Asection is a militarysub-subunit. It usually consists of between 6 and 20 personnel.NATO andU.S. doctrine define a section as an organization "larger than asquad, but smaller than aplatoon."^[1][2][3] As such, two or more sections usually make up an armyplatoon or an air forceflight.

In theAustralian,British andCanadian Armed Forces section is an equivalent to an infantrysquad:^[4]

• the Canadian Army infantry section contains 2 four-Soldier assault group^[5]
• the Australian / British Army infantry section contains 2 four-Soldier fire teams^[6][7]
• the U.S. Army Infantrysquad also contains 2 four-Soldier fire teams^[8]

In this regard, in a number of Slavic languages the morphological equivalent of the word "section" (a separate part of an organization;Belarusian:аддзяленне,Bulgarian:отделение,Russian:отделение,Rusyn:удділеня,Ukrainian:відділення) in military affairs also meanssquad.

At the same time, in a number of Romance languages the phonetic analogue of the word "section" (French:section,Spanish:sección,Romanian:secţie,Italian:sezione) in military affairs meansplatoon or a sub-unit similar to aplatoon.^[9]

In someair forces, a section is a unit containing three to fouraircraft (if it is a flying unit) and up to 20 personnel. In theU.S. Space Force two or more guardians form a section.^[10]

NATO Map Symbols[2]
A section
A mechanized infantry section
a psychological operations section
a light anti-tank section

U.S. Army in Chapter 2 ofArmy Doctrine Publication No. 3-90 provides the following definitions for army echelons:^[11]

• аfire team is a small military unit typically containing four or fewer Soldiers; a fire team is usually grouped by two or three teams into asquad or section
• аcrew is a small military unit that consists of all personnel operating a particular system
• аsquad is a small military unit typically containing two or morefire teams; in some cases, thecrew of a system may also be designated as a squad

• аsection is a tactical unit of the Army and Marine Corps smaller than a platoon and larger than a squad; a section may consist of the crews of two or more Army systems, such as a tank section or several fire teams

U.S. ArmyField Manual No. 1-02.2 in Table 2-3 andNATO standard APP-06 in Table 1-8 provide the following symbols for these echelons:^[3][2]

In practice, the meaning of these symbols depends on the NATO member country. For example

• Table 2–3 in U.S. ArmyField Manual No. 1-02.2^[3] and U.S. designations in Annex B to APP-06^[12] contain the note that Common English language definition also applies to symbol ●, “a small group engaged in a common effort or occupation”
• The Military English Guide v. 1.4, published by Swedish Defence University, makes no distinction between a section and a squad, designating them with the symbol●●; a fire team is designated by the symbol●^[13]

National designation for symbol ●● in NATO member armed forces:^[14]

At the start ofWorld War I, the Australian Army used a section that consisted of 27 men including the section commander, asergeant.^[17]

DuringWorld War II, a rifle section comprised ten soldiers with a corporal in command and alance-corporal as his second-in-command. The corporal used an M1928Thompson submachine gun, while one of the privates used aBren gun. The other eight soldiers all used No.1 Mk.3Lee–Enfield rifles with abayonet andscabbard. They all carried two or three No.36Mills bomb grenades.

After World War II, and during theVietnam War, a rifle section consisted of ten personnel comprising acommand and scout group (three people – two sub-machineguns/M16A1 and aL1A1 SLR); agun group (three people – anM60 machine gun and two L1A1 SLRs) and arifle group (four people – L1A1 SLRs).^[18][19] The section was later reduced to nine men, and consisted of the section commander, a two-man scout group, the section 2IC and two other men in the gun group, and a three-man rifle group; the section commander would usually move with the latter.^[20]

Under the new structure of the infantry platoon,Australian Army sections are made up of eight men divided into two four-manfireteams. Each fireteam consists of a team leader (corporal/lance-corporal), a marksman with enhanced optics, a grenadier with anM203 grenade launcher and an LSW operator with anF89 Minimi light support weapon.^[6]

Typical fire team structure:

A section in the British Armed Forces is equivalent to a NATOsquad, and the British Army has no organization equivalent to a NATO section.^[21]

