Khan786 at 16:49, 5 August 2021

2021-08-05T16:49:09Z

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{{short description|Large military formation (3-6 battalions / 3-10 thousand troops}}
{{about|a type of military unit}}

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{{army units}}
{{Chain of Command}}

[[File:Brigade Nato.png|thumb|right|200px|Standard [[APP-6A|NATO symbol]] for an infantry brigade]]

A '''brigade''' is a major tactical [[military unit|military formation]]  that is typically composed of three to six [[battalion]]s plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced [[regiment]]. Two or more brigades may constitute a [[Division (military)|division]].

Brigades formed into divisions are usually infantry or armored (sometimes referred to as combined arms brigades). In addition to combat units, they may include combat support units or sub-units, such as artillery and engineers, and logistic units. Historically, such brigades have sometimes been called brigade-groups. On operations, a brigade may comprise both organic elements and attached elements, including some temporarily attached for a specific task.

Brigades may also be specialized and comprise battalions of a single branch, for example cavalry, mechanized, armored, artillery, air defence, aviation, engineers, signals or logistic. Some brigades are classified as independent or separate and operate independently from the traditional division structure. The typical [[North Atlantic Treaty Organisation|NATO]] standard brigade consists of approximately 3,200 to 5,500 troops. However, in Switzerland and Austria, the numbers could go as high as 11,000 troops. The Soviet Union, its forerunners and successors, mostly use "regiment" instead of brigade, and this was common in much of Europe until after World War II.

A brigade's commander is commonly a [[major general]],{{NoteTag|Brazil, Chile, Japan, and the [[Republic of China on Taiwan]]}} [[brigadier general]], [[brigadier]] or [[colonel]]. In some armies, the commander is rated as a [[general officer]]. The '''brigade commander''' has a self-contained headquarters and staff. The principal staff officer, usually a [[lieutenant colonel]] or colonel, may be designated chief of staff. Until the late 20th century British and similar armies called the position 'brigade-major’ and most British brigades have a major as the chief of staff. Some brigades may also have a deputy commander. The headquarters has a nucleus of staff officers and support (clerks, assistants and drivers) that can vary in size depending on the type of brigade. On operations, additional specialist elements may be attached. The headquarters will usually have its own communications unit.

[[File:Stryker_Brigade_Combat_Team_Organization.svg|thumb|Example of typical modern US brigade formation]]

In some [[gendarmerie]] forces, brigades are the basic-level organizational unit.

==Origin==
"The brigade as a military unit came about starting in the 15th century when the British army and militia developed a unit to control more than one infantry regiment or cavalry squadron".<ref>''The Brigade: A History: Its Organization and Employment in the US Army'', Chapter 1, Brigades in the Continental Army, Colonial Background, p. 1. http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/download/csipubs/Brigade-AHistory.pdf. Retrieved 21 December 2016.</ref> Previously each regiment, battalion, cavalry squadron, or artillery battery operated somewhat independently, with its own field officer (i.e., colonel, lieutenant colonel, or major) or battery commander (usually a captain) reporting directly to the field force or "army" commander. As such a "field army" became larger, the number of subordinate commanders became unmanageable for the officer in general command of said army, usually a major general, to effectively command. In order to streamline command relationships, as well as effect some modicum of tactical control, especially in regard to combined arms operations (i.e., those involving a coordination of infantry with cavalry and/or artillery forces), an intermediate level of command came into existence.

"The term's origin is found in two French roots, which together, meant roughly 'those who fight' ".<ref>''The Brigade: A History: Its Organization and Employment in the US Army'', Introduction, p. xi. http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/download/csipubs/Brigade-AHistory.pdf. Retrieved 21 December 2016.</ref> Another theory for derivation of the term ''brigade'' derives from [[Italian (language)|Italian]] {{lang|it| brigata}}, as used for example in the introduction to ''[[The Decameron]]'', where it refers only to a group of ten, or [[Old French]] {{lang|fro|brigare,}} meaning "company" of an undefined size, which in turn derives from a [[Celtic language |Celtic]] root {{lang|cel| briga}}, which means "strife".{{cn|date= January 2018}}
The so-called "brigada" was a well-mixed unit, comprising infantry, cavalry and normally also artillery, designated for a special task. The size of such "brigada" ranged from a reinforced "company" of up to two regiments. The "brigada" was the forerunner of the modern [[task force| "battalion task force"]], "battle group", or "brigade".

