Something i've always wondered.

O

ozmilman

Active member
Hopefully i've put this in the right section, 'cause i'm not sure.

Okay, so you've got your rifle, side-arm, knife, and grenade(s) when you're a soldier, so when you go into combat or on patrol or something that simulates real life, how much ammunition are you given. Say you've got an M-16 and a standard 9mm side-arm, how many magazines/clips would they give you for each? What is your standard armament, like what is your particular piece of hardware? Do you have a choice as to what you take?

I know it is probably a silly question but i've always wondered.

Rich.
 
Basic load?

Having been an Intelligence NCO (and therefore never having had to carry a loaded weapon except to the firing range) I wouldn't really know. The field manuals will tell you to carry as much ammunition as you can physically carry and still be able to perform your assigned mission. Of course, the availability of that ammunition would have some bearing on the amount, too.
 
ozmilman said:
Okay, so you've got your rifle, side-arm, knife, and grenade(s) when you're a soldier, so when you go into combat or on patrol or something that simulates real life, how much ammunition are you given. Say you've got an M-16 and a standard 9mm side-arm, how many magazines/clips would they give you for each? What is your standard armament, like what is your particular piece of hardware? Do you have a choice as to what you take?
Click to expand...

First off, your basic soldier does not get a M9 pistol when he goes on patrol. Mainly officers and some NCOs in certain jobs are giving those weapons.

When a soldier goes on patrol in real life, the standard issues for most units is 210 rounds, or 7 magazines at 30 rounds each. I have seen some LRS units will go with 13 magazines totaling 390 rounds each. Carrying ammo is not always fun when you start piling it on. The standard number of grenades is usually 2. In combat, some soldiers are authorized to take additional ammunition if they want to carry it.

When in training, we do not carry live rounds. Sometimes, when we have OPFOR, we will use blanks.

A basic Infantry squad will consist of 2 teams at 4 each with a squad leader as well. Inside each team is usually 2 rifleman, 1 grenadier (also has a rifle) and one Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) gunner. This does not of course, include the possibly of a heavy weapons team and RTO who normally stays with the squad leader.
 
Wow, they really don't get a sidearm? I'm almost sure our Aussie troops get one, that's interesting about the squads too, i didn't realise that there were different roles for the individual within the group...

Rich
 
Of course there are different roles within any unit. Everyone can't carry a machine gun or a SAW. If your job is part of a crew fired weapon system for example, that is your primary weapon and you'll probably be issued a pistol as your personal weapon.
Whenever I went on patrol, I took as much ammo as I could (probably about 300 rounds of 5.56). Many times though I carried a 12ga. shotgun instead of an M16.
While I was a Mortar crewman, I carried a pistol while doing my job. I wouldn't make much sense to try to drop rounds into the barrel of a mortar while carrying a rifle.
 
I'm almost sure our Aussie troops get one
Click to expand...
Nope, hardly at all. Mainly Cav and Armour troopers get them and officers.

As for how much ammo. Usual load out for a training exercise is 5 mags in your webbing (each containing 30 rounds), your bayonet, and either the GLA with 40mm ammo, 66mm anti-armour weapon, or a claymore or two.

That is it for a standard fit out for someone carrying a Steyr. As for the Minimi it's different again.

As for the setup of a standard Australian infantry section, you've got three groups.

Scout group-
Scout - Armed with F88 Steyr
Scout - F88
Seco - F88

Gun Group-
2iC - F88 (possibly with GLA)
Gunner - F89 Minimi
Rifleman - F88

Assault Group-
Gunner - F89 Minimi
Rifleman - F88
Rifleman - F88 (with GLA)

Amongst the section the section weapons are divided. These as I mentioned before are the claymores, grenades, 66's, plus spare F89 ammo can be spread out amongst the section.

So you'll see that Aussies and the American setup is kinda similar, but operates in a very different way, by essentially having 3 groups that can operate independently, or as one. And you can always have 2 groups covering the movement of one... it's very effective.
 
That was a fantastic answer - pretty much exactly what i was after. Bugger me i was sure we were given side-arms - ah well. The set up for the troops sounds pretty good.

Tell me though, 'cause i'm not familiar with it - what is the Minimi. I've never heard of it before.

Rich.
 
M249.jpg

This is a US M249 SAW,

FNMinimi-para-side.jpg

This is a FN Minimi (para form, note folding stock and shorter barrel)



minimi.jpg

This is the Australian version F89 Minimi, note the optical 1.5X sight. It is the standard section based Light Support Weapon,
as opposed to the MAG-58 which we also use,

Mag%2058.jpg

But this 7.62mm weapon is used in a heavier "support" role, which fits well in accordance with the Australian military doctrine of striking hard and fast at critical points and not getting bogged down.[/quote]
 
While in KFOR '99 I was in a security unit that have to secure the german HQ. We carried only 2 Mags. (60 Rounds) for the G36. Thats not much, but the situation in Prizren was not hot and we where always inside the camp.

And at least we had everytime a Marder APC ready for action.[/url]
 
The Aussie units seem well organized. I'm not a huge AUG fan, but it is a good weapon, nonetheless.

I wonder what the "Ideal" setup would be for a squad???
 
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