113. In positional defense the engineer-sapper company maintains the barriers installed during the preparation of the defense, including the engineering barriers transferred to it by the company (other engineering units). When maintaining obstacles, the company usually operates in platoons.

Building up barriers during defensive battle an engineering and sapper company (platoon, squad) carries out by laying minefields, primarily anti-tank minefields, installing one or two barrier nodes, installing groups of anti-tank, anti-personnel, anti-vehicle and object mines and destroying road structures in the barrier nodes and on the paths between them .

114. A company (platoon) of engineering obstacles, equipped with minelayers, during the course of defense, acts in the POZ in cooperation with the anti-tank reserve (PTRez) or independently.

When setting a task for a company, the following are indicated: the combat composition of the POD, the tasks to be ready for, one or two directions of action, the main and reserve mining lines in each direction, the ways of advancing to the mining lines, the main and reserve areas of concentration, the assembly area after the installation of barriers , terms of readiness, place and time of deployment of the command and observation post.

Barriers are arranged on planned or newly designated mining lines that block the directions of the enemy's offensive (breakthrough).

After receiving the task of preparing for actions in the POD, the company advances to the designated area of ​​​​concentration and prepares to perform tasks. The company commander, together with the platoon commanders and together with the commander of the PTRez (combined-arms formation, unit, subdivision), conducts reconnaissance of mining lines, ways to advance to them, objects to be destroyed (mined), passages left in barriers for the passage of departing units, the place of the charging point in the assembly area after the installation of barriers and the way forward to the assembly area.

Upon receipt of a signal (command), the POZ advances to the specified mining line together with the PTRez or independently. An engineer reconnaissance patrol may be sent from a company to reconnoiter the enemy, advance routes and mining lines. The company commander constantly maintains contact with the commander of the PTRez (combined-arms unit or subunit) and clarifies with them the mining line, the way to reach it, the order and signals of interaction at the mining line.

When reaching the mining line, the POZ commander clarifies with the commander of the PTRez or combined-arms military unit (subunit) the places for laying minefields, objects for destruction and mining, the time for the readiness of obstacles, places of passages, their designation and signals for closing, covering the actions of the POZ with fire from the PTRez or combined arms military units(divisions). After that, the company commander specifies the tasks for the platoons, the order of deployment and the path of advancement to the charging point after the installation of barriers. At the line of mining, minefields are laid by the forces of engineering platoons of obstacles and sections of roads, road structures and other objects are prepared for destruction (mined) by the forces of a platoon of controlled mining. The company commander directs the actions of platoons, being on the head minelayer. If it is necessary to temporarily maintain objects prepared for destruction and abandoned passages in barriers, crews are allocated from the composition of the mobile detachment of barriers.

The POZ commander reports on the installation of obstacles to the commander of the PTRez, the commander of his unit and the head of the engineering service. The actuation of the prepared destructions is carried out by dedicated crews at the command of the commander of the PTRez (combined-arms military unit), with whom the mobile obstacle detachment interacts. After the destruction and closing of the passages, the crews go to the charging point (collection area) on their own. After loading the minelayers, the company in full strength is located in the assembly area in readiness for the following tasks.

115. The engineering section of the obstacles, equipped with a minelayer, operates in the POZ as part of a platoon. At the line of mining, the department sets a number of mines. The squad leader directs the actions of his subordinates, controls the correct movement of the minelayer, the size of the mining step and the quality of the installation of mines. After installing the ammunition load of mines, the squad as part of the platoon goes to the charging point, and after loading the minelayer, at the command of the platoon commander, to the assembly point.

116. A company (platoon) of engineering obstacles, equipped with engineering means of remote mining (destruction), sets up minefields in the identified areas of action of enemy troops in front of him, or directly on his battle formations. When mining, together with remotely placed mines, destruction projectiles can be used to make funnels and disable road and bridge structures in road directions.

117. The engineering position company performs the tasks of fortifying positions, defensive lines in the depths of defense, acting in full force, on which it prepares typical battalion defense areas and typical position areas for missile and anti-aircraft missile divisions.

118. An engineering company (platoon) of command post equipment operates independently in full force or in platoons. In order to timely fulfill the tasks of fortifying equipment in the areas of deployment of command posts, the company, as a rule, is reinforced by personnel from service units of command posts or from motorized rifle units.

On the set signal or upon receipt of a combat order, the company advances to a new task area and proceeds to the engineering equipment of the control center deployment area in accordance with the instructions of the officer of the reconnaissance group.

Structures for the protection and work of the operational staff in the command and control group, foundation pits for shelters for command and staff vehicles, the company (platoon) builds before the arrival of the operational staff in the area.

If there is time, the improvement of the fortification equipment of the area of ​​deployment of the command post is carried out by extracting excavations by a company (platoon) for shelters for communication machines and hardware machines, for transport equipment at the communications center and in the support group.

119. The engineering road company maintains the paths for advancing formations (subunits) to the lines of counterattacks (counterattacks), and also prepares the paths for advancing to an unplanned counterattack (counterattack) line.

To move a motorized rifle (tank) battalion to the counterattack line (firing line), the path from the initial line to the line of deployment in platoon columns is prepared, then the directions of movement to the line of transition to the attack are indicated.

120. The road engineering platoon, in preparing the ways for the second echelon to launch a counterattack, operates as part of the road engineering department and the mechanized bridges department. The tracks are being prepared for one-way traffic. To overcome obstacles and destruction on the tracks, detours are prepared, and if it is impossible, crossings are equipped using mechanized bridges, decking (gates) through weak areas of the terrain or backfilling them using track builders.

121. A company (platoon, squad) of field water supply maintains and, if necessary, equips points for the extraction and purification of water in new areas during the conduct of defense.

When the defense is breached and the enemy is wedged in, as well as during the conduct of mobile defense, field water supply units are transferred from the main equipment areas of points (regions) for water production and purification to spare ones.

The commander of a company (platoon, squad) can receive an order to move by radio or in writing from the officer of the department of the head of the engineering troops (NIV) of the association, the head of the engineering service (NIS) of the formation.

In the spare area, the commander of the field water supply subdivision organizes the fulfillment of the task of equipping and maintaining points (areas) for the extraction and purification of water, as in the main areas.

122. In the course of defense, the power supply units of the troops operate as part of the equipment units of command posts or independently. They contain power supply points and cable networks, paying special attention to the power supply of responsible consumers.

123. When conducting mobile defense engineering troops subunits perform the tasks of ensuring the timely and covert deployment of subunits and their maneuver with consistent defensive combat from line to line, holding the final line firmly, inflicting losses on the enemy with engineering ammunition.