The rifle section of a Second World War infantry battalion was generally formed of a corporal as the section commander, a lance corporal as the section2iC from April 1943 onwards, and a varying number of private soldiers depending on the year of the war. The corporal variously carried aLee-Enfield rifle, aThompson submachine gun,^[e] or aSten submachine gun depending on the year of the war,^[f] one private would be the section gunner with aBren light machine gun, and all other section members were armed with Lee–Enfield rifles (though the corporal might swap his submachine gun with another member of the section).^[28][29] At the onset of hostilities in 1939, the section consisted of the section commander, one Bren gunner and his assistant, and five riflemen for a total of eight men;^[30] in 1940, this was increased to ten men.^[31] A typical section as of 1944 was divided into a 'rifle group' consisting of the section commander and six riflemen, and a 'gun group' consisting of the section 2IC and gun controller, the section gunner or Bren No. 1, and the Bren No. 2 carrying a spare barrel for the Bren gun; the six riflemen each carried two Bren magazines and a bandolier with a further fifty rounds, the Bren No. 2 carried five magazines, and the other two members of the gun group carried four magazines for a total of a thousand rounds of ammunition for the Bren. Three sections together formed aplatoon, with two being forward sections and the third being a reserve.^[32][33]

The 1950s initially had no meaningful changes to the infantry section and its armament save for the rifle group gaining a seventh man,^[34] but later saw the replacement of .303in weapons with new models chambered for 7.62mm NATO, as well as a shift from the magazine-fed Bren to the belt-fedL7A1 (later L7A2) general purpose machine gun (GPMG). Most battalions reverted to a ten-man section organisation, with the rifle group now consisting of the section commander (corporal) with anL1A1 Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) and six riflemen with L1A1 SLRs, while the gun group consisted of the section 2IC and gun controller (Lance corporal) with an SLR, the section gunner or GPMG No. 1 with the GPMG, and the GPMG No. 2 with an SLR and a spare GPMG barrel. A certain amount of 7.62mm linked ammunition was carried by all members of the section (200 rounds per gun group member, 50 rounds per rifle group member), with ammunition held by the rifle group being redistributed to the gun group prior to an assault. In a mechanised battalion, the section nominally consisted of ten men as well, but two of these were detailed as vehicle crewmen, thus giving a dismounted strength of eight men. As a result of this, a mechanised section's rifle group only had four riflemen; two of these could be detailed as a Medium Anti-tank Weapon (MAW) No. 1 with anL14A1 84mm anti-tank weapon and a MAW No. 2 with additional 84mm rounds but otherwise continued to act as riflemen (in other battalions, the MAW No. 1 and No 2 were normally part of the platoon headquarters). Rifle-launchedNo. 95 anti-tank grenades that had been used with the Lee-Enfield rifle continued to be made available for anti-armour defence in lieu of or in addition to the L14A1, with these later being replaced by shoulder-firedL1 66mm HEAT rockets.^[35] TheM79 40mm grenade launcher was available,^[36][37] but not in large numbers.^[38]

Tactical doctrine stated that, where casualties were sustained, a section could only be reduced to one NCO and five other ranks before bayonet power in the assault or the ability to organise a proper system of double sentries at night time were fatally compromised.^[39][40] Later sections would all consist of eight men (as well as any men detailed as vehicle crew) regardless of the battalion type;^[40] this reorganisation also saw the rifle group being modified to consist of the section commander with an SLR and four riflemen with SLRs and 66mm HEAT rockets. In the event of a significant armour threat, two riflemen would be re-roled as a MAW No. 1 with an L14A1 84mm anti-tank gun and either a 9mmL2A3 9mm submachine gun or an SLR and a MAW No. 2 with an SLR and additional 84mm ammunition. No changes were made to the gun group.^[41]

Both World War II and Cold War section tactics were designed with a view to bringing the section machine gun to bear on the enemy and providing support to it; once the gun group had suppressed the enemy ("winning the firefight"), the rifle group would assault and destroy the enemy position with the gun group providing fire until the last safe moment.^{[citation needed]}

The introduction of the 5.56mm select-fireSA80 series (L85 rifle or individual weapon and L86 light support weapon) to replace 7.62mm weapons and the L2A3 submachine gun from the mid-to-late 1980s onwards led to the rifle group/gun group organisation being abandoned in favour of fireteam groupings, with this being officially mentioned as early as 1982^[40] and being given full doctrinal definition by 1986;^[42] however, sections organised according to the earlier rifle group/gun group model would still be in existence until at least 1988, with changes in such sections mostly being limited to earlier weapons being replaced by their newer equivalents.^[43] The British section continued to consist of eight soldiers, but under normal circumstances these were now divided into a "Charlie" and "Delta" fireteam^[g] with each team comprising an NCO and three other men. The platoon continued, and continues, to be composed of three sections.^[42][44][45]

The normal section organisation during the late 1980s, the 1990s, and the early 2000s was as follows:^[42][44][45]

