ARMORED AND MECHANISED INFANTRY
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ARMORED AND MECHANISED INFANTRY |
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The need for infantry to protect the precious tanks especially in wooded and close terrain was recognized early in Sweden. The evaluations of the performance of russian tanks in the finnish winter war of 39-40 strengthened these beliefs. From the start there was accompanying infantry units attached to the tank units.
The photo shows a m/21-29 tank with its crew in coveralls and berets as well as the team of accompanying infantry. These are armed with carbines of 6,5 mm calibre. During the second world war war the brigade organization governed that there was to be one infantry battalion to two tank battalions. The organization was a slimmed down copy of the german panzer division at the start of the war and thus tank heavy. In the organization of 1949 this was changed however. Experience from maneuvers in Sweden and from the war in Europe showed that the brigade had to be reinforced with infantry to be efficient. Thus the ratios were reversed. Two infantry battalions to one tank battalion. This had the consequense that the tank battalion could be split up and attached to the infanty battalions. In some respects the brigade thus was degraded to an infantry brigade reinforced with tanks. An important addition was that the tank battalion consisted of three tank companies and one company of accompanying infantry. This was used for close in protection, observation and recon. Each tank in the companies had two men as "tank riders". These could either ride on the tanks or follow mounted in the platoon car, an armored KP-car. This vehicle is still in service with territorial defense forces on Gotland and were retired from the armored brigade on Gotland as late as in 1993 when the brigade was restructured to a modern mechanized brigade with Pbv 302. Often the rifle company in the battalion was split up and this meant that an additional two men were added to this. Each of these accompanying squads had an 8 cm mortar that could be deployed on the rear deck of the tank. All of this had its roots in the evaluation of the finnish experience from their war against the russians. The main weapons of the infantry were the rifle G m/96 (6,5 mm), the carbine m/36 (6,5 mm), the semiautomatic rifle AG m/42 (6,5 mm) and automatic rifles in the BAR mould. Various mashineguns were used as well. The main anti tank weapons were the pansarskott m/46, basicly a copy of the late Panzerfaust, and the raketgevär m/49 or m/51, basicly copies of the Panzerschreck.
On the rear deck of this Strv m/42 the accompanying rifleman peeks at the cameraman.
In this photograph the accompanying pair of infantrymen is clearly visible. The aircraft are the J-21 fighters with a pushing propeller at the rear of the fuselage. The automatic cannons were later used for the Pbv 301 IFV in the early sixties.
The KP-car with twin Ksp m/36 mashineguns
The theat of the fifties included the fact that both NATO and the Warzaw pact were taking form and the evolution of the nuclear threat. The building of strong airborne and amphibious forces proposed that the tactical tasks would be complicated in the future. The ongoing development of better tanks meant that the Swedish tank park was rapidly becoming not only obsolete but downright ancient. The purchase of the Centurions and the Strv 74 was welcome. Of utmost importance was that 220 Strv m/41 were rebuilt by Hägglunds to APC:s in 1959-1963. These were designated Pbv 301. This meant that Sweden had the first true APC/IFV since this was armed with a 20 mm automatic cannon.
Pbv 301
With a weight of about 11 tons and a top speed of 45 km/h it was a true breakthrough vehicle leading the way to the future. The organization of 1949 had been proved to be less than perfect. It was hard to use the tank battalion concentrated and the practise was to swap companies between the battalions to create working combat teams. In the organization of 1956 the brigade was made up of three battalions each of two armored infantry companies and one tank company. This meant that despite the purchase of the Centurions and Strv 74 the tanks were regarded as support to the infantry. The infantry companies were mounted in KP-cars. When the number of brigades was increased there was not enough KP-cars to mount all the armored infantry companies. This meant that the organization was redrawn. One of the armored infantry battalions became bicykle mounted. This meant that the mobility of the battalion was totally warped. Three different speeds of advance. To command this battalion effectively was not possible. In practice one half of the battalion fought together, the tank company and the KP-car mounted armored infantry company, while the tractor towed bicykle company fought with other units of the battalion. The so called "agricultural exhibition". On the brigade level the organization of 1958 was a great improvement however, but that is outside the scope of this story. In the regulations of 1961 the importance of coordinated assaults with tanks and armored infantry was stressed. The use of mounted assaults showed that they were written with the Pbv 301 in mind.
This photo shows a armored infantry squad armed with submashineguns dismounting from their Pbv 301.They are wearing the woolen m/58 uniform and the combat harness..