124. An engineering and sapper company (platoon, squad) lays minefields in front of the lines of mobile defense, strong points, in the intervals between them and on the flanks, mines and prepares road sections and road structures for destruction. The first and final lines are most densely covered by engineering barriers. In order to create a fire bag, minefields are set up in front of the cut-off positions (lines) and in front of the positions of firing ambushes.

On the withdrawal routes, controlled minefields or barriers are set up in the second degree of readiness, passages are left, which are closed after the withdrawal of friendly troops.

125. An engineering company (platoon) of obstacles operates in the POS. When subunits are maneuvering to the next line of the POZ, together with the PTRez or independently, they cover their withdrawal from the rear or flanks with obstacles.

A feature of the POZ actions is the increased consumption of engineering ammunition due to an increase in the number of mining lines. This requires a clear organization of the delivery of engineering ammunition to replenish the ammunition of minelayers.

126. An engineer-position company (platoon) at the positions (in defense areas) of subunits is tearing off trenches and communication passages, pits for trenches for tanks, infantry fighting vehicles (APCs) and other fire weapons, for dugouts and shelters, erects structures at command posts, medical posts.

Defensive positions are most fully equipped at the final line of defense, where the defense areas of the battalions are connected by trenches, communication channels, and spare and false defense areas are equipped.

Depending on the situation, the availability of forces, means and time, the fortification equipment of sequentially occupied lines (positions) is improved, the structures of industrial-made structures installed in the areas of deployment of command posts at the previous line are removed from the ground, if necessary, repaired and installed in a new area of ​​\u200b\u200bdeployment of the point management.

At cut-off positions, company strongholds prepared for all-round defense, as well as positions for firing ambushes, are equipped. Ambushes and positions for nomadic units are being set up for air defense units.

127. The road engineering company (platoon) prepares and maintains frontal tracks for the entire depth of defense from the first brigade rokada to the rokada at the final position. In the area of ​​responsibility of the brigade, frontal routes are being prepared for the withdrawal and maneuver of battalions of the first and second echelons, command posts and subunits of brigade subordination. In addition, to ensure the maneuver of the first echelon from one line to another, routes are prepared on the flanks of the brigade's area of ​​responsibility to the final line of defense.

For the maneuver of command posts of the brigade, artillery, military air defense units, logistic support units (MTO), a brigade frontal path and brigade rocades are prepared - one behind the first defensive position, the second - at the final defensive position.

128. A pontoon, crossing and landing company (platoon), a company (platoon) of floating transporters equips and maintains crossings over water barriers on the escape and maneuver routes. With the completion of the crossing, the crossing means are removed, and in the event of a threat of capture by the enemy, they are destroyed, the bridges on the water barrier are destroyed, and the fords are mined.

ENGINEERING COMPANY (ISR) - division b. security. It was intended to perform the tasks of an engineer, to ensure the battle of the regiment. Direct start. the company was the chief engineer, service of the regiment, who, in turn, was subordinate to the commander of the regiment. The structure of the ISR. l / s 59 people Of these, 4 officers, 3 ensigns, 12 s-comrade and 40 rows. It consisted of a control company and 3 platoons: engineering and sapper (ISV), engineering and technical. (ITV) and automobile (AV). Company management: 6 people. - 2 officers, 2 warrant officers, 2nd row. Commander of the company - 1 (kn). Deputy com. watered companies, units - 1 (st. l-t). Foreman of the company - 1 (senior great-to). Company technician - 1 (senior great-to). Driver of an armored personnel carrier - 1 (line). Radiotelephonist - 1 (line). Technician of the control company: BTR-60PB - 1. Armament of the control company: PM pistols - 4, AKM assault rifles - 2, KPVT machine gun - 1 (on an armored personnel carrier), PKT machine gun - 1 (on an armored personnel carrier). Communication services of the control company: r / s R-113 - 1 (on an armored personnel carrier), r / s R-107 - 1. WIS: 19 people in total. Of these, 1 officer, 3 s-that, 15 rows. Platoon commander - 1 (st. l-t, l-t). Weapon: pistol PM - 1. 1st engineer-sapper. department: department comr - deputy. platoon commander - 1 (st. s-t), driver - 1 (row), sappers - 4 (row). Weapons: AKM assault rifles - 6, RPG-7 grenade launcher - 1. Technical equipment: Ural-4320 car - 1, trailed min. minelayer PMZ-4 - 1, chainsaw "Druzhba" - 1.2nd engineer-sapper. department: department commander - 1 (junior s-t, s-t), driver - 1 (row), sappers - 4 (row). Weapons: AKM assault rifles - 6. Tech: Ural-4320 - 1 car, trailer, min. minelayer PMZ-4 - 1, chainsaw "Druzhba" - 1.3rd engineer-sapper. department: commander - 1 (ms, s-t), driver - 1 (row), sappers - 4 (row). Weapons: AKM assault rifles - 6. Tech: Ural-4320 - 1 car, trailer, min. minelayer PMZ-4 - 1, chainsaw "Druzhba" - 1. ITV: 19 people. Of these, 1 officer, 7 s-t, 11 rows. Platoon commander - 1 (senior l-t, l-t), field water supply laboratory assistant - 1 (senior s-t). Weapons: PM pistol - 1, AKM submachine gun -1.1st department of road vehicles: department commander - MTU-1 commander (junior s-t, s-t), driver MTU - 1 (row. ), Art. mech.-driver BAT-M - 1 (row.), mech.-driver BAT-M - 1 (row.). Weapons: PM pistols - 2, AKM assault rifles - 2, RPG-7 grenade launcher - 1, AKMS assault rifle - 1, DShK-M machine gun - 1 (on-board MTU). Technique: tank bridgelayer MTU - 1, tracklayer BAT-M - 1. Communications: r / s R-113 - 1 (onboard MTU). 2nd department road machines: commander MTU - 1 (junior s-t, s-t), mechanical driver MTU - 1 (row.). Weapons: PM pistols - 2, AKMS assault rifle - 1 (onboard MTU), machine gun DShK-M - 1 (onboard MTU). Tech-ka: tank, bridge layer MTU - 1. Communications: r / s R-113 - 1 (onboard MTU). 3rd department road. machines: commander MTU - 1 (junior s-t, s-t), mechanical driver MTU - 1 (row.). Weapons: PM pistols - 2, AKMS assault rifle - 1 (onboard MTU), machine gun DShK-M - 1 (onboard MTU). Tech-ka: tank, bridge layer MTU - 1. Communications: r / s R-113 - 1 (onboard MTU). Department of earth-moving machines: com-r otd-I - art. mech.-driver PZM - 1 (ml. s-t, s-t), mech.-driver PZM - 1 (row.). Weapons: AKM assault rifles - 2. Technique: regimental earth-moving machine PZM - 1. Field water supply department: commander of the department - 1 (junior s-t, s-t), driver-minder - 1 (row. ), minder - 1 (row.). Weapons: AKM assault rifles - 3. Tech-ka: MAFS filtering station (VFS-2.5) - 1. TMM department: com-r of the department - st. mech.-driver - 1 (jr. s-t, s-t), art. mech.-driver - 1 (row.), Mechanics-drivers - 2 (row-e). Weapons: AKM assault rifles - 4. Technical equipment: TMM-1 heavy mechanized bridge (4 vehicles). AB: 15 people Of these, 1 great-to, 2 s-that, 12 rows. Platoon commander - 1 (st. prap-k), Weapon - PM pistol - 1. 1st automobile department: commander of the department - deputy. platoon commander - Art. driver - 1 (st. s-t), drivers - 8 (row-e). Weapons: AKM assault rifles - 9, RPG-7 grenade launcher - 1. Technical equipment: ZIL-131 cars with self-loaders - 9, 2PN-2 trailers - 9, KMT-6 trawls - 7, tank bulldozers, mounted BTUs - 9. 2 th car, department: commander - senior driver - 1 (jr. s-t, s-t), crane driver - 1 (row.), Drivers - 3 (row-e). Weapons: AKM assault rifles - 5. Tech-ka: truck crane 8T-210 - 1, Ural-4320 cars - 4, trailers 2PN-4 - 3, KMT-5M trawls - 3. Company engineering equipment: entrenching tool: small infantry, shovels - 21; large sappers, shovels - 35; drank two-handed - 10; carpenter's axes - 20; pick-hoe - 5; crowbars - 5. Light up, Wed: lanterns accumulate. AMF-8 - 1; KSF battery lamps - 4. Equipment for mining and demining: IMP mine detectors (RVM, RVM-2) - 9; demining kits KR-I - 3; miner cords - 9; device for fixing minefields - 1; will perform, control device, minefield KRAB-IM - 1. Camouflage equipment: camouflage kits of the MKT type - 22; camouflage overalls - 24. Plav, Wed: life jackets - 16; swim. suits MPK - 2. Weds for conducting demolition work: demolition machine KPM-1 - 1; kit 77-1; ohmmeters M-57 (linear bridge LM-68) - 2; bags of a demolition worker - 9. Equipment for extraction and purification of water: reservoir RDV-1500 - 1. Equipment for observation and reconnaissance: sapper rangefinder DSP-30-1; device for night work PNR - 1; periscope PIR - 1; binoculars - 3. Carried b / c: anti-tank. min - 600 pieces; anti-personnel. min - 8000 pieces; TNT in checkers - 500 kg.