• Charlie Fireteam
  • Section Commander/Charlie Commander (Corporal) armed with an L85A1 5.56mm rifle (Upgraded to L85A2 from 2002 to 2006)
  • Two Riflemen armed with L85A1 5.56mm rifles (Upgraded to L85A2 from 2002 to 2006)
  • Gunner armed with an L86A1 5.56mm light support weapon (Upgraded to L86A2 from 2002 to 2006; often replaced informally by the earlier L7A2 7.62mm general purpose machine gun owing to the L86's shortcomings in the section machine gun role, and later officially replaced by theL110A2 5.56mm light machine gun^[46])
• Delta Fireteam
  • Section 2IC/Delta Commander (Lance Corporal) armed with an L85A1 5.56mm rifle (Upgraded to L85A2 from 2002 to 2006)
  • Two Riflemen armed with L85A1 5.56mm rifles (Upgraded to L85A2 from 2002 to 2006)
  • Gunner armed with an L86A1 5.56mm light support weapon (Upgraded to L86A2 from 2002 to 2006; often replaced informally by the earlier L7A2 7.62mm general purpose machine gun owing to the L86's shortcomings in the section machine gun role, and later officially replaced by the L110A2 5.56mm light machine gun)

This grouping provided a balanced organisation, with either fireteam being capable of moving to assault or supporting the other fireteam's movement (though doctrine still had the Lance Corporal's fireteam providing covering fire in the initial stages of a section attack). The fireteam concept was intended to introduce an element of flexibility,^[47] and consequently two other section groupings were devised; an assault team/support team grouping where the Delta fireteam (consisting of the section 2IC, a rifleman, and both section gunners) was responsible for covering the Charlie fireteam (consisting of the section commander and three riflemen, though this could be raised to four if the rifleman in the Delta fireteam was moved to the Charlie fireteam^[44]) during the latter's movement from one position to another, and a modified version of the earlier rifle group/gun group organisation, used if it was felt that the strongest possible manoeuvre force was required, where both section gunners formed the gun group and all remaining personnel formed the Charlie fireteam which acted as the rifle group. There were also groupings devised in relation to specific combat scenarios; sections engaged in trench clearing could either be organised as usual or be split into four assault teams of two men each, while sections tasked with clearing a house were organised into a command group, a covering group comprising both section gunners (and possibly the section 2IC), and two assault groups of two riflemen each. Fireteams could also be split into smaller sub-divisions of two men each outside of these groupings, particularly during fire and manoeuvre.^[45]

TwoLAW 80 launchers (designated as the L1A1 94mm HEAT rocket system and henceforth referred to as LAWs) were part of the standard equipment allocation for each section, replacing the L14A1 gun and the L1A3 66mm rockets, and were carried as needed; the normal section grouping had one LAW per fireteam, while the assault team/support team grouping could have a LAW carried by one or both teams depending on the perceived armour threat. It was also possible to have the platoon's reserve section equipped with all six LAWs, leaving the two forward sections unencumbered forfire and manoeuvre and providing them with anti-armour defence.^[45] The earlier M79 grenade launcher continued to be available as late as the autumn of 1995,^[48] but grenade launcher capability was mostly provided by the rifle-launched L74A1 HEAT and L75A1 HEAT-APERS grenades;^[49][50] theL85A1 HE rifle grenade began to replace these in April 1998. Issue was scaled at twelve rifle grenades and six L15A1 rifle grenade launcher sights per section, effectively allowing all rifle-equipped members of the section to carry and use two rifle grenades each.^[45]

Not all sections consisted of eight men; units mounted aboard theFV510 Warrior infantry fighting vehicle consisted of seven men, with one fireteam's second rifleman usually being the section member that was omitted. While theFV432 armoured personnel carrier can accommodate a section consisting of ten men, this is in relation to the earlier Cold War section organisation, with sections organised according to the later and post-Cold War organisation remaining at eight men.^[51]

Changes were made to the section's equipment during the 2000s in response to operational demands and experience; the L85A1 rifle was upgraded to L85A2 standard between 2002 and 2006, with a further upgrade package consisting of aPicatinny rail handguard and alternative optical sights being introduced for select units in 2007 and more generally from 2009 onwards, theL123 40mm underslung grenade launcher (UGL) was introduced as a replacement for rifle-launched grenades, the L86 light support weapon was replaced as the section machine gun by the L110A1-A3 5.56mm light machine gun acquired as anUrgent Operational Requirement, and the second rifleman in the fireteam was re-roled as a designated marksman carrying either the L86A2 light support weapon^[52] or, in later years, theL129A1 7.62mm sharpshooter rifle.^[53][54] By 2005^[55] therefore, the normal section grouping was reorganised as follows:^[56]

