The Soviet Motor Rifle Squad

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The Soviets field two different types of rifle squads, depending upon if their vehicle is a BTR-series or a BMP-series.

For the BTR-series:

Squad Leader/BTR Commander, armed with a AK-74
BTR Driver/Mechanic, armed with a PM
BTR Gunner, armed with an AK-74
Machine Gunner, armed with a RPK-74
Grenadier, armed with a RPG-16 and a PM
Senior Rifleman/Asst. Squad Leader, armed with a AK-74
Rifleman/Asst. Grenadier, armed with a AK-74
2xRiflemen, each armed with an AK-74

You will note that this gives a 9-man rifle squad, but the BTR-70 has seats for 11 (two empty seats per vehicle), these additional seats are used for the platoon leader, assistant platoon leader and any attached SA-14 gunners from company assets. In addition there are no man-portable radios at the squad level, the BTR has a single medium-power R-123.

The MR Platoon consists of three rifle squads, and a platoon leader and a asst. platoon leader, both armed with PM.

This gives a typical rifle platoon, 1 officer and 28 enlisted men, armed with 7 PM, 19 AK-74, 3 RPK-74, 1 SVD, 3 RPG-16, 3 BTR-70, 3 R-123 vehicle radios and 1 R-126 man-portable radio.

The BTR Company consists of three rifle platoons and adds a Company Headquarters with a Company Commander (PM), a Deputy Commander/Political Officer (PM), a Senior Technician (PM), a First Sergeant (AK-74), A BTR Driver/Mechanic (PM), and a BTR Gunner (AK-74), (the company RTO is detailed from the battalion communications platoon).

There is also a Antiaircraft Missile Squad with 3 enlisted men, all armed with PMs and SA-14s launchers (each with 2-5 missiles). If this squad operates as one, they will ride in the company commander's BTR, normally, one man is detached to each rifle platon.

The last element of the BTR Motor Rifle Company is a Weapons Squad; this is comprised of a Squad Leader (AK-74), 2 Grenadiers (each with a PM and a AGS-17), a Senior Rifleman (AK-74), 2 Rifleman/Asst. Grenadiers (each with an AK-74), and a BTR Driver/Mechanic (PM).

The company equipment totals are 31 PMs, 63 AK-74s, 9 RPK-74s, 3 SVDs, 2 AGS-17s, 9 RPG-16s, 3 SA-14s and 11 BTR-70s. Communications consist of 11 vehicle mounted R-123s, 4 R-126 man-portable radios and a R-107 manpack radio.