Lieutenant Colonel A. Balshoy

The Corps of Engineers, which are part of every branch of the US armed forces, are designed to perform engineering support tasks. It involves a set of measures to create the necessary conditions for daily activities troops (forces) and their successful performance of combat missions in peacetime and wartime, as well as to assist federal ministries and departments in ensuring the country's internal security, environmental protection, rational use natural resources and so on.

According to the nature of the tasks performed, the engineering support of the US Armed Forces is divided into three types: general engineering support, geospatial support, and engineering support for combat operations.

General engineering support is aimed at the construction, maintenance and restoration of sea and river ports, automobile and railways, bridges, military camps (forward bases), refugee camps, prisoner of war camps, as well as logistics of military operations and environmental protection. Their implementation involves mainly civilian personnel on a contract basis.

Geospatial engineering support involves solving such problems as the formation and maintenance of a geospatial database, the assessment of the terrain and the creation of its visual image, the distribution of geospatial information among consumers.

Engineering support for combat operations is a set of measures to increase the maneuverability of friendly troops (forces) and ensure their survivability, as well as to reduce the maneuverability of enemy troops. They are carried out, as a rule, by engineering units that are part of combat formations and associations of branches of the US armed forces.

Organizational structure of the US Army Engineering Command

* The total number of personnel of the US Army Engineering Command (without attached formations) is 245 military personnel (officers - 96, warrant officers - 7, soldiers and sergeants - 142). Typical structure of the engineering command (in theater)

Typical structure of an engineering team

Typical structure of an engineering battalion

Typical structure of an engineer company

Typical structure of a mobility support company

Typical structure of a pontoon-bridge company

The solution of engineering support tasks in the US Armed Forces is entrusted to the corresponding formations of the types of the Armed Forces, which are represented by engineering (engineering and construction) commands (directions) and regular units that are part of the formations and formations of regular forces and reserve components.

In the Army (SW), the main structure for general and geospatial engineering is the Engineering Command (headquartered in Washington, DC), which reports to the Secretary of the Army. It consists of about 650 servicemen and up to 37,000 civilian specialists.

This command has the following main tasks:
- planning, design, construction of dams and other flood protection systems;
- design and construction management of military facilities;
- restoration and protection of the environment (clearing the territory of former military facilities from hazardous waste and ammunition, ecosystem restoration, water areas etc.).

Engineering Command includes: headquarters, Humphreys Engineering Center, nine regional offices (45 districts), a financial center, an engineering and logistics center, a water resources research institute, a water facilities design center, a research and development center, a geospatial information collection center and 249 1st Engineer Battalion of Power Equipment. When the command is deployed to remote theaters, it is given units and subunits of the 412th and 416th engineering commands (in theaters) of the army reserve.

The engineering support of combat operations of the US Army is entrusted to the regular engineering formations of formations, formations and units of regular forces and reserve components. They are subdivided into four types: control bodies of engineering formations during engineering operations, subunits as part of combat formations, main and special engineering formations.

The management bodies of engineering formations include the headquarters of engineering commands in the theater of operations, engineering brigades and engineering battalions. They manage the engineering forces and facilities in the area of ​​the respective operations.

Engineering Command is deployed in a combat zone in the interests of an area command or a joint operational formation ( army corps) and provides, if necessary, all types of engineering support. When deployed in a theater of operations, it includes units and subunits (including other types of aircraft) necessary to carry out the intended engineering operation.

Engineering brigade is part of the engineering command in the theater of operations or is deployed separately to conduct the corresponding operation in the interests of the operational-tactical formation (division).

The brigade is a modular unit, which can include up to five engineering battalions and carry out all types of engineering support if the appropriate forces and means are available. In addition, other units may be subordinate to the formation headquarters in order to effectively solve certain tasks (for example, organizing a cordon and regulating traffic when crossing water barriers).