• Charlie Fireteam
  • Section Commander/Charlie Commander (Corporal) armed with an L85A2 5.56mm rifle
  • Rifleman armed with an L85A2 5.56mm rifle and L123A1-A3 40mm UGL (though this could be carried by the fireteam commander instead)
  • Gunner armed with an L110A1-A3 5.56mm light machine gun
  • Designated marksman armed with an L86A2 5.56mm light support weapon (Supplemented and then largely replaced by L129A1 7.62mm sharpshooter rifle from 2010 onwards)^[53]
• Delta Fireteam
  • Section 2IC/Delta Commander (Lance Corporal) armed with an L85A2 5.56mm rifle
  • Rifleman armed with an L85A2 5.56mm rifle and L123A1-A3 40mm UGL (though this could be carried by the fireteam commander instead)
  • Gunner armed with an L110A1-A3 5.56mm light machine gun
  • Designated marksman armed with an L86A2 5.56mm light support weapon (Supplemented and then largely replaced by L129A1 7.62mm sharpshooter rifle from 2010 onwards)^[53]

The two other section groupings were also modified; the assault team/support team grouping now had the Charlie fireteam consist of the section commander, a rifleman with UGL, and both section gunners, with the Delta fireteam consisting of the section 2IC, both section marksmen, and a rifleman with UGL. The rifle group/gun group organisation was replaced by a fast assault/fire support grouping where the Charlie fireteam consisted of the section commander with UGL and a rifleman, while all remaining personnel formed the Delta fireteam. Trench clearing and house clearing groupings remained unchanged.^[56] Some units operating in Afghanistan carried on using the L7A2 GPMG as the section machine gun or included it as an additional weapon on the scale of one per fireteam; in the case of the latter, this meant that only two L85A2s (at least one of which was fitted with the UGL) were carried per section.^[57] The 84mmAT-4 (L1A2 or L2A1) and then the 150mmNLAW replaced the L1A1 94mm HEAT rocket as the section anti-armour weapon,^[58] though carrying arrangements were essentially unchanged;^[56] the Javelin can also be carried for anti-armour capability. TheL128A1 12 bore combat shotgun was introduced for use by the sectionpoint man, with this position subject to rotation within the section to avoid excessive stress for individual soldiers.^[59]

A 2011 manual prescribed yet another assault team/support team grouping where the Charlie fireteam consisted of the section commander, two riflemen (one with UGL), and both section marksmen while the Delta fireteam consisted of the section 2IC with UGL and both section gunners.^[60]

The L85A2 began being upgraded to L85A3 standard from 2018 onwards, while the L86A2 and L110A3 began to be removed from service in 2019, leaving the L129A1 and L7A2 as the standard section designated marksman rifle and standard section machine gun respectively.^[61] With section commanders now also being able to tailor equipment formations as needed instead of having to deploy in a pre-set lineup, the current British infantry section is as follows:^[62]

• Section Commander/Charlie Fireteam Commander (Corporal) armed with an L85A2/A3 5.56 mm rifle
• Section 2IC/Delta Fireteam Commander (Lance Corporal) armed with an L85A2/A3 5.56 mm rifle
• Four Riflemen (Privates) armed with L85A2/A3 5.56 mm rifles, two of which will normally be equipped with an L123A3 40 mm UGL.
• Gunner (Private) armed with an L7A2 7.62 mm general purpose machine gun (at the section commander's discretion, the gunner can be re-designated as an additional rifleman with an L85A2/A3 5.56 mm rifle)
• Designated marksman (Private) armed with an L129A1 7.62 mm sharpshooter rifle

Second World War-era mortar platoons did not have sections as such, with the platoons instead consisting of two or more "detachments" which each had a sergeant as detachment commander, a corporal as 2iC, one private as detachment orderly, and four more privates as "mortar numbers" attending to theML 3-inch mortar.^[63] A modern mortar platoon does have the section as its tactical unit, with these sections consisting of a command post and three detachments of three men and aL16A2 81mm mortar each.^[64]

When the sniper section was a standalone organisation within the battalion, an "ideal" establishment consisted of sixteen sniper-trained personnel divided into eight pairs (each pair having a sniper and a spotter).^[65] By 2011, the standalone section had been replaced with a platoon organisation (the total manning of which still came to sixteen sniper-trained personnel per battalion), with each of the two sections consisting of three sniper pairs; two pairs consist of a private (sniper) and a lance corporal (spotter and pair commander), while the third pair consists of a private (sniper) and corporal (spotter and section commander).^[66] The sniper has a long range rifle (currently the L115A3/A4)^[h] while the spotter has either a standard-issue rifle,^[67] a weapon offering longer range than the standard-issue rifle,^[i] or a second sniper rifle,^[70] as well as a pair of binoculars and a spotting scope for target indication; both sniper pair members also have access to pistols and grenades.^[66]

Royal Marine sections have generally, but not always,^[j] been organised similarly to those of the British Army.^[72][73] Under theFuture Commando Force programme, however, trials have been held of four-man and twelve-man rifle sections.^[74]

