Robin Horsfall. Jan 26, 2023
It is a huge undertaking to form and train a modern armoured division. The Challenger, Leopard and maybe Abrams tanks that will be donated to Ukraine will form part of a mechanised, armoured division.
A modern US armoured penetration division is enormous and comprises of 4 Brigade Combat Teams, totalling 4 tank battalions and 3 armoured cavalry battalions. A tank battalion has 3 companies, each of roughly 14 tanks.
An Armoured Division has about 250 tanks, (the tanks are coming).
A Manoeuvre unit includes 3 Armoured Brigade Combat Teams. 1 Armoured Cavalry Troop, 1 Robot Combat Vehicle Company, 1 Brigade Engineer Battalion, and 1 Brigade Support Battalion. The Combined Arms Battalions are intended to be a 2-to-2 mix of Armour and Mechanized Infantry Companies. Additionally, the Armoured Cavalry Troops is composed of 2 Tank Platoons and 2 Bradley-mounted Scout Platoons. The Bradleys were delivered recently.
Divisional Cavalry Squadrons operate with a Penetration Division forming an Armoured Cavalry Squadron. This squadron will include 3 Cavalry Troops and a Surveillance Company. A Division Artillery Brigade has 3 Field Artillery Battalions, 1 Field Artillery Battalion.
Combat Support includes an Engineer Brigade. The Engineer Brigade with 3 Engineer Battalions that control a total of 7 Combat Engineer Companies and 5 Bridging Companies. These elements, in addition to the brigades’ own engineer assets, will enhance the division’s ability to breach obstacles, perform counter-mobility operations, and make mass river crossings.
Sustainment includes a Division Sustainment Brigade, which will consist of a Division Sustainment Support Battalion, Support Maintenance Company, Movement Control Company, and Quartermaster Company.
Aviation support includes an Aviation Brigade with an Attack Helicopter Battalion, Assault Helicopter Battalion, Attack/Reconnaissance Squadron, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Company as its flying units. Attack helicopters will be in short supply but drones will fill some gaps.
Ukraine is unlikely to achieve all of this, but their aim will be to come as close as possible. It will take several months to assemble and then it is a question of where it will be used.
Slava Ukraini!
Who Dares Shares
Robin Horsfall
“Ukraine is unlikely to achieve all of this, but their aim will be to come as close as possible. It will take several months to assemble and then it is a question of where it will be used.”
I hope Robin is being pessimistic on this. Because Ukraine needs all of this x 2. NOW. Plus the F16’s and long range ballistic missiles.
I’m clinging to a straw, hoping that much more was being done much sooner to increase Ukraine’s offensive capabilities. I just can’t believe that the combined West is so utterly blind and stupid not to have done this.