The Swedish king [[Gustavus Adolphus]] improved the brigade as a tactical unit, introducing it in 1631 during a reorganization of the Swedish Army in the course of the [[Thirty Years' War]]. The invention of the brigade overcame the lack of coordination inherent in the traditional army structure consisting of independent regiments of infantry and units of supporting arms (viz., cavalry and artillery) acting separately under their individual commanding officers. Gustavus Adolphus accomplished this battlefield coordination by combining battalions of infantry with cavalry troops and artillery batteries into a "battle group", viz., ''brigada'' or "brigade" commanded by a senior colonel, or lieutenant colonel, appointed as a ''brigadier-general.''

In France, [[Marshal of France | Marshal]] [[Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, Vicomte de Turenne| Turenne]] (1611–1675) copied the brigade organization ; he made it a permanent standing unit, requiring the creation in 1667 of a permanent rank of {{lang|fr|brigadier des armées du roi}} (literally translating to "brigadier of the armies of the king"). Unlike the Swedish brigades, French brigades at that time comprised two to five regiments of the same branch ({{lang|fr|brigade de cavalerie, brigade d'infanterie}} etc.). The rank, intermediate between colonel and {{lang|fr|maréchal de camp,}} disappeared in 1788 and should not be confused with that of {{lang|fr|général de brigade,}} which is equivalent to a brigadier general. (A modern {{lang|fr|général de brigade}} is referred to occasionally as {{lang|fr|brigadier}}.)

==Individual armies==
===Argentina===
In the Argentinian Army, the typical brigade is composed of an HQ company, two or three battalions (called "regiments" for historical reasons) of the brigade's main branch (infantry or armoured cavalry), which give the brigade its denomination (mechanized, armoured, airborne, mountain or jungle), plus one battalion of the other branch, plus one or two artillery groups, an engineers battalion or company, a signals company, and intelligence company, an army aviation section and a logistics battalion. Mountain brigades have also a special forces (called "Mountain rangers") company. The brigade is usually commanded by a brigadier general or a senior colonel, who may be promoted to general during his tenure as brigade commander.

===Australia===
In the [[Australian Army]], the brigade has always been the smallest tactical [[Formation (military)|formation]], since regiments are either administrative groupings of battalions (in the [[infantry]]) or battalion-sized units (in the [[cavalry]]). A typical brigade may consist of approximately 5,500 personnel between two mechanised infantry battalions, an armoured regiment, an armoured artillery regiment, and other logistic and engineering units. The brigade is usually commanded by an officer holding the rank of brigadier, who is referred to as the "Brigade Commander".

===India===
In Indian army, a brigade consists of a HQ, three [[battalions]] along with supporting troops. It is commanded by an army officer of the rank of Brigadier (Single star commander). <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.indianarmy.nic.in/site/formTemplete/frmtempsimple.aspx?MnId=TqWSDHmc2ua6KzgEgvgO7w==&ParentID=RuQ+vVM57FirJYXrHRLBHA== | title=STRUCTURE OF ARMY | publisher=indianarmy.nic.in | access-date=22 January 2020}}</ref>

===Pakistan===
A brigade is under the command of a brigadier and comprises three or more battalions of different units depending on its functionality. An independent brigade would be one that primarily consists of an artillery unit, an infantry unit, an armour unit and logistics to support its actions. Such a brigade is not part of any division and is under direct command of a corps.

There are 7 independent armoured brigades, seven engineering brigades and eight air defense brigades. Independent armoured and infantry brigades are capable of extended operations without necessarily being reliant on a higher HQ for short-term logistic or intimate support. They can be used in counter-attack, exploitation of an advance, or rapid movement to reinforce formations under pressure.

===Norway===
The main core of the Norwegian Army is the [[Brigade Nord]], consisting of eight battalions of which four are combat battalions (one infantry, one mechanized infantry, one artillery and one armored) and the rest are various types of support battalions. <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://forsvaret.no/fakta/organisasjon/Haeren/Brigade-Nord |title=Archived copy |access-date=2020-09-17 |archive-date=2017-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701062535/https://forsvaret.no/fakta/organisasjon/Haeren/Brigade-Nord |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The brigade is intended to be combat ready at all times. The combat battalions have a significant portion of professional soldiers (specialists). The fairly large size of the combat ready support contingent is also intended to complement the [[Heimevernet]] (translates as "Home Defense") which is a large reserve infantry force, as well as act in a support capacity for an international cooperation force (e.g. NATO) in case of an invasion.

