light infantry divisions. We will discuss each division separately. First,
we will cover the infantry division.
Second, we will cover the light
infantry division.
Infantry Division -- Mission Statement
The infantry division has the same basic mission statement as all other Army
divisions:
to destroy enemy armed forces and to control land areas,
including populations and resources.
The infantry division is normally
assigned to a corps in conformity with operational requirements. As we will
see later, the organization of the infantry division has been established to
provide the flexibility to accomplish a wide variety of missions, on
differing terrain, and against a variety of threat situations. The factors
of METT-T (mission, enemy, terrain, troops, and time available) will largely
determine the tasks assigned to the infantry division.
Normally, you will find 6 to 15 infantry battalions assigned to an infantry
division.
One to four battalions may be assigned to a separate infantry
brigade.
The current H-series TOE allows for eight infantry maneuver
battalions.
Of the eight, one mechanized infantry battalion and one tank
battalion are assigned to the infantry division, in addition to the light
infantry battalion. Infantry battalions are well suited for the following:
o
Holding terrain.
o
Operating on difficult terrain.
o
Operating in adverse weather.
o
Moving by aircraft.
o
Breaching fixed defenses.
o
Destroying antitank defenses.
o
Closing with threat forces.
The above are significant considerations which must not be overlooked by
commanders and staff officers.
An important characteristic of the infantry battalion is its lack of
mobility. Infantry battalions are limited to footmobility unless motorized,
mechanized, or provided aircraft. If any of these means of transportation
are made available to infantry units, their added mobility will increase the
scope and tempo of their operations. Additionally, infantry battalions can
be attached to mechanized or armored divisions.
When attached to these
divisions, the role of the infantry battalion is essentially the same as
that of the mechanized infantry battalion. The infantry battalion must be
furnished additional transportation if the mobility of the mechanized and
armored divisions is to be maintained.
One of the characteristics of the infantry battalion that was noted
previously was its ability to fight against any threat on any terrain.
The infantry battalion is ideally suited for close-in fighting against a
force that has equal mobility. It is also suited for fighting against a
48
IS7003
Previous Page
