Characteristics of infantry

The infantry is the basic ground-gaining arm of the Army. It is also the arm of close combat. Its mission is to close with the enemy by fire and maneuver in order to destroy or capture him, or to hold its positions and repel his attack by fire, close combat, or counterattack.

Because of its versatility today's infantry is capable of fighting under widely varying conditions of terrain, weather, and nuclear availability which often restrict the employment of heavy weapons and equipment. It can move by land, sea от air. The modern infantry may fight on foot, or go into action by parachute, helicopter, armored personnel carrier, or assault boat. The infantry can operate at night, or under any climatic conditions, and can overcome natural and man-made obstacles which would stop other forces.

The advent of nuclear weapons has not changed the role of infantry on the battlefield but has brought to life mechanized infantry which move and fight in armored personnel carrier (APC's). The decisiveness of infantry in combat will continue and four of the five types of current ROAD divisions are infantry.

Type road divisions

The ROAD division is the smallest unit of the combined arms and services. There are five types of combat divisions: armored, mechanized, infantry, airborne and air assault. Divisions are formed by combining a division base with varying proportions of six to fifteen combat battalions of different types (tank, infantry, mechanized, airborne infantry and air assault infantry).

The combat battalions have many similarities. They are as nearly the same in organization as possible, consistent with their individual roles. All battalions are of essentially one combat arm, i.e. armor in tank battalion and infantry in other battalions.

Each ROAD division has its own characteristics. The armored division combines fast maneuver with great firepower. The mechanized division resembles the infantry division but has greater mobility and shock power. The airborne division is for vertical envelopment by airborne assault, using parachutes and Air Force troop carrier and assault landing aircraft. The air assault division with its helicopters has an ability to deliver firepower quickly anywhere.

The common base of each type ROAD division consists of the division HQ and HQ соmpany, three brigade HQ and HQ cos, division artillery, support command, aviation battalion (in infantry and air assault divisions) or aviation соmpany (in mechanized and armored divisions), engineer and signal battalions, armored cavalry squadron, ADA battalion, and a military police company.

1.	Answer the questions.

1. What is the mission of infantry?

2. How can infantry fight?

3. Has the role of infantry changed with the advent of nuclear weapons?

4. What types of combat divisions are there in the US Army?

5. How are divisions formed?

6. What common features have combat battalions?

2.	Translate words and word combinations into English

БТР, ближній бій, контратака, поле бою, механізована дивізія, піхотний батальйон, мотопіхотний батальйон, маневр, вогнева міць, ударна хвиля, мобільність, рота армійської авіації, батальйон зв’язку, розвідувальний батальйон, зенітний дивізіон, відбивати атаку.

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