Modern
Soviet Air Assault Brigade

1985-1990 All theatres

List R41M

by Mark Bevis

1. Teeth Arm

Air Assault Battalion

    Bttn HQ: 2 AR/SMG sqds, OP/Air Liaison Team, 1x RPG-16
    3 Companies@
      CHQ: 2(8 man) AR sqds, 2x 30mm AG-17
      3 platoons@ 3(7 man) AR/SMG sqds, 3 SAW, 3 LMG, 3x RPG-16, 1x Sa-7B or Sa-14
      1 platoon: 6x 73mm SPG-9, 3x AT-4 Spigot
      0-1 A/T Platoon: 3-4x AT-4 Spigot teams
      1 Battery: 6x 120mm 2B11 mortars, 1x RPG-16, Assigned FC

Heavy Air Assault Battalion

    Bttn HQ: 1x BMD-ksh, 1x BTR-D, 2(8 man) AR/SMG sqds, 1x RPG-16, OP/Air Liaison Team
    3 Companies@
      CHQ: 1x BMD-ksh, 1x BTR-D, 2 MMG, 2x 30mm AG-17, 1 AR sqd
      3 platoons@ 3(6 man) AR sqds, 3 SAW, 3 LMG, 3x BMD-1M ,
      3x RPG-16, 1x Sa-14
      1 Battery: 4x BTR-D/82mm mortar, 1x BMD-ksh, 1x RPG-16
      OR 1 Battery: 6x 120mm 2S-9 (SO-120), 1x BMD-1V119, 1x RPG-16

2. Brigade Support

Airborne Brigade HQ: 6 AR/SMG sqds, 15x UAZ-469 Jeeps, 3 x RPG-16, 3x Sa-14 with:

    1 Recce Platoon: 4x BRDM-2, 4x Gaz-69, 2(8 man) AR sqds, 2 SAW, 2x RPG16
    1 AA Battery: 6x twin 23mm ZU-23-2, 6x BTR-D, 3x Sa-7 or Sa-14
    1 A/T Company:
      CHQ: 1x BRDM-2U OR CHQ: 1 AR sqd
      3 platoons@ 3x BRDM-3 OR 3 platoons@ 3x AT-4 Spigot teams, 1x RPG-16

    1 Engineer Company:
      CHQ: 1 AR sqd, 2 Jeeps
      3 platoons@ 3(5 man) AR/engineer sqds, 3 Jeeps, 1x RPG-16, 1 LMG

    1 Artillery Battalion: BHQ: 6 AR/SMG sqds , 6 trucks, 3x Sa-7B, Assigned FC

      2 batteries@ 6x 122mm D30, 6 trucks, 1 Jeep, 1 radio truck
      1 battery: 6x 122mm BM-21-12 Grad-P , 1 Jeep
      OR 1 Mortar Battery: 6x 120mm M43 mortars, 6 trucks, radio truck, 1 Jeep
      and 1 Gun Battery: 6x 85mm SD44, 6 trucks, 6x RPG-16

3. Divisional Support

    Up to:

    1 Attached Assault Helicopter Regiment:

      0-1 ECM Flight: 4x Mil-8 Hip-J or Hip-K or Mil-17
      2-3 Gunship Squadrons@ 18x Mil-24 Hind-A, D, E or F
      2 Transport Squadrons@ 16x Mil-8 Hip-C or Mil-17 Hip-H
      1 Transport Squadron: 16x Mil-6 Hook or Mil-26 Halo

4. Notes

    a) Radios are in all AFV and squads Artillery is Assigned FC.
    b) Infantry have 1-3 RPG-18 or RPG-22 disposable LAW per squad, and up to 2 x 40mm BG15 grenade launchers on AKS74 per squad. Engineers have 1-3x RPO disposable incendiary rocket launchers per squad.
    c) The Brigade has 3 Air Assault and 1 Heavy Air Assault battalions. Ten such Brigades exist in 1991.
    d) BTR-D is the longer, open topped version of the BMD, and the BMD-ksh is the command version of the BTR-D.
    e ) Sa-14 can be replaced by Sa-7B, or from 1988 can be Sa-16 or Sa-18.
    f) In 1991 the Air Assault Brigades were replaced by Airborne Brigades.
    g) BMD-1M has Spigot, and can be rearmed with 30mm cannon (BMD M1981/1).


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© Copyright 1997-2003 by Mark Bevis and MicroMark.
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