===France===
France replaced its divisions with brigades in 1999 (so for example the [[2nd Armored Division (France)|2nd Armored Division]] became the 2nd Armored Brigade). It was decided in 2016 to again form two divisions ([[1st Armored Division (France)|1st]] and [[3rd Armored Division (France)|3rd]]) made up of four and three brigades for a total of seven brigades: two armored, two "intermediate", two light brigades (alpine and parachute) and the [[Franco-German Brigade]]. There is also an [[4th Airmobile Brigade (France)|airmobile brigade]] subordinated to the army aviation command.

In peacetime, brigades serve primarily as force providers. The units deployed (battlegroups and task-forces) are battalion-size units provided by the regiments composing the brigades.

===United Kingdom===
Brigades, with a field not a regional administrative role, have usually been of a named type and numbered since the 19th century (e.g. cavalry brigade or infantry brigade). Since the end of World War II, brigade numbers have been unique and not by type. Brigades in divisions do not usually command their combat support and combat service support units. These remain under divisional command, although they may be permanently affiliated with a particular brigade (as a "brigade group"). Historically, infantry or cavalry/armoured brigades have usually comprised three or four combat-arm battalions, but currently larger brigades are normal, made larger still when their affiliated artillery and engineer regiments are added.

Until 1918, the chief of staff of a brigade was known as a [[brigade major]]. Before 1922, British Army brigades were normally commanded by general officers holding the rank of brigadier-general (equivalent to a "one-star" rank in the US army); after that date, the brigade commander was an appointment for officers with the rank of brigadier, which were then classified as field officers not general officers. This is universally the case today.

From 1859 to 1938, "brigade" ("brigade-division" 1885–1903) was also the term used for a battalion-sized unit of the [[Royal Artillery]]. This was because, unlike infantry battalions and cavalry regiments, which were organic, artillery units consisted of individually numbered [[artillery battery|batteries]] that were "brigaded" together. The commanding officer of such a brigade was a [[lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|lieutenant colonel]]. In 1938, the Royal Artillery adopted the term "regiment" for this size of unit, and "brigade" became used in its normal sense, particularly for groups of anti-aircraft artillery regiments commanded by a brigadier.<ref>Maj-Gen Sir John Headlam, ''The History of the Royal Artillery'', Vol II (1899–1914), Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1937.</ref>

In the Second World War, a tank brigade comprised three tank regiments and was equipped with [[infantry tank]]s for supporting the infantry divisions. Armoured brigades were equipped with [[cruiser tank]]s or (US [[Lend-Lease]]) medium tanks and a motorised infantry battalion. The armoured divisions included one or more armored brigades.

===Canada===
The [[Canadian Army]] currently has three Regular Force brigade groups, designated as Canadian mechanized brigade groups (CMBG): [[1 CMBG]], [[2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group|2 CMBG]], which contain the regular army's [[English language|Anglophone]] units, and [[5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group|5 CMBG]], the regular [[Francophone]] formation. These CMBGs are each composed of:
* two [[mechanized infantry]] [[Battalion#Canadian Army|battalion]]s
* one [[light infantry]] battalion
* one armoured regiment
* one [[mechanized artillery]] regiment
* one engineer regiment
* one combat service and support (CSS) battalion.

Co-located with each CMBG is a field ambulance, and a tactical helicopter squadron, and a military police platoon. Regular Force CMBG strengths are 5,000 personnel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sencanada.ca/en/Content/Sen/committee/371/defe/01evc-e|title=Senate of Canada – Committees|first=Senate of|last=Canada|website=Senate of Canada}}</ref> Canada also has ten Primary Reserve brigades (Canadian brigade group, CBG), 31 CBG through 39 CBG, and 41 CBG. The CBG formations are for administrative purposes.

===Republic of China===
An NRA Brigade, {{lang|zh|旅}} ({{transl|zh|lǚ}}), was a military formation of the [[Republic of China (1912–49)|Chinese Republic]]'s [[National Revolutionary Army]]. Infantry and cavalry brigades were composed of two infantry regiments. After the 1938 reforms, the brigade was dispensed with within the infantry division in favor of the regiment to simplify the command structure.<ref>Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) 2nd Ed., 1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung, Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China.</ref>

===United States===
[[File:Flickr - The U.S. Army - Wisconsin Army National Guard.jpg|thumb|A U.S. infantry brigade of around 3,200 personnel, formed into eight [[battalion]]-sized groups]]
====Army====
In the [[United States Army]], a brigade is smaller than a [[division (military)|division]] and roughly equal to or a little larger than a regiment. During the [[American Civil War]] infantry brigades contained two to five regiments with the idea being to maintain a unit with a strength of 2,000 soldiers<ref>p. 17 ''The Brigade: A History, Its Organization and Employment in the US Army'' DIANE Publishing</ref> and were usually commanded by a brigadier general or a senior colonel. During World War I the division consisted of four regiments divided into two brigades of two regiments each.