TheArmy Cadet Force,^[75] theRoyal Marines Cadets,^[76][77] and the Army and Royal Marine Sections of theCombined Cadet Force^[40] also make use of rifle sections; these are equipped similarly to their Armed Forces counterparts, albeit with a different small arms selection^[k] and with explosives limited to smoke grenades, thunderflashes (currently known as "battle simulators"), and hand-fired rocket flares.^[78] The following section groupings were used until 2018:

• Normal section grouping (Until 1990)^[40]
  • Rifle group
    • Section Commander (Corporal) armed with a No. 4 .303 rifle (Partially and then completely substituted by the L98A1 5.56mm cadet GP rifle in the late 1980s and the 1990s)^[79]
    • Five Riflemen armed with No. 4 .303 rifles (Partially and then completely substituted by L98A1 5.56mm cadet GP rifles in the late 1980s and the 1990s)
  • Gun group
    • Section 2IC (Lance Corporal) armed with a No. 4 .303 rifle (Partially and then completely substituted by the L98A1 5.56mm cadet GP rifle in the late 1980s and the 1990s)
    • Gunner armed with a Bren .303 light machine gun (Partially and then completely substituted by the L86A1 5.56mm light support weapon in the late 1980s and the 1990s)
• Normal section grouping (1990 onwards)^[75][80]
  • Charlie Fireteam
    • Section Commander/Charlie Commander (Corporal) armed with an L98A1/A2 5.56mm cadet GP rifle
    • Two Riflemen armed with L98A1/A2 5.56mm cadet GP rifles
    • Gunner armed with an L86A1/A2 5.56mm light support weapon
  • Delta Fireteam
    • Section 2IC/Delta Commander (Lance Corporal) armed with an L98A1/A2 5.56mm cadet GP rifle
    • Two Riflemen armed with L98A1/A2 5.56mm cadet GP rifles
    • Gunner armed with an L86A1/A2 5.56mm light support weapon
• Assault team/Support team grouping (2013 onwards)^[80]
  • Charlie Fireteam (Assault team)
    • Section Commander/Charlie Commander (Corporal) armed with an L98A2 5.56mm cadet GP rifle
    • Three Riflemen armed with L98A2 5.56mm cadet GP rifles
  • Delta Fireteam (Support team)
    • Section 2IC/Delta Commander (Lance Corporal) armed with an L98A2 5.56mm cadet GP rifle
    • Two Gunners armed with L86A2 5.56mm light support weapons
    • Rifleman armed with an L98A2 5.56mm cadet GP rifle
• Fast assault/Fire support grouping (2013 onwards)^[80]
  • Charlie Fireteam (Fast assault)
    • Section Commander/Charlie Commander (Corporal) armed with an L98A2 5.56mm cadet GP rifle
    • Rifleman armed with an L98A2 5.56mm cadet GP rifle
  • Delta Fireteam (Fire support)
    • Section 2IC/Delta Commander (Lance Corporal) armed with an L98A2 5.56mm cadet GP rifle
    • Three Riflemen armed with L98A2 5.56mm cadet GP rifles
    • Two Gunners armed with L86A2 5.56mm light support weapons

Cadet Force L86s were commandeered by the Armed Forces for use inOperation Herrick andOperation Telic; while temporary, this would cause the Cadet Forces to have few if any L86s until at least 2009.^[81][l] The L86s then began to be withdrawn from service at the same time as those held by the Armed Forces, with no direct replacement for the weapon being identified;^[83] as such, a Cadet Force section currently consists solely of riflemen armed with L98A2s.^[84][85]

The Canadian Army also uses the section, which is roughly the same as its British counterpart, except that it is led by asergeant, with amaster corporal as the 2IC.^[86] The section is further divided into two assault groups of four soldiers each (equivalent to the Australian and British fireteams) and a vehicle group consisting of a driver and a gunner. Assault groups are broken down to even smaller 'fireteams' consisting of two soldiers, designated Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta. Alpha and Bravo make up Assault Group 1; Charlie and Delta make up Assault Group 2. The section commander will have overall control of the section, and is assigned to Fireteam Alpha of Assault Group 1. The 2IC will be in command of Assault Group 2, and is assigned to Fireteam Charlie.

Groupings are as follows:^[87]

• Assault Group 1
  • Fireteam Alpha
    • Section Commander armed with a C7 rifle/C8 carbine.
    • LMG Gunner armed with a C9 light machine gun.
  • Fireteam Bravo
    • Rifleman armed with a C7 rifle.
    • Grenadier armed with a C7 rifle and an underslung M203 grenade launcher.
• Assault Group 2
  • Fireteam Charlie
    • Section 2IC armed with a C7 rifle/C8 carbine.
    • LMG Gunner armed with a C9 light machine gun.
  • Fireteam Delta
    • Rifleman armed with a C7 rifle.
    • Grenadier armed with a C7 rifle and an underslung M203 grenade launcher.
• Vehicle Group
  • Driver armed with a C8 carbine.
  • Vehicle Gunner armed with a C8 carbine.