Engineer Battalion may be part of the theater engineering command, engineering brigade or maneuver support brigade, or deployed separately when conducting a minor (in terms of scale) engineering operation in the interests of brigade or division level formations. Depending on the operation being carried out, the battalion headquarters are assigned up to five engineering companies of the appropriate direction (engineer-sapper, construction engineer, pontoon-bridge, etc.). In addition, when a battalion is deployed separately, a forward support company is included in its composition. All US Army engineer battalions (with the exception of the 249th Power Equipment Engineer Battalion) are capable of solving tasks of two types of engineering support: general and combat support.

The main and special engineering formations must carry out specific activities, the most important of which are: equipment, maintenance and restoration of communication lines; construction of protective shelters and other structures; construction of runways; production of continuous demining; water intake equipment.

The main engineering formations of the US Army include companies: engineering and sapper, mobility, pontoon bridge, sapper, engineering and construction, construction, as well as companies of engineering equipment and equipment.

Engineering sapper company designed to conduct engineering reconnaissance, increase maneuverability and ensure the survivability of friendly troops and facilities, as well as to reduce the maneuverability of enemy troops. The number of personnel of the company is 103 military personnel (five officers, 98 soldiers and sergeants). As special equipment, it is armed with demining systems based on the Husky G2 armored car, M9 ACE universal engineering vehicles and M104 Volverin tank bridge layers.

The unit can be attached to the headquarters battalions of combat brigades or brigades of the US Army aviation, and also organizationally be part of the engineer battalion of the US Army engineer brigade. In accordance with the American normative documents The engineering and sapper company is capable of:
- Deploy from two to five mobile groups (engineering and sapper, barriers, sappers or bridge layers) to solve specific tasks of engineering support in certain areas;
- build a columned path in a day total length up to 120 km;
- make passages in minefields and blockages (to overcome on foot - six and on vehicles - three);
- to ensure the performance of engineering work by forces at the rate of 660 people per day;
- act as an infantry unit (if necessary). The mobility support company is used to conduct engineering reconnaissance, increase the maneuverability of friendly troops and reduce the maneuverability of enemy troops. Its number is 118 military personnel (five officers, 113 soldiers and sergeants). As special equipment, the company is armed with minelayers M139A1 "Volkeno", universal engineering vehicles M9 ACE and tank bridge layers Ml04 "Volverin".

The unit is attached to the headquarters battalions of combat brigades (one company in a light or mechanized Stryker brigade, two in an armored brigade), and also organizationally be part of an engineer battalion of an engineering brigade or a US Army maneuver support brigade.

The mobility support company is capable of:
- Deploy from two to five mobile groups (engineer-sapper, engineer-assault or barriers) to solve specific tasks of engineering support in certain areas;
- make passages in minefields and blockages (to overcome them on foot - four, on vehicles - from two to four 1 );
- deploy four tactical bridges to overcome ditches and ravines;
- install more than 4.4 thousand linear meters of wire fences;
- act as an infantry unit (if necessary).

Pontoon Bridge Company designed for preparation, deployment and operation of pontoon-bridge systems when forcing water barriers and overcoming sections of rough terrain. The number of personnel is 185 military personnel (five officers, one warrant officer and 179 soldiers and sergeants). As special equipment, the company is armed with M9 ACE universal engineering vehicles, Ml04 Volverin tank bridge layers, DSB heavy mechanized bridges and an IRB pontoon bridge kit.

The unit may be organizationally part of the engineering battalion of the US Army Engineering Brigade. When carrying out operations to force various obstacles, pontoon-bridge companies are included in the engineering battalions at the rate of one unit for two combat brigades.

In accordance with American regulations, a pontoon bridge company is capable of:
- install one heavy mechanized bridge with a length of up to 40 m and a carrying capacity of up to 80 tons 2 to overcome ditches and water barriers or eight bridges 20 m long and 4.3 m wide;
- deploy a set of IRB pontoon bridge with a length of up to 210 m or six ferries of 35 m each through a water barrier 3 .

Sapper company provides mine clearing of routes of advance and locations of formations of the US ground forces. The number of its personnel is 191 military personnel (six officers, 185 soldiers and sergeants).

The unit may be attached to the headquarters battalions of combat brigades or army aviation brigades, as well as organizationally be part of an engineer battalion or an engineer brigade of the US Army (based on one unit for four combat brigades).

In accordance with American regulations, a sapper company is capable of:
- deploy from three to five mobile sapper groups to solve specific tasks of engineering support in certain areas;
- during the day, check and clear mines of two routes for the advancement of troops with a total length of up to 225 km;
- during the day to check and demining the territory with total area up to 8000 m2.

Engineering and construction company is engaged in carrying out repair and restoration work of the roadway and runways of airfields, measures to prepare construction sites for the construction of military infrastructure facilities on them, as well as laying pipelines and creating drainage system. The number of its personnel is 161 military personnel (five officers and 156 soldiers and sergeants).

The unit can be organizationally part of the engineering battalion of the engineering brigade of the US Army, at the rate of one company per division (in defense, at the rate of one company per combat brigade).

construction company designed for installation and construction work on the construction or repair of military infrastructure, including sewerage, water supply and connection energy systems. The number of personnel of the company is 162 military personnel (five officers, three warrant officers and 154 soldiers and sergeants).

The unit may be organizationally part of the engineering battalion of the US Army Engineering Brigade. The company is able to ensure the performance of construction work at the rate of 1000 people per hour per day.

Engineering machinery and equipment company should carry out work on fortification equipment for the positions of ground forces units, clearing sites (without mine clearance), and also provide the necessary technical support to other engineering units. The number of personnel of the company is 122 people (five officers, 117 soldiers and sergeants).

The unit may organizationally be part of the engineering battalion of the SV engineering brigade.
In accordance with American regulations, a company of engineering equipment and equipment is capable of:
- prepare within an hour 18 double trenches for standing shooting or 12 positions for group weapon crews;
- erect a protective shaft up to 200 m long within an hour;
- ensure the performance of engineering and construction work at the rate of 1,000 people per hour per day.

Special engineering formations of the US Army are narrow-profile units that are used only as part of engineering commands, brigades and battalions or are attached to engineering companies of combat formations to increase their capabilities in solving assigned tasks. Special engineering formations include: power equipment companies; topographic companies; platoons of earth-moving machines; quarrying platoons; groups of construction management, planning and development of engineering projects; concreting departments; advanced engineering teams; fire departments; pavers teams, divers and real estate teams. In addition, these can be well drilling units, service dogs units and units for working with explosive substances, geodetic information processing centers.

