"light" infantry vs mechanized infantry.....

[TheHoleInMyChest]

What is the difference(or pros and cons) between light infantry and mechanized infantry... tactical advantages(or disadvantages)... and difference in equipment? Which is better??

[Jack Mehoff]

Light: you get to hump a lot, less fire power
Mech: mount and dismounted Bradley fighting vehicle, more fire power

Doesn't ****ing matter, they are both grunts :lol: The only 11x they teach in AIT are 11B and 11C

[Deuterium]

Light can get there in a matter of days via airlift, Mech needs sea-lift or every airplane in the world, requiring weeks. Although the Iraq conflict was not a good example(one SF group and an ABN Brigade against 13 Iraqi divisions in the north) normally Light will have their asses handed to them against a Mech force.

[TheHoleInMyChest]

so light infantry units like the 10th mountain and 25th infantry division (the only 2 light infantry divisions i believe...but correct me if i'm wrong) don't use armor at all??

[Deuterium]

That's correct.

[Apogee]

Isn't the 25th getting a Styker Brigade?

[TheHoleInMyChest]

the 25th inf has a stryker brigade at fort lewis. is this correct? i know their defenitely a stryker brigade over there.

[Jack Mehoff]

82nd and 101st also have their own light infantry brigades. Don't forget 75th Ranger Regiment is also consider as an elite light infantry.

[James]

Light Infantry means you can lie in a hole in the ground if someone shoots at you. :P

In mech, you ride around in a giant target that can attract a great deal of unpleasant attention. :o

In 1997 my battalion joind the aggressors at NTC because they wanted light infantry. So, we cruised up there from 29 Palms and got down to business. Our "enemy" was the 3rd ACR. One evening, a platoon in my company dug in and defended some little spot of desert from a platoon of Bradleys and a pair of Apaches. WHen all was said and done, the mech guys were repulsed (though only 2 Marines "survived"). How? Liberal use of AT-4s (or whatever the MILES versions are called - I can't remember).
I've recalled another funny incident. A knucklehead in our machine gun section thought he could use and M-60 and face off against an Apache. Didn't work so well. :oops:

[Ratamacue]

WHen all was said and done, the mech guys were repulsed (though only 2 Marines "survived").

Get some!

With that said, I have a question: are MEUs considered to be Light Infantry?

[TheHoleInMyChest]

light infantry can also conduct air assaults...no?

[Jack Mehoff]

light infantry can also conduct air assaults...no?
Yes, 75th Ranger Regiment is a good example eventhough they are not air assault by definition

[Ratamacue]

From what I've seen, nowadays Air Assault and Light Infantry in the US Military are synonymous. 101st Abn, 10th Mtn, Rangers, they're all light infantry and they do quite a bit of air assault.

[Jack Mehoff]

From what I've seen, nowadays Air Assault and Light Infantry in the US Military are synonymous. 101st Abn, 10th Mtn, Rangers, they're all light infantry and they do quite a bit of air assault.

Precisely, you really don't need to go to air assault school for two weeks to learn how to repel off a helio. The only good thing about air assault badge is more points on your promotion board. But they sure teach you a lot about knots in air assault school.

I was a leg and I never gone to air assault school but I can repel off a helo no problem. All you need is a repelling tower to practice and you are good to go. It's might be scary at first when your feet are on the edge of the tower and your body is parallel to the ground but you will get use to it :D

http://www.nastyburger.com/tango5.JPG

[10thvet]

Army Infantry is infantry... the only thing that differs is the way they get to the battlefield(and a few missions once they get there)... Some have more helo's but all INFANTRY units have to do the pretty much the same things... 10th, 25th, 82nd 101st, They are all "light Infantry" but 82nd has an airborne role. 101 has the major air assult role but all infantry units do air assults.

Ranger units are the finest of light infantry. they are also Airborne and CAN do a light infantry role, but that would be like using a scaple to cut firewood...

I will not cover much more on this due to the OPSEC rule but I hope everyone gets the general idea of the post...

[James]

I have a question: are MEUs considered to be Light Infantry?

Eh, yes and no. When I was in, each of the three rifle companies in a BN would be assigned a method of insertion, though it wasn't set in stone - Boat, Track, or Helo. Then there are LAVs as well. Definitely not light infantry, but not eally mech either.

[James]

Question for the Army Dogs :P - in Air Assault to you repell or fast rope?

[Apogee]

ya def don't fast rope. At least not at Camp Smith

[Ratamacue]

What exactly is the difference between fastroping and rappeling from a helo?

[Vance]

Isn't repelling going down the side of a wall?

[BMF]

rappeling: you tie a swiss seat around yourself, snap onto a pair of ropes, and jump out, using friction against your body to slow/stop your decent.

fast roping: basically like a pole in a fire house. you just get on and slide down. it's a bit faster overall, but a little more limited in use.
rappelling can be done almost anywhere...down cliffs, steep terrain, out of a helo off a bridge. also, rappelling is considerably safer, because youre snapped onto the ropes youre using to rappel

[BMF]

and yes vance, rappelling is like going down the side of the wall, but you can use the technique anytime you need to get down a steep vertical area, and you have something decent to anchor the ropes to (preferably two anchor points). its a pretty basic skill, damn near everyone in the army has rappelled at some point in their lives. the only even vaguely complex part of it is tying a swiss seat. not terribly hard, but it takes a bit of practice

[martinexsquaddie]

not fair you actually get taught how to abseil out of helicopters
British army style this is was what were going to do lets go :lol:

[GazB]

"light infantry can also conduct air assaults...no?"

Russias air assault troops have their own armour.

[marktigger]

16 air assualt has an armoured recce element. But as its role is rapid intervention, raiding etc armour is not high on its priorities. 3 commando Brigade are in the process of receiving Viking armoured BV210's.
But with having only 2 effective light role brigades I feel that the UK forces are unbalanced. Both 16AA and 3Cdo have been continually on ops for the last 2-3years it doesn't show in the Inf Bns but ask the support guys like the loggies/medics. I feel a 3rd complete light brigade would rebalance the army. we need 3 mech and armd bdes so why not 3 complete light bdes. we also need desperatley to replace saxon and 432(which is about to get a mid life update!!!!!!)