In a mechanised section, the vehicle group gains a commander and stays with the section vehicle (Currently theLAV VI), while the second assault group loses its rifleman^[88]

In the Danish Army, a section is a smaller military unit, which within the infantry consists of individual groups of approximately 16 men, or which denotes a reducedplatoon. The unit is normally led by a Oversergent (OR-7) or Sergeant (OR-5), who is called a section leader, and who is often also a group leader for one of the section's groups. There is typically a sergeant as second-in-command; this acts as a group leader for the other of the two groups that the section usually consists of.^[89]

Sections are usually highly specialized support units providing heavy weapons support, EOD support etc.

A Finnish infantry section^[m] orryhmä consists of one section commander orryhmänjohtaja, one section 2IC orryhmänvarajohtaja, and 6-8 other soldiers. Depending on the number of servicemen in a section, different combat formation models may be used. А "half-section" (puoliryhmä) model for 7 servicemen in a section is as follows:^[90][91][92]

• First half-section
  • Section Commander armed with a7.62 RK 62 series rifle.
  • Firstfire-and-manoeuvre team (Taistelijapari)
    • Machine gunner armed with a7.62 KK PKM general purpose machine gun.
    • Rifleman armed with a 7.62 RK 62 series rifle.
• Second half-section
  • Secondfire-and-manoeuvre team
    • Two riflemen armed with 7.62 RK 62 series rifles and66 KES anti-tank weapons
  • Thirdfire-and-manoeuvre team
    • Rifleman armed with a 7.62 RK 62 series rifle.
    • Section 2IC armed with a 7.62 RK 62 series rifle.

For the 8-person model the section commander and driver (armed with a 7.62 RK 62 series rifle) can be on the samefire-and-manoeuvre team^[90][91][92] or driver is a member of the thirdfire-and-manoeuvre team.^[93]

A section consisting of 9 military personnel can be divided into three equally sizedfireteams, with organisation being as follows:^[90][91][92]

• Section commander'sfireteam (Ryhmänjohtajan partio)
  • Fireteam leader (Section Commander) armed with a 7.62 RK 62 series rifle.
  • Combat lifesaver armed with a 7.62 RK 62 series rifle.
  • Designated marksman armed with a 7.62 RK 62 series rifle with enhanced optics.
• Pointfireteam (Kärkipartio)
  • Fireteam leader (Section 2IC) armed with a 7.62 RK 62 series rifle.
  • Machine gunner armed with a 7.62 KK PKM general purpose machine gun.
  • Rifleman armed with a 7.62 RK 62 series rifle and a 66 KES anti-tank weapon
• Supportfireteam (Tukipartio)
  • Fireteam leader (To be appointed by the section commander) armed with a 7.62 RK 62 series rifle.
  • Machine gunner armed with a 7.62 KK PKM general purpose machine gun.
  • Engineer armed with a 7.62 RK 62 series rifle.

In the French Army, the wordsection describes an organization equivalent to an English-language platoon and is a subunit of a company, in most military contexts. (In cavalry or armoured units, a subunit of a company is apeloton [platoon].)

The equivalent organization to a NATOsection is agroupe de combat ("combat group"), which is divided into:

• a "300 metrefireteam" armed withHK 416 5.56 mmassault rifles and carrying anAT4 anti-tank weapon and
• a "600 metre fireteam", armed with aFN Minimi, aHK 416 and apersonal grenade launcher.

In theIrish Army, the infantry section consists of oneCorporal orCeannaire as section commander and eight other ranks. Section armament consists of eightSteyr AUG A1 rifles (including versions reconfigured toMod 14 standard with aPicatinny rail and anACOG 4x magnification optical sight), with two of these being equipped with anM203 grenade launcher, and oneFN MAG 58 general purpose machine gun; two soldiers are additionally armed with AT4 short range anti-armour weapons (SRAAW) for anti-armour defence, whileHeckler & Koch USP pistols are available for distribution at the platoon level. Three sections together with a headquarters element form a platoon.^[94]

Singapore Army's infantry section consists of seven men led by aThird Sergeant and assisted by aCorporal orCorporal First Class as 2IC. Each section is divided into one 3-man group – including the section commander, and two 2-man groups. Weapons carried by each section include two light anti-tank weapons, twosection automatic weapons (SAW), and twoM203 grenade launchers.^{[citation needed]}