The US Army Corps of Engineers is a branch of the military that is unique in composition and tasks. One of the priority areas for their further development is the formation of an engineer battalion as part of each combat brigade, which will significantly increase the connectivity. In addition, it is planned to reorganize the divisional and corps-level engineering units. .

Other important direction The development of engineering troops involves the use of weapons and military equipment in them, which, taking into account the experience of military conflicts of the last decade, more effectively carry out work on demining and restoring the destroyed infrastructure of settlements.

According to the US command, the experience of using the ground forces engineering units in Iraq and Afghanistan showed the high functionality of the existing structure of this type of troops and confirmed the correctness of approaches to its use in modern types wars and armed conflicts.

1 For armored brigades - two, for light and mechanized brigades "Stryker" - up to four.

2 If it is necessary to increase the carrying capacity up to 110 tons, two twin axles are installed. Eight people deploy one bridge 40 m long in 1.5 hours (during daylight hours).

3 The carrying capacity of the bridge is up to 100 tons. When crossing units on multi-purpose off-road vehicles of the Humvee type, two-lane traffic is organized (at a current speed of up to 3.5 km/h). There are 56 vehicles in the company for the transportation of bridge structures. The installation of bridge structures and the movement of ferries are carried out using 14 boats.

Soviet military miracle 1941-1943 [Revival of the Red Army] Glantz David M

ENGINEERING (ENGINEERING) TROOPS

ENGINEERING (ENGINEERING) TROOPS

Engineer and sapper regiments and battalions

Throughout the war, the engineering troops of the Red Army included sapper troops as part of the active fronts and sappers under the authority of the leadership of the RGK or RVGK, which were allocated by the Stavka to the active fronts and armies as needed. Both those and others were supposed to be engaged in the construction and renovation of defensive structures and the provision of various kinds of engineering support to field troops during offensive and defensive operations.

The engineering troops as part of the active troops of the Red Army included separate engineer battalions (squadrons) in rifle and cavalry divisions, motorized engineer battalions in mechanized corps, engineer battalions (squadrons) in rifle and cavalry divisions, pontoon-bridge battalions in tank divisions, light engineer battalions in motorized rifle divisions, sapper companies or platoons in rifle and cavalry regiments and in tank and motorized rifle regiments and brigades, as well as sapper platoons in regiments of the RVGK and corps artillery.

The sapper battalions of corps and divisions consisted of three sapper companies of three platoons and a technical company in battalions of a corps or technical platoon in battalions of divisional subordination, a bridge-building platoon and a platoon of secret weapons and a small rear service. The total number of corps engineer battalion was 901 people, divisional - 521 people. Depending on the division to which they belonged, these battalions moved either on foot or on horseback. On June 22, 1941, the field forces of the Red Army included over 200 engineer battalions, all of which retained their pre-war structure until December 1941, when the People's Commissariat of Defense (NKO) reduced the size of the battalion to two companies, mainly due to the creation within the RVGK larger and more efficient engineering and sapper troops.

The engineering troops of the RGC included 19 engineering and 15 pontoon-bridge regiments stationed in military districts, which the NCO formed in the first half of 1941 from 22 separate engineer battalions and 21 separate pontoon-bridge battalions. Of this number, ten engineer and eight pontoon-bridge regiments, seven engineer battalions and two engineer battalions were attached to active fronts, two engineer and two engineer battalions were directly subordinate to the RGC, and the rest were in military districts and inactive fronts.

The engineering regiment of the RGK consisted of a headquarters, two engineering battalions (one of them motorized), a technical battalion with electrical, electro-protective, hydraulic and camouflage companies, a light pontoon-bridge park (NPL), 35 engineering vehicles, 48 ​​trucks and 21 tractors. The pontoon-bridge regiment included a headquarters, three pontoon-bridge battalions (but only one personnel), a technical company with platoons for laying roads, building bridges, lumberjacks, electrical and field water supply, an H2P pontoon-bridge park and an officer school equipped with pontoon bridges and technical equipment.

On the eve of the war, the military plans of the General Staff required the NPO to have in each field army at least one separate motorized engineer battalion, one motorized pontoon-bridge battalion and separate field water supply companies, disguise, electrical and hydraulic support, a training unit for sappers and a separate reserve pontoon-bridge park equipped with a H2P kit. In addition, each field army should have a reserve engineer regiment and a separate reserve technical company for special engineering tasks.

However, in addition to the general shortage of engineering troops in the engineering regiments and battalions of the RGC existing on June 22, 1941, from 35 to 60 percent of the regular command staff, from 20 to 70 percent of the regular sergeant and senior staff were absent. They lacked an average of 35 percent of their regular strength and about 50 percent of their regular equipment.

In addition to the engineering troops, on the eve of the war, the People's Commissariat of Defense also had 25 military construction departments. 23 of them were engaged in the construction of fortified areas and field defenses in the western military districts, along with the majority of engineering and sapper troops belonging to future fronts. As a result, with the beginning of the war, most of the combat formations were deprived of the necessary engineering support.

When the Wehrmacht troops inflicted a brutal defeat on the Red Army during Operation Barbarossa, the already fragile Soviet engineer troops suffered great losses. The NPO reacted to this by hastily and practically from scratch starting the formation of new engineer-sapper battalions for the RGK (later - RVGK) with their subsequent allocation to the active fronts. For example, in July 1941, all engineer and pontoon-bridge regiments of the RGK were disbanded, and their remnants were used to form 100 small sapper battalions equipped only with rifles and other hand weapons, as well as entrenching tools, explosives and anti-tank mines. 25 such battalions were assigned to rifle corps, and another 75 to rifle divisions.

As a result, the total number of engineer-sapper and pontoon-bridge battalions in the Red Army was constantly growing, from 20 on July 1 to 178 on November 1, including 140 attached to the active fronts. However, during the same period, engineering support rifle divisions decreased markedly. For example, on July 29, the NCO disbanded technical and pontoon platoons in the engineer battalions of rifle divisions, and in July 1942, after the liquidation of three battalion engineer companies in December, it reduced the strength of the battalion by 60 fighters, also reducing the number of anti-tank and anti-personnel mines.

Starting from the first months of 1942, the NPO began to compensate for the shortage of engineer troops by giving the active fronts and armies one or two new engineer or engineer battalions, and the fronts with new pontoon-bridge battalions. Separate engineer battalions could be either on foot or motorized, they consisted of three engineer companies with three engineer or motorized platoons and one technical platoon in each (the latter had power supply, lumberjacks and transport), the total strength of the battalion was 405 people. Separate sapper battalions had two or three sapper companies with a total strength of approximately 320 people.

