fire and maneuver team) forming a fireteam.
[edit] History
Fireteams have their origins in the early 20th century. From the Napoleonic War until World War I, military tactics involved central control of large numbers of soldiers in mass formation where small units were given little initiative. This resulted in a trench warfare stalemate on the Western Front. In order to combat this stalemate, the Germans developed a doctrinal innovation known as infiltration tactics, in which small, autonomous teams would covertly penetrate Allies Forces lines. The Germans used their assault troops (Stosstruppen) organized into squads (Kameradschaft) at the lowest levels to provide a cohesive strike force in breaking through Allied lines. This idea was later further developed in World War II by the Waffen-SS. In the inter-war years, USMC Captain (later Brigadier General) Evans F. Carlson went to China in 1937 and observed the Communist Chinese 8th Route Army in action against the Japanese invaders.
It was with the Communist Chinese guerrillas that he noted their usage of the 3-man fireteam concept. He later brought these ideas back to the U.S. when the country entered World War II. Under his command, the 2nd Marine Raider battalion was organized in the fireteam (although it was called firegroup) concept, 3 firegroups to a squad with a squad leader. A firegroup composed of a M1 Garand rifleman, a BAR and a submachine gunner (usually armed with the .45 caliber Thompson submachine gun, the "Tommy Gun"). After sustaining severe wounds, Carlson was replaced and his battalion later disbanded and reorganized under conventional Marine doctrine of 10-man squads. Later though, Carlson's fireteam concept was re-adopted. Meanwhile, the Communist Chinese established the 3-man fireteam concept as the 3-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.
[edit] See also
[edit] External link
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