In theSouth African ArmyInfantry Formation (which is responsible for all South African Army infantry), the standard infantry section is divided into a seven-man rifle group and a three-man machine gun group as per the earlier British model; the rifle group consists of a section commander (Corporal) and six riflemen, all armed withR4 5.56mm rifles, while the gun group consists of a section 2IC (Lance Corporal) with a R4 5.56mm rifle, a Machine Gun No. 1 with an FN MAG 7.62mm general purpose machine gun,SS-77 7.62mm general purpose machine gun, orMini-SS 5.56mm light machine gun, and a Machine Gun No. 2 with a R4 5.56mm rifle. In a mechanised infantry section, the rifle group is reduced to five men for a total of eight men in the section.^[95][96]

The Spanish Army is made up of the followingsub-subunits:^[97]

• Squad (Spanish:Escuadra),^[98] сonsisting a corporal and 2–4 soldiers
• Section (Spanish:Pelotón),^[n] сonsisting of two squads and commanded by a corporal or sergeant.

Escuadra formations can be divided according to the weapon they use into:

• Rifle squad: Made up of a corporal and 3–4 soldiers. Their weapon is the combat rifle.
• Machine gun squad: Made up of a corporal, who carries a machine gun, and 2–3 soldiers. Their personal weapon is the combat rifle, except for the machine gun corporal, who carries a pistol.
• Mortar squad: There are 2–3 soldiers who carry grenades for the mortar. Their weapons are rifles, except for the corporal, who carries a submachine gun.
• Grenade launcher squad: A corporal carries the grenade launcher (a bazooka-type tube), and 2–3 soldiers carry the grenades. Their weapons are rifles, except for the corporal, who carries a submachine gun.

Pelotón formations can be divided into:

• Rifle section: Consisting of two rifle squads or one rifle squad and one machine gun squad.
• Mixed section: Consisting of one rifle squad and one mortar or grenade launcher squad.
• Mortar section: A unit consisting of a corporal, 1–2 corporals, and 5–8 soldiers.
• Missile section: A special section armed with a missile launcher.
• RCL section: A special section armed with aM40 recoilless rifle. Consisting of a first corporal, unit leader, a corporal or private driver, a corporal shooter, and 4–6 support soldiers. All carrysubmachine guns.

Historically, a section of US Infantry was a "half platoon" (the platoon itself being a "half company"). The section was led by a sergeant assisted by one or (later) two corporals and consisted of a total of from 12 to 50 soldiers, depending on the time period.^[99] The section is used as an administrative formation and may be bigger than the regular squad formation often overseen by aStaff Sergeant. The modern examples of a section as half a platoon are:

• a tank platoon includes fourmain battle tanks organized into two sections (A, B), with two tanks in each section^[100]
• the mechanized Infantry platoon is equipped with four BFVs and is divided into two vehicle sections (A, B) as mounted element with three Infantrysquads as dismounted element^[101][102]
• the Armoredbrigade combat team (ABCT)scout platoon, theStrykerbrigade combat team (SBCT) Cavalry squadronscout platoon and the Infantrybrigade combat team (IBCT) mountedscout platoon have 6 vehicles, which can be divided into 2 sections (A, B) of 3 vehicles or 3 sections (A, B, HQ) of 2 vehicles^[103]
• the Infantryweapons company has a company headquarters and four assault platoons; each assault platoon has two sections of two squads and a leader's vehicle; each squad contains four Soldiers and a vehicle mounting the heavy weapons^[104]

Since theStryker Infantry rifle platoon consists of fourStryker Infantry carrier vehicles (known as ICVs), it can also be divided into two sections (A, B) with two ICVs in each section.^[105] The Stryker Infantry rifle platoons can fight in multiple mutually supporting maneuver elements, such as the squad leader controls up to two Infantry fire teams and a machine gun team, while a section leader commands two ICVs and an Infantry fire team.^[106]

Examples when a section is one of thesub-subunits of a company or platoon:^[107]

• the Infantry rifle company has three Infantry rifle platoons, a mortar section, and a headquarters section; the mortar section has two squads, each with a 60-mm mortar
• the headquarters and headquarters company of the Infantry battalion consists the battalion command section, battalion staff sections, the company headquarters, the battalion's medical, mortar, and scout platoons, signal and retransmission sections, and sniper squad; the battalion command section consists of the battalion commander, the battalion executive officer (XO), and the battalion command sergeant major
• the medical platoon of the Infantry battalion is configured with a headquarters element, medical treatment squad, ambulance squad (ground), and combat medic section

Examples ofcombat medic section depending on the type of medical platoon:^[108]