While the number of separate engineer and pontoon-bridge battalions in the Red Army increased during the described period from 82 and 46 on January 1, 1942 to 184 and 68, respectively, on January 1, 1944, the number of separate engineer battalions decreased from 78 to three .

Sapper brigades and armies

Although during the initial stages of the German operation "Barbarossa" the number of engineering troops of the Red Army was greatly reduced, the State Defense Committee (GKO) ordered

Headquarters to build new strategic defensive lines and positions to slow down the offensive of the Wehrmacht, using the newly created engineering and sapper units for this. For example, on June 24, the State Defense Committee ordered the construction of a strategic defensive line along the Luga River south of Leningrad, on June 25, a second line from Nevel through Vitebsk and Gomel along the Dnieper to Dnepropetrovsk, and on June 28, a third line from Ostashkov through Olenino, Dorogobych and Yelnya along the Desna to Zhukovka, 50 kilometers west of Bryansk.

When the offensive of the Wehrmacht accelerated, the State Defense Committee in mid-July ordered the Stavka to build two more large defensive lines, the first to protect Odessa, Crimean peninsula and Sevastopol, the second - to protect the approaches to Moscow. The Moscow line, which blocked the Wehrmacht offensive in the Volokolamsk, Mozhaisk and Maloyaroslavets directions, started from Rzhev, went through Vyazma, south from the Moscow reservoir along the Lama River, then through Borodino and Kaluga to Tula.

The Headquarters assigned responsibility for the construction of these defensive lines to Main military engineering department NGOs and the Main Department of Hydrotechnical Construction ( Glavgidrostroy) under the NKVD. The first was to use military construction battalions for the construction of lines, which were subordinate to the front and army departments of military field construction in the areas allotted to them; in turn, the latter was to use its construction troops to build defensive lines in the deeper rear. When such an organization of work proved ineffective, on August 22 GKO transformed Glavgidrostroy into the Main Directorate of Defense Works (GUOBR) under the NKVD and made it responsible for coordinating the construction of rear defensive lines.

Despite all the efforts of the State Defense Committee and the Headquarters, the Wehrmacht's rapid offensive inflicted heavy damage on the engineering troops of the Red Army, preventing most of them from taking part in the construction of defensive lines. The Germans preempted many of the Stavka's attempts to build defensive lines. In August and September, German troops overcame the Vitebsk-Gomel and Luga lines of the Red Army, and in early October they broke through the strategic defenses in the Vyazma and Bryansk sectors, surrounding and destroying large forces of Soviet troops. Alarmed by the possibility of the Germans reaching Moscow, the Headquarters formed the Moscow Defense Zone on October 12, which was to consist of a series of defensive belts around the city. The most important of them passed through Khlebnikovo, Skhodnya, Zvenigorod, Kubinka and Naro-Fominsk, along Pakhra and the Moscow River.

Since the Red Army did not have the engineering and construction troops necessary for the construction of these and other defensive lines, on October 13, the State Defense Committee ordered the NPO to form six engineer armies, consisting of engineer brigades, by November 1, 1941, and transferred all engineering and construction troops to the Red Army as part of active fronts and in the rear under the command of the GUOBR (NKVD). Numbered 1 to 6, these armies were formed in Vologda, Gorky, Ulyanovsk, Saratov, Stalingrad and Armavir, with a total strength of 300,000 men.

The GKO made the GUOBR responsible for creating by December 10 all rear defensive lines and positions, especially to the west of Moscow, and ordered it to prepare all the personnel attached to the newly formed sapper armies and other engineering troops of the Red Army.

Each sapper army was to have approximately 50,000 men, mostly reservists under the age of 45. It was supposed to involve in them the personnel of engineering and construction units from the zones of the active fronts, as well as other specialists mobilized in the rear. The sapper brigades consisted of 19 sapper battalions, one autotractor battalion and one mechanized detachment. By order of the GKO, the sapper army was to have 3,000 trucks, 90 cars, 1,350 caterpillar tractors and 2,350 tractors with trailers, 12,000 wagons of building materials and the full number of necessary building tools. In addition, the departments of other commissariats and the civilian population were involved in the construction of defensive lines.

By order of the State Defense Committee, the local population was mobilized for the construction. Mostly they were women, old people, schoolchildren and adolescents of pre-conscription age. By order of the military councils of the fronts and military districts, as well as regional and district party and administrative bodies, work battalions [mobilized] were formed from them, which were then subordinated to sapper armies.

In the end, nine sapper armies were formed, numbered from 1st to 9th. These armies consisted of 30 engineer brigades and had a total of 570 engineer battalions, numbered 1200 to 1465 and 1543 to 1771. The total number of sapper armies on November 1, 1941 was 299,730 people. However, an acute shortage of engineering and construction troops limited the size and capabilities of these armies and brigades.

Each of the first nine sapper armies consisted of a headquarters and two to four separate sapper brigades. The sapper brigade included a headquarters, 19 separate sapper battalions, divided into three companies with four platoons each and a total battalion strength of 497 people, a mechanized detachment with one road and one bridge platoon, a lumberjack platoon, a position construction platoon and an automobile and tractor platoon with four branches. Although the strength of each sapper brigade was supposed to be 9979 fighters, most of the brigades remained understaffed. As a result, the personnel of the engineer battalions, who were supposed to be engaged in construction work for 12 hours a day and military training for another two hours, were forced to work on the construction of defensive structures for 12-14 hours a day and did not go through any military training. The tenth sapper army, which received the number 1, completed its deployment in the strip Western Front in January 1942, consisted of ten sapper brigades with eight sapper battalions each - a total of 80 sapper battalions and 45,160 fighters.

Initially, the sapper armies were subordinate to the GUOBR under the NKVD, but they worked under the direct supervision of the Main Military Engineering Directorate of the NPO. However, such a command organization was not entirely effective, and on November 28, the Headquarters subordinated these armies to the head of the engineering troops of the Red Army. In December 1942, the head of the engineering troops attached nine sapper armies and 29 sapper brigades to military districts and active fronts (two to the Western Front and one to the Karelian Front). By mid-January 1942, the structure of the engineering troops of the Red Army expanded, now they had ten sapper armies, 40 sapper brigades, three engineering regiments and 82 engineer-sapper, 78 sapper and 46 pontoon-bridge battalions.

