Brigade combat team

Over 4000 members of the 1st BCT, 34th Infantry Division in a special formation for a farewell ceremony.

"SBCT" redirects here. For the public transport agency, see San Benito County Transit.

The brigade combat team (BCT) is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the US Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its attached support and fire units. Brigade combat teams are generally commanded by a colonel (O-6), in some rare instances they will be commanded by a brigadier general. A brigade combat team carries with it support units necessary to sustain its operations separate from its parent division. BCTs contain organic artillery support, formerly received from the division artillery (DIVARTY).

Currently, the U.S. Army is converting its brigades into the new Brigade Combat Team (BCT) program [1]. In this program, divisions that generally have not deployed individual brigades due to lack of integral support (1st Armored Division, 25th Infantry Division, etc.) have been restructured, giving them the ability to deploy one or more BCTs anywhere in the world. These BCTs will be able to stand on their own just like a mini-division; however, the soldiers assigned to a BCT will stay at their assignment for 3 years. This is intended to bolster readiness and improve unit cohesion.

Infantry Brigade Combat Team

US Army Infantry Brigade Combat Team Organizational Chart

The Infantry Brigade Combat Team is organized around battalions of motorized infantry, who move with HMMWV and dismount when fighting. Each type of brigade (light infantry, air assault, or airborne) will have the same basic organization. Each infantry brigade will be capable of air assault operations, whether or not it is officially designated as an air assault brigade.
The Infantry Brigade Combat Team will consist two Infantry Battalions and one each Cavalry, Field Artillery, Special Troops, and Support Battalions.

Infantry Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  • Medical Platoon
  • Reconnaissance Platoon
  • Sniper Section
  • Mortar Platoon
• Rifle Company (x 3)
  • Rifle Platoon (x 3)
  • Mortar Section
• Motorized Heavy Weapons Company
  • Weapons Platoon (x 4)

Each Infantry Brigade Combat Team consists of two Infantry Battalions. These two battalions will be the primary maneuver elements of the brigade and will each consist of around 650 personnel.

Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition Squadron

• Headquarters and Headquarters Troop
• Mounted Reconnaissance Troop with HMMWVs (x 2)
• Dismounted Reconnaissance Troop
• Surveillance Troop

Fires Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
• 105mm Towed Firing Battery (x 2)
• Target Acquisition Section

Brigade Special Troops Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  • Military Police Platoon
  • Support Platoon
  • CBRN Reconnaissance Platoon
• Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• Military Intelligence Company
• Network Signal Company
• Combat Engineer Company

The Brigade Special Troops Battalion (BSTB) is a new formation of the Army. It is designed to provide command and control to the brigade combat support companies (Intel and Signal) and any company-sized attachments (such as Air Defense Artillery or Military Police).

Brigade Support Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• Distribution Company
• Maintenance Company
• Medical Company
• Forward Support Company (Infantry) (x 2)
• Forward Support Company (Reconnaissance and Surveillance)
• Forward Support Company (Fires)

Stryker Brigade Combat Team

US Army Stryker Brigade Combat Team Organizational Chart

The Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) is designed entirely around a new armored vehicle: the Stryker wheeled armored vehicle. The Stryker Brigade is organized differently than the Infantry or Heavy Brigade Combat Teams. The Stryker Brigade Combat Team will consist of three Infantry Battalions, one Cavalry Squadron, one Field Artillery Battalion, one Brigade Support Battalion, one Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company, one Network Support Company, one Military Intelligence Company, one Engineer Company, and one Anti-Tank Company. Unlike the Infantry and Heavy BCT's there is not a Brigade Special Troops Battalion nor Forward Support companies in the Brigade Support Battalion for the five manuever elements.

Infantry Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• Infantry Company (Stryker) (x 3)

Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition Squadron

• Headquarters and Headquarters Troop
• Mounted Reconnaissance Troop (Stryker) (x 3)
• Surveillance Troop

Fires Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
• 155mm Towed Firing Battery (x 3)

Brigade Support Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• Distribution Company
• Maintenance Company
• Medical Company

Individual Companies

• Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• Military Intelligence Company
• Network Signal Company
• Combat Engineer Company
• Anti-Tank Company

Heavy Brigade Combat Team

US Army Heavy Brigade Combat Team Organizational Chart

The Heavy Brigade Combat Team will be the Army's primary armored force. It will be designed around Combined Arms Battalions that contain both M1 Abrams Tanks and M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs).
The Heavy Brigade Combat Team will consist of two Combined Arms Battalions and one each Armed Reconnaissance, Fires, Special Troops, and Support Battalions.

Combined Arms Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  • Medical Platoon
  • Reconnaissance Platoon
  • Sniper Section
  • Mortar Platoon
• Tank Company (x 2)
  • Tank Platoon (x 3)
• Mechanized Infantry Company (x 2)
  • Mechanized Infantry Platoon (x 3)
• Mechanized Combat Engineer Company

Armed Reconnaissance Squadron

• Headquarters and Headquarters Troop
• Armed Reconnaissance Troop (x 3)
  • Armed Reconnaissance Platoon (x 2)
    • M2 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle (x 3)
    • M1114 Up-Armored HMMWV w/ Long-Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3) (x 5)
  • 120mm Mortar Section

Fires Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Battery
• 155mm SP Firing Battery (x 2)
• Target Acquisition Section

Brigade Special Troops Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
  • Military Police Platoon
  • CBRN Reconnaissance Platoon
• Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• Military Intelligence Company
• Network Signal Company

Brigade Support Battalion

• Headquarters and Headquarters Company
• Distribution Company
• Maintenance Company
• Medical Company
• Forward Support Company (Combined Arms) (x 2)
• Forward Support Company (Fires)
• Forward Support Company (Reconnaissance and Surveillance)

See also

• United States Army
• Transformation of the United States Army
• USMC Marine Air-Ground Task Force, for comparison
• British Army Future Army Structure (Next Steps), for comparison.

References

• FM 3-20.96 Reconnaissance Squadron
• FM 3-21.20 Infantry Battalion
• FM 3-90.6 Brigade Combat Team
• FM 3-90.61 Brigade Special Troops Battalion