The genius of the organization of 1963
The organization of 1963 was so well balanced and before its time that it has remained to this day with only minor changes. The three battalions each was to consist of two armored infantry companies and two tank companies as well as a howitzer company and the usual staff and logistics units. The armored infantry companies were to be mounted in IFV:s such as the Pbv 301 and the Pbv 302 that was under development. The armored infantry company was to have a fourth platoon as well. A platoon of four jeepmounted 9 cm recoilless rifles. Each of the three armored infantry platoos had one 8,4 cm recoilless rifle m/48 and one Ksp m/58 mashinegun. The soldiers were initially armed with 9 mm K-pist m/45 submashineguns. This was later changed to the 7,62 mm AK 4 assault rifle. The three seven man squads each had one IFV. The tank companies had four tank platoons and a fifth armored infantry platoon that was identical to the ones in the armored infantry companies.
Armored infantry squad in the middle of the sixties armed with submashineguns assaulting after dismounting their Pbv 302. They are wearing the cotton m/59 uniform and the combat harness.
The organisation was extremely flexible and suited for most sorts of terrain. There is always armored infantry around to support the tanks in close terrain or by assaulting terrain in the flanks of the tanks and there are always tanks around to help the armored infantry. The idea was to use the battalion concentrated but several different alternatives existed. The standard half battalion of one tank company and one armored infantry company was the most widely used if the entire battalion was not to be employed. Two tank companies and two armored infantry companies was often suitable in terrain that was open. The infantrys task in this case was mainly to defend the hubs such as bridges and crossroads to allow the tanks to move rapidly and freely.
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The change from submashinegun to assault rifles was sound as far as to effective range and penetrention of cover. The amount of carried ammo for the soldier and the platoon was decreased however. Nevertheless the AK 4 became a very popular weapon. It was not until the 5,56 mm AK 5 in the late eighties and early nineties that a weapon with both the effective range and penetrention of the 7,62 and the amount of carried ammo of the 9 mm entered service. The calibre is far superior to the 7,62 but the weapon is maybe not so superior to its predecessor. The AK 5 is thought by many to be flimsy and simply not rugged enough. It is easier to train the riflemen on the new weapon and its accuracy is unquestionable however. At the same time that the AK 4 entered service the pansarskott m/46 was replaced by the newer 74 mm pansarskott m/68. Firing a grenade rather than a rocket it had better accuracy than the US M72 LAW and with 74 mm calibre compared to only 66 mm probably better penetrention and effect behind armor as well. It was still not more than a selfdefence weapon if caught in an unfavorable position. The real antitank firepower was in the 8,4 cm RCL or 9 cm RCL. The 20 mm autocannon of the Pbv was often enough to take out enemy APC:s. In the battalion system the tanks had the main responsibility of fighting enemy armor. |
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The Pbv 302 allowed the armored infantry to fight mounted in the assault. This became the preferred method due to the speed and protection offered by the armor of the IFV. It also allowed the armored infantry to keep up with the tanks. Submashineguns and later assault rifles are used as well as mashineguns and handgrenades and of course the autocannon. The weapons are fired by the soldiers standing in the open hatches. If the situation demanded dismounting this was fast. Ten seconds after the command the squad is on line formation phasing the same direction as the vehicle waiting for the next command and the backdoors closed.
Mounted assault.
If terrain or a prepared enemy did not allow this to be, dismounted assault was used. Dismounting can be done either in the objective or before reaching the objective. This again depending on the terrain and the enemys disposition. The Pbv would then support the squads assault with its gun or the three vehicles could solve a task of their own within the the platoons task. They would never be far away however since it is the mobile shelter of the squad.
Armored infantry squad of the seventies with Ak 4, the grey m/58 wool winteruniform and the combat harness dismounting directly into action.
It was not until the middle of the eighties the organization was revised. The anti tank platoon was removed since it was not armored and could not keep up with the company. They usually ended up defending a battle position in a not so very important flank where they were out of the way. For the same reasons the armored infantry platoon was removed from the tank companies and added to the armored infantry companies which thus had four platoons again. This was not undisputedly popular. The tank company commanders lost a very useful platoon that was irreplacable in most situations. Except in combat where the platoon usually got the task to support a tank platoon in certain area where there wasnt any enemy anyway. The soldiers simply rode their Pbv all day long. Never spotting an enemy or firing their weapons. This was clearly a waste of a platoon that could be better used in a armored infantry company in the right terrain.
The organisation was revised yet again in the early nineties. The transformation of some armored brigades into mechanized brigades meant that the armored brigades were to have three platoons in their armored infantry companies equipped with the new CV 90. A truly awesome vehicle that clearly is a contender for the best in the world title. The mechanized brigades were to retain the four platoon organization and the Pbv 302. The disbanding of the 26th armored brigade meant that the KP-car was finally retired into the territorial defence battalions on Gotland (which thus now can call themselves territorial armored infantry battalions) and the Pbv 302 introduced in the renamed 18th mechanized brigade. The main structure of the 1963 organization of battalions and brigades is still unchanged. An anti tank battalion has been added to the brigade and logistcs units has been moved around and the number of platoons slightly changed. That is all. A new organisation is yet again taking form. There will not be any revolutionary changes this time either.
