SADF infantry plt/sqd organizational structure

[Lt. James Anderson]

I was unable to find much info (especially light infantry).
Weapons, no of sqds/sections per plt/ fire tms, no of men per plt/sqd etc. Did plts have mortars (commando, 60 mm etc.) on a plt level?
Did sections have GPMGs, rocket launchers, section snipers etc.?
Anybody can shed any light on this?

[javar22]

i made a much smaller and a lot less intel-sensitive question - that a private could know and share in a bar talk...- than your's and in about 5 minutes the thread vanished.... :)

i'll tell you this: it's on the internet. Institutionaly supplied.

good luck. (if you don't mean to fight the coalition that is)

[Lt. James Anderson]

This is stuff from 16 + years ago. And somehow I don't think it's that sensitive ...

[Serbelius]

Platoon-35-38
Section/s-3 per platoon with a HQ section
Stick/s-1-2 per section but not a set figure.
Weapons.
Per section.
each member carrries a R4 Assault rifle.One Fn Mag LMG, 40 mm AGL, FT 5 Rocket Launcher.
As for mortars there are a dedicated Mortar team in the HQ section but were later on removed and moved over to the Coy HQ were it were placed out on Coy Commander descresion.
But are these not a set placing of pers or weapons as in some units it tend to differ.And also this is for a rifle section in a infantry sect were as in a recon section this again tend to differ.
As for snipers there were not dedicated sniper sections and were the more a SF tasking .But as a rule SA Soldiers trained to shoot effictively up to 300m.
The shooting qualifications also determine by merit either bronze(60%) silver(70 to 80%) or gold.(90% and up) but am not fully sure about this though.

[Lt. James Anderson]

Thanks a lot man. :)

Any pics of FT5?
If I'm not mistaken it looks kind of like the French LRAC?

[javar22]

this one?
http://www.istltd.com/dynamics/images/DragonCompCutout.jpg

http://www.istltd.com/dynamics/images_small/FT5%20test%20subcal%202S.jpg

[Lt. James Anderson]

It is shoulder launched if I'm not mistaken ...
The bottom picture looks kind of like it/

[javar22]

take a look in here:

http://www.istltd.com/dynamics/products_NS.asp

http://www.pmulcahy.com/rocket_launchers/south_african_rocket_launchers.htm

[Lt. James Anderson]

Yes, that's it.

[wilhelm]

I was trained on the FT-5 way back. Does anyone have any pictures of the system. I know Paratus had published some images over the years.

[exT70]

I was unable to find much info (especially light infantry).
Weapons, no of sqds/sections per plt/ fire tms, no of men per plt/sqd etc. Did plts have mortars (commando, 60 mm etc.) on a plt level?
Did sections have GPMGs, rocket launchers, section snipers etc.?
Anybody can shed any light on this?

I hate answering questions with more questions, but is this for a specific period, type of unit, scenario, theatre, COIN urban, COIN Countryside (the direct translation does n't work to well here), conventional etc...

[playtym]

I can provide info for a mechanised infantry unit - late 80's.

A company consisted of three platoons, each with three Ratel 20's and a Ratel 60. The company commander and the Company 2ic rode in a Command Ratel with their HQ sections.

Each platoon had three infantry sections and an HQ section.

An infantry section was made up as follows:
1 x Ratel 20
1 x Section Leader - R4
4 x Riflemen - 4 x R4's, 1 RPG-7
1 x Section 2ic - R4, 40mm MGL
1 x LMG gunner - FN-MAG
1 x LMG No. 2 - R4
Various grenades and rifle grenades were also carried.
There are two other members - the driver and gunner - who remain in the Ratel. When operating without the Ratels they become additional riflemen armed with R4's.

The platoon HQ section was made up as follows:
1 x Ratel 60
1 x Platoon commander - R4
1 x Platoon Sergeant - R4, 40mm MGL
1 x Signaller - R4
2 x Patmor mortarmen - 2x R4's, 60mm Patrol Mortar
2 x 89mm Anti-Tank operators - 2 x R4's, 89mm Anti-Tank rocket
There are two other members - the driver and gunner - who remain in the Ratel. When operating without the Ratels they become additional riflemen armed with R4's.