These sapper armies and brigades were primarily responsible for erecting strategic defensive lines in the deep rear of the Red Army. The first of these lines, located in the Moscow, Stalingrad, North Caucasian and Volga military districts, were of a permanent nature and consisted of a complex system of fortified battalion defensive areas and company strongholds located in the likely directions of the German offensive and around large cities. However, on December 27, 1941, after the victory of the Red Army near Moscow, the GKO ordered a halt to defensive work around Moscow so that more resources could be allocated to transport refugees, grain and bread for the needy population, and limited construction works on other defensive lines.

In addition to fulfilling their construction duties, the sapper armies also served as a training base for the engineering troops of the Red Army as a whole. For example, in November-December 1941, the NPO assigned two, and then three battalions in each brigade, the designation of training and eventually transferred over 90 of these battalions to the active fronts. Trained as ordinary engineer, pontoon-bridge or road-bridge battalions and equipped with the most experienced personnel, the units intended for transfer to the front immediately stopped all defensive work and engaged in intensive field training. After their departure to the front, sapper brigades formed new battalions and companies to replace those who left. However, the chaos caused by the constant flow of personnel between the sapper armies and the active fronts had a negative effect on the effectiveness of the actions of the former.

The ten sapper armies proved their worth during the Red Army's winter offensive of 1941-1942, helping to maintain security in the rear, increasing the engineering and sapper capabilities of the fronts. However, they turned out to be clumsy, ineffective and difficult to control, especially in a constantly changing combat situation. Therefore, in February 1942, the State Defense Committee ordered the NKO to disband half of the sapper armies and brigades, assign the rest to the active fronts, and use the personnel of the disbanded troops to assist in the formation of new rifle divisions and brigades.

In February-March, the NPO disbanded the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 9th and 10th sapper armies and six sapper brigades, increasing the strength of the 7th and 8th sapper armies of the Southwestern Front, respectively, to five and ten brigades. In addition, he gave the active armies and the Moscow defense zone four sapper armies, three separate sapper brigades and many newly formed special engineering units.

At the same time, the Main Directorate for the Formation and Manning of the Red Army Troops under the NPO withdrew command staff from the sapper armies and brigades for transfer to the active troops, and also reduced the number and strength of sapper battalions in sapper brigades. The NPO took its second step in April, reducing the strength of the engineer battalions from 497 to 405 men, replacing the autotractor battalions with companies with four automobile and one tractor platoon each, and reducing the strength of the engineer brigades to seven battalions with one autotractor company, out of a total brigade strength of 3,138 men.

At the end of June, two months after the completion of this reorganization, the NPO faced the difficult task of stopping the Wehrmacht's new summer offensive, Operation Blau. In addition to providing support for the active fronts, the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 8th NPO sapper armies were supposed to strengthen defensive lines west of Moscow, build new lines to defend the approaches to Stalingrad and the Caucasus and separate manpower from their ranks to compensate for losses in the Red Army troops.

The five sapper armies were building these defenses at an accelerated pace, but on 26 July the GKO ordered the NPO to withdraw 400,000 men from non-combat units by 20 August, including 60,000 sappers to be assigned to combat formations. The remaining sapper armies and brigades were supposed to be reduced, since they "too large and organizationally immobile and cannot effectively fulfill their tasks of engineering support for the combat operations of our troops, especially in offensive operations".

The GKO intended to create more flexible and efficient engineering troops, which the Headquarters could use in defensive and offensive operations in the most critical sectors in the late summer and autumn of 1942. As a result, it was decided to disband the remaining sapper armies and part of the sapper brigades, and to transform another part of the brigades into specialized engineering brigades designed to support the active fronts.

By order of August 17, 1942, the NPO began the transformation of the remaining five sapper armies and 27 sapper brigades into defense departments (see the Construction Troops section below). Six sapper brigades were reorganized into RVGK engineering brigades subordinate to the active fronts, and 8 more were disbanded. 30,000 people from the former 1st, 7th and 8th sapper armies were transferred to staff the newly formed rifle divisions. Later, already in September, the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 7th sapper armies were reorganized into the UOS (Defense Construction Directorate), the 8th sapper army became the UOS in October. 12 sapper brigades became engineering brigades as part of active fronts (see table 9). The remaining 18 sapper brigades, assigned on October 15 to the active fronts, now performed dual functions, providing front troops with engineering support and serving as bases for the formation of new, more specialized engineering brigades and battalions.

Sapper armies and brigades made a significant contribution to the Red Army's victories at Leningrad, Moscow, and Stalingrad by preparing defensive lines, providing active fronts with engineering support, and serving as a base for the formation of other, more specialized engineering troops transferred to active fronts. For example, in 1941, nine sapper armies organized, trained and sent more than 150 specialized engineer battalions to the active troops; in 1942, sapper armies and brigades formed 27 specialized RVGK engineering brigades, 23 of which served until the end of the war, and five still exist today. Finally, the sapper armies contributed more than 150,000 men to staff and form new rifle divisions.

Engineering teams

In disbanding its sapper armies in the spring of 1942, the NPO at the same time took into account the demands of the front commanders who proposed the formation of specialized and flexible engineering brigades that would better meet their needs. Therefore, the creation of a wide range of new engineering brigades and battalions began at the same time. For example, in response to the March demand of the head of the engineering troops of the Western Front, the NPO began to form special-purpose engineering brigades (IBON) from April 18. The first of these, the 33rd Special Purpose Engineer Brigade of the Western Front, formed in May from the 33rd Engineer Brigade of the 1st Engineer Army, consisted of six engineer battalions of barriers, two electrical engineering battalions, one searchlight battalion, an electrification detachment, an electric generator convoy, a special technical engineering company, a motor transport company and four electrical companies (seconded), with a total brigade strength of 4757 people. Ultimately, the NPO formed six special-purpose engineering brigades by July 1 and eight more by November 1, giving them to the field forces one brigade per active front.

Although the structure of these special-purpose engineering brigades could vary, most of them consisted of a headquarters, an autotractor company, five to eight barrier engineer battalions, one of which was converted in October 1942 into a special mine battalion, an electrical engineering battalion and an electrification detachment, with a total number of 3097 people per 5-battalion brigade. the main task The brigades consisted of performing special tasks, such as laying and removing minefields, placing controlled minefields, creating electrified and other barriers, but they often had to perform more dangerous combat missions. For example, the 33rd Special Purpose Engineer Brigade of the Volkhov Front, during a breakthrough in January 1943 of the blockade of Leningrad, used its engineering barrier battalions as assault groups.

In addition to these special purpose engineer brigades, the NPO also formed separate mine engineer battalions in April 1942. One such battalion was assigned to each of the anti-tank brigades of the Red Army with the task of erecting anti-tank barriers and destroying enemy tanks together with artillery troops.

