Swedish Mechanized Rifle Platoon (Current)
The following is the current organization of the
Swedish Army Mechanized Infantry Rifle Platoon (Swedish:
Mekaniserad Skyttepluton) as of 2020. These are Strf 9040 (CV90) Infantry Fighting Vehicle-equipped platoons integral to Mechanized Companies of Mechanized Battalions (mekaniserade bataljonen). This article incorporates rank changes that were made within the Swedish Army in late 2019.
The next level up from this is the Mechanized Company which consists of a Company Headquarters (39 men) and 3 Mechanized Rifle Platoons (this).
Organization
- Type: Mechanized Infantry Platoon
- Origin: Swedish Army (Sweden)
- Personnel: 1 Officer and 29 Enlisted
→ Platoon Headquarters
- 1× Platoon Commander (Vehicle Commander), Fänrik or Löjtnant (OF-1), armed with 1 Ak 5C Rifle
- 1× Deputy Platoon Commander (Vehicle Commander), Sergeant (OR-6) or Över-sergeant (OR-7), armed with 1 Ak 5C Rifle
- 1× Vehicle Commander, Sergeant (OR-6) or Över-sergeant (OR-7), armed with 1 Ak 5C Rifle
→ 3× Mechanized Rifle Groups
- Dismounts:
1× Group Commander, Furir or Överfurir (OR-5), armed with 1 Ak 5C Rifle and M203 Grenade Launcher
1× Deputy Group Commander, Korpral (OR-4), armed with 1 Ak 5C Rifle and M203 Grenade Launcher
1× Carl Gustav Gunner/Rifleman, Menig (OR-1/) or Menig 1/2/3/4 (OR-2), armed with 1 Ak 5C Rifle and Grg m/86 Recoilless Rifle*
1× Carl Gustav Loader/Rifleman, Menig (OR-1) or Menig 1/2/3/4 (OR-2), armed with 1 Ak 5C Rifle and AT-4**
1× Machine Gunner, Menig (OR-1) or Menig 1/2/3/4 (OR-2), armed with 1 Ksp 58B/F (FN MAG) or Ksp 90 (Minimi) Machine Gun
1× Rifleman/Combat Life Saver*, Menig (OR-1) or Menig 1/2/3/4 (OR-2) or Vicekorpral (OR-3), armed with 1 Ak 5C Rifle or 1 Ak 4D Designated Marksman Rifle and AT-4
- Vehicle Crew:
1× Vehicle Gunner, Vicekorpral (OR-3), armed with 1 Ak 5C Rifle
1× Vehicle Driver, Vicekorpral (OR-3), armed with 1 Ak 5C Rifle
* Carl Gustaf is optional. If it is not taken with the dismounts, the Carl Gustaf Gunner acts as a rifleman.
** AT-4s are situational and considered optional, especially for Carl Gustav loaders carrying Carl Gustaf ammunition
*** Rifleman acts as assistant machine gunner when the squad is equipped with a Ksp 58B GPMG
→ Spare Personnel
- 1× Dismount Commander*, Sergeant (OR-6), armed with 1 Ak 5C Rifle
- 2× Reserve Vehicle Commanders**, Vicekorpral (OR-3) or Korpral (OR-4), armed with 1 Ak 5C Rifle
* Leads dismounts if Platoon Commander does not dismount. Sits with dismounts
** Replaces Platoon Commander or Deputy Platoon Commander as vehicle commander if they dismount. Only one will dismount. Sits in 7th seat in the back with the dismounts.
Vehicle Seating
→ Vehicle FA (Strf 9040)
- 1× Deputy Platoon Commander (Vehicle Commander)
- 1× Spare Vehicle Commander
- 1× Mechanized Rifle Group
→ Vehicle GA (Strf 9040)
- 1× Deputy Platoon Commander (Vehicle Commander)
- 1× Spare Vehicle Commander
- 1× Mechanized Rifle Group
→ Vehicle EA (Strf 9040)
- 1× Vehicle Commander
- 1× Dismount Commander
- 1× Mechanized Rifle Group
Discussion
The
Mechanized Rifle Platoon (Mekaniserad Skyttepluton) is the principle close combat element of the Mechanized Company within the Swedish Army. Each Mechanized Battalion—common formations integral to regiments of the Swedish Army's Rapid Reaction Organisation—has 2 Tank Companies (Strv 122) and 2 Mechanized Companies (Strf 9040). Each Mechanized Rifle Platoon is equipped with 3 Strf 9040 infantry fighting vehicles, carrying 3 dismounted Mechanized Rifle Groups (Pansarskyttegrupp). This contrasts with Sweden's light infantry who typically ride in Bv 206 articulated tracked carriers.
