The 🇵🇱 Polish Army plans to field 250 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams by 2026 to completely outfit their 18th Mechanized Division (arrayed in SE Poland between Warsaw and the Ukrainian border). Here is a notional Abrams tank company based on current published structures. 1/
The 18th's Leo 2s will shift to the 34th Armored Cav Bde, making the 11th Armd Cav Div in SW Poland (near Germany) an all-Leo division again. The Leo 2 units have traditionally been the hub of German-Polish combined arms interoperability. The 18th's T-72s will be phased out. 2/
The Polish currently operate the Leopard 2A5, Leopard 2A4 and the Leopard 2PL (modernized 2A4s). The intent is to completely upgrade the 2A4s into 2PLs, and maybe further down the road replace them after the less capable PT-91s and T-72M1s have been replaced. 3/
The PT-91 Twardy is an upgrade of the T-72M1 (which Poland also fields). Most PT-91 battalions are stationed on the border with Russia's Kaliningrad. The initial consequence of fielding the Abrams will be making the majority of the old T-72M1s redundant. 4/
Still, after the introduction of the Abrams, the Polish Army will field 3 or 4 broad tank families (M1A2 SEPv3, PT-91 Twardy, a limited number of T-72M1s, Leopard 2PL/2A5s). But, they will largely be segregated to their own divisions so no brigades sharing Abrams and T-72s. 5/
Poland is still continuing its Wilk program to field a new MBT. The 250 Abrams were separate discretionary procurement. The winner of the program will phase out the rest of the T-72s & PT-91s. Options could include the 🇰🇷 K2PL, 🇺🇸 Abrams, 🇹🇷 Atlay, or 🇫🇷🇩🇪 MGCS. 6/
On the Tank Company structures, the westernization at the tactical-level is very apparent. With 4-tank platoons (and associated 2-tank sections for maneuvering, rather than Soviet style 3-tank plts), organic armored recovery vehicles, a company train, and armored ambulances. 7/
These Tank Coy graphics are based on published TO&Es and may differ in practice. The main difference between PT-91/T-72 & Leopard Coys other than 3-man vs 4-man crews is Leopard Coys have an ambulance squad with German M113s while PT-91 units consolidate ambos at battalion 8/
Above the company, Polish Tank Battalions are generally meant to have 4 maneuver companies (14 tanks per coy + 2 btn HQ tanks = 58 tanks per btn). Brigades with MBTs generally have 1 or 2 tank battalions depending on the brigade. 9/
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1 | The 🇲🇽 Mexican National Guard Section (Type B) the year the Guardia Nacional was formed to replace the Policía Federal. It is a federal gendamerie, mixing police & military characteristics
🇲🇽 terms in 🇺🇸:
Compañía = Company
Sección = Platoon
Pelotón = Squad
Escuadra = Team
2 | An interesting aspect of this structure was two of the three "pelotones" (squad-equivalents) were staffed by men while one was staffed by women.
3 | I assume this was to balance the integration of female agents at low levels while also providing them their own accommodation, as the National Guard has permanent quarters unlike the old Federal Police.
1 | The 🇳🇱 Dutch Motorized Infantry Squad mounted on the Boxer circa 2019, based on my convo with a Dutch Boxer officer at that time. This thread provides more detail & why money matters means they can only fit 6 dismounts in an APC the size of a house 🧵 #ORBATBoys
2 | First, their ride is the Boxer GNGP, shortly for Geniegroep or Engineer Squad. Both their infantry and engineer units use the engineer variant of the Boxer, which only has room for 6 dismounts but more stowage for equipment/munitions.
3 | There are 4 Boxers per platoon. The Platoon Commander is "Romeo" and the Deputy is "Echo", so the squads in those vehicles are named after them. The Alpha and Bravo squad leaders are doctrinally the more senior squad leaders
1 | NATO unit symbology is 90% standardized, but some countries use their own unique symbols that don't match up with the U.S. The U.S. has also historically used symbols it no longer uses. This thread will look at some of these differences and some unique ones
2 | Starting with a unique one, the🇫🇷 Dismounted Engagement Support Platoon.
Their missions are intelligence gathering behind enemy lines and raids. As part of conventional Infantry Regiments, they're sort of like Korea-era U.S. Army Rangers. I think the arrow means penetration
3 | This isn't universal, but I've noticed Euro countries use solid HQ and supply bars for their headquarters and service companies. The U.S. Army took the services out of its HHCs when it created Forward Spt Cos, so it's not as applicable. I believe the USMC just does "H&S"
2/ In terms of structure, the light infantry's Rifle Squad hasn't really changed since 1985, but there have been some recent changes in equipment since the last time I did this graphic ~4 years ago.
3/ The big one is the M110A1 SDMR started to be fielded as a squad-level designated marksman rifle around 2020. The SDMR config differs from the CSASS in that it has a different stock and a TANGO6 1–6x24 LPVO
1 | The 🇺🇸 U.S. Army Attack Company, an AH-64D/E Apache attack helicopter formation part of Attack Battalions, Combat Aviation Brigade.
This 🧵thread overviews the evolution of U.S. Army Attack Helicopter organization, as it's changed dramatically several times since the 1960s.
2 | Each Combat Aviation Brigade has an Attack Battalion with 3 Attack Companies, HHC, Aviation Maintenance Company and Forward Support Company. The CAB also has an Air Cavalry Squadron which is similar, but with organic RQ-7BV2 Shadows and an emphasis on recon & security
3 | Since the Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR) was introduced in the late 1990s, the TOEs I've seen have generally prescribed 3 FCRs per company/troop. In footage you will often find Longbow-equipped Apaches paired with those without.
1 | The 🇺🇸 US Army Medium Tactical Vehicle (MTV) Company, a medium transportation capability. They serve in Composite Truck Companies, which are the C Company of Division Sustainment Support Battalions (formerly numbered companies under CSSBs).
2 | The main equipment of the MTV Platoon is the 5-ton MTV truck and associated trailer, a relative of the Steyr 12M18.
Heavy Divisions have 1 MTV Plt (20 trucks + trailers), 1 HET Plt, and 2 PLS Plts. Light Divisions have 2 MTV (40 trucks + trailers) and 2 PLS Plts.
3 | Unlike the 10x10 PLS trucks specializing in bulk cargo or HETs that can transport tanks and other armor, the MTVs are more suited to transporting personnel and breakbulk cargo.