Infantry

Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot, mainly with small arms and operate within organized military units. "Infantry" also refers to the branch of the military in which these soldiers serve.

Equipment

The equipment of infantry forces has evolved along with the development of military technology in general, but certain constants remain regarding the design and selection of this equipment. Primary types of equipment are weaponry, protective gear, survival gear, and special equipment.

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Infantry weapons include all types of personal weapons, i.e. anything that can be handled by individual troops, as well as some small crew-served weapons that can be carried and used by infantry. Modern infantry weaponry include rifles, machine guns, shoulder-fired rocket launchers and missiles, and lighter mortars and grenade launchers. Older examples of infantry weapons include all sorts of melee weapons and some light ranged weapons such as spears, bows, and slings. During operations, especially in modern times, infantry have a tendency to scavenge and employ whatever weapons they can acquire in addition to those given them by their superiors.

Related Topics:
Infantry weapon - Rifle - Machine gun - Rocket launcher - Missile - Mortar - Grenade launcher - Melee weapon - Spear - Bow - Sling

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Infantry protective gear includes all equipment designed to protect the soldier against enemy attack. Most protective gear comprises body armor of some type. Classical and Medieval infantry employed leather and metal armor as defense against both ranged and melee attacks, but with the advent of firearms, such armor could no longer defeat attacks and was discarded. The return to use of the helmet was prompted by the need to defend against high explosive fragmentation, and further developments in materials led to effective bullet-defeating armor within the weight acceptable for infantry use. The use of body armor is again becoming widespread amongst infantry units, primarily using Kevlar technology. Infantry must also often carry protective measures against chemical and biological attack, including gas masks, counter-agents, and protective suits.

Related Topics:
Infantry protective gear - Fragmentation - Kevlar

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Infantry survival gear includes all of the items soldiers require for day-to-day survival in the combat environment. These include basic environmental protections, medical supplies, food, and sundries. Traditionally, infantry have suffered large casualty rates from disease, exposure, and privation--often in excess of those suffered from enemy attacks. Better equipment of troops in this area greatly reduce this rate of loss. One of the most valuable pieces of gear is the entrenching tool--basically a small shovel--which can be employed not only to dig important defenses, but also in a variety of other daily tasks and even as an effective weapon.

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Specialized equipment consists of a variety of gear which may or may not be carried depending on the mission and the level of equipment of an army. Communications gear has become a necessity, as it allows effective command of infantry units over greater distances. In some units, individual communications are being used to allow the greatest level of flexibility. Engineering equipment, including demolitions, mines, and other gear, is also commonly carried by the infantry or attached specialists. A variety of other gear, often relating to a specific mission, or to the particular terrain in which the unit is employed, can be carried by infantry units.

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There are some general rules all infantry equipment must adhere to to be effective and widely adopted:

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• Reliability: Equipment failure is fatal to the infantry, and if equipped with unreliable gear, morale will suffer greatly. Soldiers tend to prefer reliable proven technology to new, unproven gadgets. Additionally, the conditions in which infantry operate are often extreme and gear must be able to survive and operate in these condition without fail.
• Utility: Infantry have very limited weight capacity, and thus gear which doesn't help them do their job will be discarded.
• Availability: Since infantry units are often large, and must be able to be raised in quantity, a particular tool must be available in sufficient quantity to equip the units. This means that it must be inexpensive enough to afford in quantity during peacetime, and produceable enough to meet wartime demands.
• Simplicity: Infantry relies on large numbers of troops, often conscripted and usually of lesser quality than those available to other branches. An army must be able to train its troops uniformly in minimal time on the tools of the trade. Overly complex gear will often be useless in combat due to a lack of training or the difficulty of maintenance under field conditions.