Mechanized infantry work very closely with tank units, with typically a Mechanized Company and Tank Company being paired up for a combined arms mission. This limits the amount of time a platoon can dismount if the tanks are on the move.
The
Platoon HQ (Chefsgrupp) consists of the Platoon Commander (Plutonchef), Deputy Platoon Commander (Ställföreträdande plutonchef), and a Vehicle Commander (Vagnchef). Each commands 1 of the platoon's 3 Strf 9040s. In the event that the Platoon Commander or their deputy need to dismount, each vehicle may also carry a spare Vehicle Commander who sits in the spare 7th seat in the back of the vehicle with the dismounts. The Platoon Commander is typically a Fänrik or Löjtnant (OF-1), although the rare Kapten (OF-2) Platoon Commander is possible. The Deputy is a Sergeant (OR-6) or Över-sergeant (OR-7), which would have been Förste Sergeant and Fanjunkare respectively under the old pre-2019 rank system. The Vehicle Commander is typically a Furir (OR-5), which would have been a Sergeant pre-2019, while the spare Vehicle Commanders could be Vicekorporal (OR-3) or Korporal (OR-4). All men are armed with Ak 5C assault rifles as their personal weapons.
Additionally, the platoon has three
spare personnel at full strength. A Dismount Commander who is typically a Sergeant. When neither the Platoon Commander or Deputy Platoon Commander dismount, this individual leads all dismount groups. They are technically counted in the count for the Rifle Groups in playcards, essentially being spare personnel but serving a command function. In some situations, they could command one of the groups (perhaps when the Platoon Commander or Deputy dismounts). The vehicles the Platoon Commander and Deputy Platoon Commander reside in also have one spare Vehicle Commander each who can take over command of the vehicle if either dismounts. Typically, only one of the two would ever dismount (usually the Platoon Commander).
Each of the platoon's 3
Mechanized Rifle Groups (Mekaniserad skyttegrupp) consists of a 2-man vehicle crew (excluding the Vehicle Commanders) and a 6-man dismounted element. They are letter E, F and G typically, with the option of an H if a platoon is operating with 4 groups. Meanwhile, the letters A, B, C, and D represent the platoons in the company. So a group/vehicle designated "EA" is E Group, A Platoon, for example.
The crew consists of a Driver (Förare) and Vehicle Gunner (Skytt), both junior enlisted but typically Vicekorporal. The dismounted Rifle Group is led overall by a Group Commander (Gruppchef) of the rank Furir or Överfurir—the latter being essentially a distinguishing rank awarded to Furir for good service—and is assisted by a Deputy Group Commander (Ställföreträdande Gruppchef) of the rank Korporal. The groups serve one m/86 Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle—with a gunner and rifleman who carries ammo and aids in loading—and a machine gun. The Carl Gustaf is optional, however. In a case where the Carl Gustaf is not taken out, the Carl Gustaf operator would just be a rifleman. The machine gun is either a Ksp 58B/F (FN MAG) general-purpose machine gun or KsP 90 (FN Minimi) light machine gun depending on the needs of the platoon and orders of the Platoon Commander. The Ksp58F is essentially the Ksp58B but with additional rail attachments. The vehicles carry both and the platoon can field a mix of the two. The last rifleman may act as an assistant for the Machine Gunner if the group takes out the KsP 58B. This Rifleman is typically trained as a Combat Life Saver and may be armed with an Ak4D Designated Marksman Rifle—a variant of the Ak 4 which is itself a Swedish-made G3A3. If they are a professional soldier they are typically a Vicekorpral. Both Riflemen can also carry m/86 (AT-4) disposable anti-tank weapons, although these weapons are situational and optional, especially for the Carl Gustaf loader. Meanwhile, the Group Commander and Deputy Group Commander carries an M203 40mm grenade launcher. All men except for the Machine Gunner and Deputy Group Commander carry the Ak 5C rifle.
Like the light infantry variant, the Mechanized Rifle Group can be split into two teams (Omgång) of 3 men under the Group Commander or their deputy each to facilitate fire and maneuver.
