One of the things that Soviets realized during WWII in their fight with Germans was that large formation of Mechanized and Armored units. They didn't worry about organizing the Tank Division and Motorized Rifle Division and Combined Armies and Tank Armies.
They used Tank Corps and Mechanized Corps as well as Cavalry Corps that would have control of up several Brigades. In this system once a unit was spent and line Infantry had caught up they would be withdrawn to be rebuilt. I feel the that 2nd echelon of forces and those Mobilized only and Category C units would be line units that would hold line while the 1st Echelon and their 3rd Echelon units would be used, reorganized, and reequiped as needed.
Seeing how the Russia has re-organized most of the former Soviet Divisions into Brigade as they eliminate excess and reforming an more effective Army that is more responsive. Looks to me it was part of the plan.
It is one of the ideas that the US Army hasn't failed to notice and one of the reason why in 2003 they started to convert the combat Brigades into Unit of Action and then into Combat Brigade Teams afterwards with plans for some Divisions to have 5th CBT. There was time of searching, regarding the traditional use of Divisions HQs and Corps HQs. One of the things I don't buy into is that Division HQ and their Aviation Brigade and support units are now able to support any type of Combat Brigade. It makes sense in theory, but I still don't see the 10th Mountain, 82nd Airborne, and 101st Air Assault Division being able to effectively field an Armor or Mechanized Brigades of the old army, much less the new Heavy Brigades. Even a Stryker Brigade would push them to the limits. Then again lot of the support element that used to be in Division were either pushed down to Brigade level or up to Corp level.
Division in the new US Army is a unit that supposed to be tailor for the operating condition the Division will be operating in, in theory. Under the new system it is possible for Corps to be field with several CBT without even having a Division HQ deployed, yet once you start to get 5 or more CBT under the command Corps then introducing one or 2 Divisional HQ to break things up in order to offer more Command and Control over the elements of the Corps.
Just some thoughts...
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