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The CV 90 |
The CV 90 |
The purchase of ex east-german MT-LB and BMP 1 meant that the light truck and bandwagon borne swedish infantry is starting to hesitantly enter the 20th century. Having used vehicle depots and from there walked into (slow and ineffeicient) action it is a big step to start mounting and dismounting in the objective or in close vincity. In some years they will be able to call themselves mechanized. The MT-LB or Pbv 401 as it is known is used roughly as a trackborne KP-car. The squads must dismount to fight. It is used as an APC by the norrland brigades and as a armored transport for anti tank missile teams by the infantry brigades. The infantry brigades rifle squads use the BMP 1 or Pbv 501 roughly as a Pbv 302. The early attempts at fighting with the Pbv 501-company as a mechanized unit has ended in heavy casualties partly due to the lack of tanks in the battalion system and partly due to the amateurism in mechanized combat by the infantry. This will in no doubt improve as time goes by.
Pbv 401
Pbv 501
When the AK 5 started replacing the K-pist (submashinegun) and AK 4 mix in the battalions (around 1990) the pansarskott m/68 was starting to be replaced by the pansarskott m/86 or AT-4. A weapon with roughly the performance of the 8,4 cm RCL. The Pbv 302 underwent a REMO (renovation and modification.) that did not dratically change the vehicle. A new uniform system was introduced and both the older m/59 as well as the m/90 are used today. A new kevlar helmet is replacing the old steelhelmet m/37. Protective vests are standard in the brigades except for the AFV crews that will recieve a special vest any year now. There are not any dedicated snipers in the mechanized infantry units. A numberof the soldiers have scopes fitted to their Ak 5 (Ak 5B) or earlier to their Ak 4. The brigaderecon company has a number of the new sniperrifle Psg 90 however. Dedicated snipers are only found in the infantry and ranger units.
Recoilless rifle team in 1989. The assault rifles are the 7,62 mm AK 4 or G3. They wear the m/59 uniform and the m/37 steelhelmet that has been camouflaged with grass that is tucked in under the helmets net. The 8,4 cm RCL is just about to be fired.
This picture shows a very reduced rifle squad. It is down to three men but can still man the main weapons. The 7,62 mm MG and the recoilless rifle. The squadleader is doubling as a mashine gunner. The picture was taken in 1990. They wear the m/59 uniform and the m/37 steelhelmet.
This mashinegun team was photographed in June 1998. The soldiers are wearing the m/90 system with the new kevlar helmet
Uniform:
There are three uniforms in use. Battledress is most commonly used in lieu of daily dress. The most common is the latest m/90. The two others are the older m/59 forestgreen uniform and the old winteruniform, the woolen grey m/58. The m/59 is most often used during basic training where drills such as taking cover and assault movement mean a lot of wear and tear to the uniforms. The m/90 is a part of an entire system that is second to none in the world and well adapted to the varying climates in Sweden. It is used in winter and summer, while the m/58 and m/59 were used depending on time of year and part of Sweden. The only drawback with the new system is that the m/90 is not as resilient to wear and tear as the older almost undestroyable m/59. This is the way with most modern things and therefore not surprising.
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| To the left is a photo of a soldier in the winter wool m/58 uniform with the older combat harness that was introduced in the sixties. The helmet is the m/37 steel helmet with the helmet netting worn as was customary in the sixties when tactical nuclear weapons was considered a serious threat. The nettingcloth is in the lower position to protect the skin from part of the heatblast. | This photo shows a soldier in the forestgreen cotton m/59 uniform with the combat harness and the helmet netting worn as was customary in the seventies. The nettingcloth is simply folded over and buttoned on top of the helmet. The netting could be stuffed with grass and leaves to mask its metalshine and shape before going into action as can be seen on some photos above. | This photo shows a soldier wearing the m/59 uniform but with the combatbelt that started to replace the combat harness in the middle of the eighties. He wears the helmet netting as was customary in the eighties and early nineties when a "meaner" look became desirable among the soldiers. The cover was rolled tightly around the brim of the helmetand fastened with tape. | To the right a soldier in the m/90 uniform with the combatbelt and the new m/90 kevlar helmet with a cover rather than a netting. The m/90 is much more "roomy" than older uniforms and has plenty of pockets for storing small things such as personal belongings or insect repellants, first aid kits, writing gear etc. A new combat belt is tested as this is written and will probably soon enter service. |
