At different times and in different countries, the number and purpose of platoons varied greatly. The concept of platoons, which has survived to this day, as an organizational combat unit, was not immediately formed.
The concept of a platoon in history
Historically, a platoon was not just an organizational unit, but had a specific purpose - firing at opponents. So, at the time of the Swedish king Gustav II, platoons were considered three rifle teams, which were divided into two types: those who fire, and those who reload weapons.
In Russia, the concept of a platoon first appeared in imperial times - at the end of 1915. Initially, they appeared in the grenadier and infantry troops, and later spread to other types of military units. They consisted of one officer, four non-commissioned officers and 48 ordinary soldiers who were in their command.
Platoons in the USSR and the Russian Federation
The glorious military traditions that began in the Soviet army continue to this day. This primarily concerns the number of platoons depending on the type of troops, which is still considered optimal and has not changed for more than eighty years. The number of platoons of the GRU special forces unit, which are considered one of the most elite troops in the army of the Russian Federation, numbers from 9 to 18 people, depending on the number of special groups included in its composition.
In tank forces, a platoon is formed based on the number of people required to operate a tank and service it during trips and at the time of downtime. So, for example, for a T-72 tank, a platoon is formed, which consists of 9 people.
Artillery troops have a more complex structure for the formation of the platoon number. It all depends on what type of weapon a given platoon uses and, as a consequence, how many units of such equipment should be in one organizational unit, according to the charter. In practice, it turns out that the number of artillery platoons can be from 10-12 people in mortar platoons, up to 20-25 people in cannon platoons.
Platoons in the armies of the world
Since the formation of the military bloc of NATO countries, it has developed so that most of the armies of the world have adopted the practice used by the army of the United States of America. Currently, the platoon of the American army consists of 42 people, including a platoon sergeant, a platoon spotter and a platoon commander.
African countries most often have platoon numbers based on the practice of the countries that colonized them and now patronize them as an apology for all the troubles caused by their ancestors.
