Company

The first mention of companies refers to the end of the XV - beginning of the XVI centuries, when they appeared in the mercenary armies of Western Europe. In the Russian kingdom, companies appeared in the 30s of the 17th century (in the infantry, cavalry and artillery) with the advent of the so-called “regiments of the new system” (“regiments of the foreign system”), created on the basis of the German military school ^[3] .

At the beginning of the 18th century, in the Russian Empire, in the cavalry, the term squadron began to be used instead of the term company . Since 1833, in artillery, the term battery was used instead of the term company . In peacetime, the infantry of the Russian army numbered 100-150 people, and in wartime 200-215 people. By World War I, in many states, personnel in infantry companies reached 200-250 people. Due to the saturation of infantry with automatic weapons, by the beginning of World War II the number of companies was reduced to 120-150 people.

In various states, infantry companies usually consisted of 2-3 rifle (infantry) platoons, mortar, machine-gun platoons, an economic division and a control division. In World War II, rifle (infantry) and tank companies became the main combat units that fought in the battalion ^[2] .

A company is headed by an officer as a company commander . The totality of officials endowed with a military charter with certain rights and obligations to manage company units is called company management ^[4] . For example, in the RF Armed Forces , for example, are a company commander , his deputy, deputy for educational work, deputy for technical and weaponry (or a company technician ), foreman ^[5] .

The company consists of several platoons and squads . The strength of the company depends on its type. For example, in the Soviet army of the late 80s, companies depending on their destination had the following numbers ^[6] :

• motorized rifle company (on BMP / BTR ) - 103-110 people;
• air assault company (on BMD ) - 75 people;
• tank company (motorized rifle regiment) - 40;
• tank company (tank regiment) - 30;
• reconnaissance company - 55;
• engineering and sapper company - 60;
• repair company - 65;
• company of material support - 90;
• communications company - 50.

At the modern historical stage, motorized rifle (motorized infantry) and tank companies in the armies of various states are approximately the same ^[2] .

In the Russian Armed Forces, a motorized rifle company consists of a command and 3 motorized rifle platoons . The company is armed with automatic small arms, grenade launchers, anti-aircraft weapons, armored vehicles (BMP, BTR). A tank company includes company management and 3 tank platoons. Motorized rifle and tank companies are intended both for operations as part of a battalion and for independent combat missions ( guarding , reconnaissance , etc.). According to the Soviet and Russian combat regulations, during an offensive, motorized rifle and tank companies are assigned a front line of up to 1 kilometer wide. When defending a company, it occupies a strong point up to 1.5 kilometers wide and 1 kilometer deep ^[7] . Similar indicators are used in foreign armies ^[8] .

In the US Army, a motorized infantry company consists of a command (11 people), 3 motorized infantry platoons (35 people each). A company’s command consists of three sections ( departments ): a company commander’s section (3 people), a company’s deputy company commander’s section (3 people), and a section foremen (5 people). The motorized infantry platoon consists of a control section and 3 motorized infantry squads. The personnel of the motorized infantry company is 116 people. The company has at its disposal 14 units of infantry fighting vehicles , 9 units of anti -tank systems and other small arms. The tank company consists of control (14 people) and 3 tank platoons (4 tank crews each). The personnel of the tank company - 62 people ^[8] . The fire support company includes a reconnaissance, mortar, anti-tank platoon and 3 sections (control, radar and MANPADS). The personnel of the fire support company reaches 145 people and is armed with 4 self-propelled mortars, 12 ATGMs, 5 MANPADS, 4 radars and 13 armored personnel carriers ^{[2] [9]} .

In the Bundeswehr, a motorized infantry company consists of a command (16 people) and 4 motorized infantry platoons (27 people each). The motorized infantry platoon consists of a control section and 2 motorized infantry squads. The personnel of the motorized infantry company is 124 people. The company has at its disposal 13 units of infantry fighting vehicles , 13 anti-tank grenade launchers, 4 units of anti-tank systems and other small arms. The tank company consists of control (12 people) and 3 tank platoons (4 tank crews in 2 squads). The personnel of the tank company is 60 people ^{[8] [9]} .

In the PLA, a motorized infantry company consists of a command, 3 motorized infantry platoons, a weapon platoon, and an armored personnel carrier platoon. The motorized infantry platoon (38 people) consists of a control unit and 3 motorized infantry units ^[8] .

• Platoon
• Battalion

• Grishin S.V. Tsapenko N.N. Chapter II. The organization of parts of the ground forces of the armies of the United States and Germany // "Units and units in battle" / Ivlev S. N. .. - Moscow: Military Publishing , 1985. - P. 51-75. - 279 p. - 37,000 copies.

• Motorized rifle company of the RF Armed Forces: composition and weapons
• Organizational structure, weapons and military equipment of a motorized rifle company of the Armed Forces of Belarus
• Organizational structure, weapons and military equipment of units of the armies of foreign states
• Vasily Geranin. Without an equal sign (neopr.) . Independent newspaper (03.21.2014). - Comparison of weapons of an engineering company of the North American Army and a motorized rifle company of the North American Date of treatment March 30, 2014.