Sub-subunit

Sub-subunit or sub-sub-unit is a subordinated element below platoon level of company-sized units or sub-units which normally might not be separately identified in authorization documents by name, number, or letter. Fireteams, squads, crews, sections and patrols are typically sub-subunits.

Types of sub-units

Main article: Military organization § Modern hierarchy

Sub-subunits (de: Teileinheit; ru: подразделение/podrazdelenie) in various languages and armed forces

NATO symbol		Bundeswehr			English	French	Russian	Polish
Icon	Description	Designation	Structure	Commander/leader
	one dot over framed unit icon	Trupp [1]	2–7 men, Tank crew	Unteroffizier ⇒ Hauptgefreiter	Squad	Equipe [2] Equipage [3]	Группа (gruppa) [4] Звено (zveno) [5] Расчёт (raschot) [6]	Drużyna [7]
	Two dots over framed unit icon	Gruppe, [8] Halbzug	8–12 men, 2 tank crews	Oberfeldwebel ⇒ Unteroffizier	Section	Groupe [9] [10] Patrouille [11]	Отделе́ние (otdelenie) Экипаж (ekipazh) [12] Расчёт (raschot) [13]	Drużyna [14] Załoga [15] Działon [16]
		Rotte [17]	2 aircraft		Two-ship flight/Pair	Patrouille légère	Пара (para)	N.N.
	Three dots over framed unit icon	Zug, Hörsaal	ca. 40 men [18]	Hauptmann ⇒ Hauptfeldwebel	Platoon	Section [19]	Взвод (vzvod)	Pluton
		Schwarm/Kette	3–4 aircraft		Flight	Patrouille [20] Peloton [21]	Звено (zveno)	Klucz
	four dots over framed unit icon	Staffel [22]		Hauptmann ⇒ Hauptfeldwebel	Echelon [23]	Escadrille		Eskadra

Legend:

•   Army
•   Air Force

References

1. APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. p. B-8.
2. APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. p. B-13.
3. APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. p. B-13.
4. Usually as a translation, rarely used in post-WWII Soviet and Russian infantry tactics due to small squad size
5. In historical context, e.g., 1930s Red Army teams
6. When referring to infantry teams crewing collective weapons: HMGs, grenade launchers, ATGMs etc.
7. APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. p. B-25.
8. APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. p. B-8.
9. APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. p. B-8.
10. APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. p. B-13.
11. APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. p. B-13.
12. Crew in most military branches, e.g., aviation, armour, automobile troops etc.
13. Crew in artillery and all kinds of missile troops
14. APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. p. B-25.
15. APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. p. B-25.
16. APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. p. B-25.
17. APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. p. B-8.
18. The personal strength, e.g., of self-contained platoons, training platoons, technical platoons, or Bundeswehr sub-subunits with platoon structure, might contain different staff.^{[ citation needed ]}
19. A section with group-structure (e.g., US Marine Corps, 8–12 soldiers) may contain, in opposite to a "Section" in France armed forces, decisive less personal strength.^{[ citation needed ]}
20. In fighter aviation
21. In bomber and military transport aviation
22. APP-6D NATO Joint Military Symbology. NATO Standardization Office. October 2017. p. B-8.
23. APP-6 Military Symbols for Land Based Systems. NATO. July 1986. pp. B8.