More recently, the U.S. Army has [[Transformation of the United States Army|moved]] to a new generic [[brigade combat team]] (BCT) in which each brigade contains combat elements and their support units. After the [[Transformation of the United States Army#2013 reform|2013 reform]], BCT personnel strength typically ranges from 4,400 personnel for infantry BCTs, to 4,500 personnel for [[Stryker]] BCTs, to 4,700 personnel for armored BCTs. This formation is standard across the active U.S. Army, [[United States Army Reserve|U.S. Army Reserve]], and the Army [[National Guard (United States)|National Guard]].

The brigade commander is usually a colonel, although a [[lieutenant colonel]] can be selected for brigade command in lieu of an available colonel. A typical tour of duty for this assignment is 24 to 36 months. ''Separate'' brigades, viz., brigades not permanently assigned to a [[division (military)|division]], were commanded by brigadier generals<ref>''The Brigade: A History: Its Organization and Employment in the US Army'', Chapter 6, The Early Modern Brigade, 1958-1972, ROAD Brigades and Airmobile Brigades, p. 63 and Appendix 1, Divisional Versus Separate Brigades, p. 159. http://usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/download/csipubs/Brigade-AHistory.pdf. Retrieved 21 December 2016.</ref>

A brigade commander enjoys a headquarters and staff to assist them in commanding the brigade and its subordinate battalion units. The typical staff includes:

* a brigade [[executive officer]], usually a lieutenant colonel (if commanded by a colonel)
* a brigade [[Sergeant major#United States Army|command sergeant major]]
* a personnel officer ([[S1 (military)|S1]]), usually a [[major]]
* an intelligence officer ([[S2 (military)|S2]]), usually a major
* an operations officer ([[S3 (military)|S3]]), usually a lieutenant colonel
* a logistics officer ([[S4 (military)|S4]]), usually a major
* a plans officer ([[S5 (military)|S5]]), usually a major
* a communications officer ([[S6 (military)|S6]]), usually a major
* a medical officer, usually a major
* a legal officer ([[Judge Advocate General's Corps|JAG]]), usually a major
* a brigade [[chaplain]], usually a major

In addition, the headquarters includes additional junior staff officers, [[non-commissioned officer]]s, and [[Enlisted rank|enlisted]] support personnel in the [[Military Occupational Specialty|occupational specialties]] of the staff sections; these personnel are ordinarily assigned to the brigade's [[headquarters and headquarters company]].

====Marine Corps====
In the [[United States Marine Corps]], brigades are designated as [[Marine Expeditionary Brigade]]s (MEB), and are usually commanded by a brigadier general. The MEB is a mid-level [[Marine Air-Ground Task Force]] (MAGTF) essentially forming a "demi-division".{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} The MEB organizational structure consists of a minimum of three regimental-equivalent sized units and a command element (a Regimental Combat Team, a Composite Marine Aircraft Group, a Marine Logistics Regiment, and a MEB Headquarters Group). Each [[Marine Expeditionary Force]] (MEF) contains a MEB, available for deployment on [[Expeditionary warfare|expeditionary duty]]. The MEB is the intermediate MAGTF between the MEF and the [[Marine Expeditionary Unit]] (MEU). Along with the Marine Infantry Regiments, the MEU, (while smaller than an army brigade), are the USMC organizational equivalents of army brigades. The MEU consists of three battalion-equivalent sized units and a command element (a Battalion Landing Team, a Marine Medium Tilt-rotor Squadron (Reinforced), a Combat Logistics Battalion, and a MEU Headquarters Group). The Marine Infantry Regiments, combined with the Marine Artillery Regiments, comprise the bulk of the Marine Divisions. An example of a MEB is [[Task Force Tarawa]] ([[2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (United States)|2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade]]) during the [[Iraq Conflict|Operation Iraqi Freedom]] campaign.

==See also==
* [[Artillery brigade]]
* [[Mixed brigade]]
*[[International Brigades]]
* [[Military organization]]

==Notes==
{{NoteFoot}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{in lang|fr}} ''Nouveau Larousse illustré'', undated (early 20th century)

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{{Military units}}
[[Category:Brigades| ]]
[[Category:Military units and formations by size]]

Brigade - Revision history

Khan786 at 16:49, 5 August 2021