US TOE Questions

[Marcello]

Following some semi succesful prodding around for info about the iraqi OOB I have decided for a major overhaul of the New Iraqi Army formations along US lines. Given however that the iraqis lack many pieces of equipment (like ATGMs) I cannot simply import US formations as they are but I have to "translate" them. I will therefore use this thread to ask for some questions about US TOE.

First question: OOB 12, formation 203 Rifle Platoon.
This unit has a MMG section. I take that it is supposed to represent two tripod mounted MMGs. What I do not get is the LMG count. FM 7-10 tables would suggest six machine guns in total, which would work out as those aforementioned MMGs and one LMG per squad. However US squads get two LMGs in the US OOB. Has the number of LMGs been increased?

[thatguy96]

I just looked at the copy of FM 7-10 on Globalsecurity.org and find the pictures to be quite confusing myself mainly because the key says "machine gun 7.62mm/5.56mm" which doesn't seem to make a lot of sense.

US Squads get two automatic rifles per squad plus the MG section at platoon level. This should roughly equate to 2 M249 x N number of squads, plus 2 M240B in the current TO&E. The 2 auto rifleman per squad has been a fixture of US squads since 1956.

EDIT: Looking at it again, I think the 6 LMG's its referring to are the 2 MG's per platoon in the platoon MG section. This is the only way this makes sense.

Furthermore, since FM 7-10 is for Infantry Companies, I wouldn't expect it to bother describing notable systems down to squad level, only at platoon level, further supporting this theory.

[Marcello]

"US Squads get two automatic rifles per squad"

Yes, I had momentarily overlooked the US propensity for fire teams organization (typically i research armies where the emphasis is still on the squad). A typical squad cannot have just one LMG if it supposed to be able to split.

[thatguy96]

Just keep in mind that the M249 at squad level in the US Army is classed as an "automatic rifle" (see FM 23-14 M249 LIGHT MACHINE GUN IN THE AUTOMATIC RIFLE ROLE), not as an LMG (though the manual itself admits that this was perhaps the manufacturer's intended role for the weapon). The M240B, consided by some to be an LMG is used as an LMG/MMG, but only at platoon level.

[Marcello]

Well, the iraqis get the PKM, so that is a non issue.

[Marcello]

Another question. If I have understood correctly the Stryker company gets a MGS platoon and a couple of SP mortars as organic support. Now, does an US company mounted on M113s typically get a couple of organic SP mortars as well?