The USMC employs sections as intermediate tactical echelons in infantry, armored vehicle units (individual vehicles being the base tactical element), and low altitude air defense (LAAD) units, and as the base tactical element in artillery units. Infantry sections can consist of as few as eight Marines (heavy machinegun section) to as many as 32 in an 81-mm mortar section. In headquarters, service, and support units throughout the USMC (CE, GCE, ACE, and LCE), sections are used as functional sub-units of headquarters or platoons. For example, the intelligence section (S-2) of a battalion or squadron headquarters; the communications-electronics maintenance section, communication platoon, regimental headquarters company; armory section, Marine aviation logistics squadron. In Marine aircraft squadrons, section is also used to designate a flight of two or three aircraft under the command of a designated section leader. Some sections, such as weapons platoon sections are led by a staff non-commissioned Officer (SNCO), usually a staff sergeant. Tank and other armored vehicle sections, as well as service and support sections, may be led by either an officer, usually a lieutenant (or a CWO, in the case of service and support units), or a SNCO ranging from staff sergeant to master sergeant. Headquarters and aircraft sections are always led by a commissioned officer. Rifle squads generally contain 13 marines.^[109]

In infantry units, weapons platoons have sections consisting of the squads and teams that man the crew-served weapons.

Weapons platoon, rifle company:^[109]

• a machine gun section, consisting of a section leader and three machine gun squads, each containing two machine gun teams of three men each
• an LWCMS mortar section, consisting of a section leader and three 60mm mortar squads, each containing one mortar and four man crew
• an assault section, consisting of a section leader and three assault squads, each containing two assault teams of two men each

Weapons company, infantry battalion:^[110]

• an 81mm mortar platoon, consisting of a five-man platoon headquarters and two 81mm mortar sections, each section containing four 81mm mortar squads of six men each and an eight-man section headquarters.
• an antiarmor platoon, consisting of a three-man platoon headquarters and a Javelin section, containing a section leader and two Javelin squads, each having two teams of two men each, and an antitank (TOW) section, containing a section leader and four antitank squads, each having a squad leader and two TOW teams of two men each
• a heavy machine gun (HMG) platoon, consisting of a four-man platoon headquarters and three HMG sections, each having two HMG squads of four men each.

In armored vehicle units, platoons consist of sections consisting of individual vehicles and their crews:

• light armored reconnaissance platoon consist of two sections, each containing two light armored vehicles and crews
• assault amphibian vehicle (AAV) platoons consist of three sections, each section is generally organized with four AAVP7A1 vehicles and possesses the assets to mechanize one infantry platoon (or similar size supported unit)^[111]
• combat engineer assault breacher sections consist of two CEV assault breacher vehicles and crews

Before all USMC tank units were disbanded in 2021, a tank platoon was completely analogous to an army one and consisted of two sections of two tanks each.^[100]

In low altitude air defense (LAAD) batteries, the firing platoons consist of three sections, each consisting of a section leader and five two-man Stinger missile teams.

One Marine artillery firing battery will normally support one infantry battalion. The artillery firingbattery consists of two platoons – the headquarters platoon and the firing platoon. The headquarters platoonconsists of an FDC section, ammunition section, communications section, motor transport section, andliaison section. The firing platoon consists of a platoon headquarters section and six howitzer sections. Ahowitzer section consists of a section chief and nine cannoneers.^[112]

In someair forces, a section is a unit containing three to fouraircraft (if it is a flying unit) and up to 20 personnel. Two or three sections usually make up aflight.

TheUnited States Air Force uses the term element, as well as section, to designate two or three subunits within a flight.

In the context ofBritish Empire military aviation duringWorld War I, the term half flight or half-flight was used for equivalent formations; at the time a flight was normally four to six aircraft. Hence theMesopotamian Half Flight, the first Australian flying unit to see action, initially comprised three aircraft. After the war, theRoyal Air Force and otherCommonwealth air forces adopted the term section for a formation of three aircraft, while a flight was normally six aircraft. TheRoyal Air Force Regiment, the ground-based component of the Royal Air Force, currently employs a section structure similar to that of the British Army.^[113]

During theSecond World War:

• in the GermanLuftwaffe, the equivalent in fighter units was aSchwarm of four aircraft and, in bomber units, aKette (three aircraft), along with headquarters and support personnel, and;
• the SovietRed Air Force the equivalent was azveno (three or four aircraft).

TheUnited States Space Force has the following structure of military units:^[10]

• two or more guardians form a section; this is also referred to as an “element” in basic training
• aflight comprises Individual guardians or sections
• two or more flights form a squadron (commanded bymajor orlieutenant colonel) — the lowest level of command, usually identified by number and function
• two or more squadrons form a delta (commanded bycolonel)

• Infantry Minor Tactics
• Contubernium (Roman army unit)

Look upsection (military unit) in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toMilitary units and formations by size.

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• ATP 3-21.71, Mechanized Infantry Platoon and Squad(PDF). Washington, DC:Department of the Army. 15 October 2024.
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