Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised May 30, 2026

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.

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May 30, 2026
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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

Sub-subunits (de: Teileinheit; ru: подразделение/podrazdelenie) in various languages and armed forces
source ↗
NATO symbol 		Bundeswehr English French Russian Polish
Icon Description Designation Structure Commander/leader
source ↗
one dot over framed unit icon Trupp1 2–7 men,
Tank crew		 Unteroffizier ⇒ Hauptgefreiter Squad Equipe2
Equipage3 		Группа (gruppa)4
Звено (zveno)5
Расчёт (raschot)6 		Drużyna7
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Two dots over framed unit icon Gruppe,8
Halbzug 		8–12 men,
2 tank crews 		Oberfeldwebel ⇒ Unteroffizier Section Groupe910
Patrouille11 		Отделе́ние (otdelenie)
Экипаж (ekipazh)12
Расчёт (raschot)13 		Drużyna14
Załoga15
Działon16
Rotte17 2 aircraft Two-ship flight/Pair Patrouille légère Пара (para) N.N.
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Three dots over framed unit icon Zug,
Hörsaal 		ca. 40 men18 Hauptmann ⇒ Hauptfeldwebel Platoon Section19 Взвод (vzvod) Pluton
Schwarm/Kette 3–4 aircraft Flight Patrouille20
Peloton21 		Звено (zveno) Klucz
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four dots over framed unit icon Staffel22 Hauptmann ⇒ Hauptfeldwebel Echelon23
 Escadrille Eskadra

Legend:

  •   Army
  •   Air Force
References

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.
  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.
  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.