The NPO continued this process at the end of the summer of 1942, when the formation of the Guards mine battalions began - the most interesting and most secret of all specialized types of engineering troops. In August, two Guards mine battalions were deployed on the Voronezh and North Caucasian fronts. By October 1, the field forces already had ten such battalions - as a rule, one battalion per active front. Formed specifically to carry out sabotage operations behind enemy lines, the battalions usually operated in small sabotage groups.

In addition to the guards mine battalions, on August 17, the NPO formed a guards mine brigade in the Moscow Military District, subordinating it to the direct leadership of the Headquarters. Formed from two sapper battalions of the 37th sapper brigade of the 1st sapper army, the 1st guards mine brigade consisted of a headquarters group, a control company and five guards mine battalions with a total brigade strength of 2281 people. Like individual battalions, this brigade not only laid and removed mines, but also formed and deployed small groups to conduct sabotage operations (often in conjunction with partisans) against German lines of communication and important rear installations.

In the summer of 1942, the NPO also created a wide range of smaller specialized units, including five high-explosive flamethrower companies, several field water supply companies, and an artesian drilling team to provide drinking water to active troops.

In preparing the Red Army for major counter-offensives and the subsequent winter campaign, the Stavka ordered the NPO to form larger and more specialized engineering troops to support these offensives. As a result, many of the existing engineer battalions in October were consolidated into engineer-sapper brigades (isbr), each of which consisted of four to five engineer-sapper battalions, an NLP light pontoon-bridge fleet and a motorized engineer reconnaissance company. Several such brigades were formed as mining engineering brigades, subdivided into four mountain engineering sapper battalions, capable of operating effectively in mountainous terrain.

On November 12, responding to the request of the head of the engineering troops of the Red Army, Major General M.P. Vorobyov, the NPO transformed part of the sapper brigades into 15 mine engineering brigades (IMBR), which received numbers from 1st to 15th. These brigades, responsible for setting up operational barrier zones, consisted of a headquarters, a headquarters company and seven mine engineering battalions, with a total strength of 2,903 men.

In addition, on November 26, 1942, the NPO ordered that five sapper brigades of the Transcaucasian Front be converted in November-December into mountain engineering mine brigades of the RVGK (from the 1st to the 5th). Each such brigade (gimbr) consisted of five mountain engineer-mine battalions, whose companies and platoons had not tractors, but horses and donkeys as vehicles, the total number of the brigade was 2344 people.

In the autumn of 1942, the NKO began to form larger and more effective pontoon-bridge units - primarily because the Stavka considered the enlargement of bridge-building units an important condition for achieving success in expanded offensive operations. In early autumn, the NPO sent reinforcements to the active fronts and armies in the form of 11 separate RVGK pontoon-bridge parks, and in November 1942 it formed two pontoon-bridge brigades and gave them to the Stalingrad Front for use in the counteroffensive near Stalingrad. These brigades consisted of a headquarters company, three to seven (usually four) H2P motorized pontoon-bridge battalions, one DMP-42 pontoon-bridge battalion with a total bridge carrying capacity of 50 tons, and several diving detachments for underwater work. When the winter offensive unfolded, in January 1943, the NPO attached the third pontoon-bridge brigade to the Leningrad Front. In February, four new heavy pontoon-bridge regiments were added to these brigades, each of which consisted of two battalions equipped with new TMP pontoon bridges with a 100-ton load capacity.

During 1942, the NPO not only formed and transferred to the active troops an impressive number of new engineering brigades, but also strengthened the existing engineering forces, including new engineering units in existing structures. For example, sapper battalions were included in all the new guards rifle and mechanized corps, and mine engineering companies were included in the new tank corps.

Thus, by February 1, 1943, the structure of the engineering troops of the Red Army expanded and included 13 special-purpose engineering brigades, one sapper brigade, 17 sapper brigades (including five mountain), 15 mine engineering brigades, 185 separate engineering battalions, ten separate engineer battalions, one guards mine brigade, 11 guards mine battalions, three pontoon bridge brigades, four pontoon bridge regiments and 78 pontoon bridge battalions.

All these special-purpose engineering brigades, engineer-sapper, engineer-mine, pontoon-bridge brigades and the guards mine brigade, as well as pontoon-bridge regiments and mine-sapper and pontoon-bridge battalions, together with the guards mine battalions, were created by the NPO specifically to carry out specific combat missions during offensive operations, either as part of the active fronts and armies, or under the direct control of the Headquarters.

In 1943, the NCO continued to expand and improve the structure of its engineering troops. For example, in February, the formation of five rear barrier brigades began, consisting of five to seven engineer battalions each. The task of such brigades was to clear the liberated territory from mines and obstacles. After a long process of formation, in December 1943, the Stavka transferred one of these brigades to the Moscow Military District, two to the newly formed Kharkov Military District, and one each to the North Caucasus and Ural Military Districts.

And more importantly, given the growing intensity of ground fighting and the increased strength of the defense of the Wehrmacht, the NPO began on May 30 to create assault engineer-sapper brigades. Transformed from existing engineer brigades, these new brigades consisted of a headquarters, five assault engineer battalions, one motorized engineer reconnaissance company, a light park for crossing rivers, a demining company (which included mine-searching dogs) and a small rear service. These new brigades were to assist the infantry and tank troops in overcoming well-prepared enemy defensive lines and fortified positions.

When the Red Army in late summer - early autumn 1943 began new offensive operations, clearing minefields has become more important than laying mines. Therefore, the NPO began to replace the mine engineering brigades of the RVGK with the engineer brigades of the RVGK, creating new and reorganizing existing engineering brigades to increase their effectiveness. As a result, the number of mine engineer brigades in the structure of the RVGK decreased from 15 on February 1 to 12 on July 1, and by December 31 - to zero, but at the same time the number of engineer brigades increased from 12 on February 1 to 13 on July 1, and finally - until December 22 to December 31, 1943. In addition, by July 1, 15 new assault engineer-sapper brigades were created, and by December 31 there were already 20 of them.

Finally, in June 1943, the NPO commissioned new tank regiments equipped with 22 T-34 tanks and 18 PT-3 minesweeps. Formally, these regiments were not part of the structure of the engineering troops, but their main task was to clear passages through the numerous minefields laid by the Germans throughout their defenses.

Thanks to these NPO efforts, the number and diversity of the structure of the engineering troops of the Red Army increased dramatically in two years - from 32 sapper brigades, three engineering regiments and 206 battalions various kinds on January 1, 1942, up to 68 brigades of various types, six pontoon-bridge regiments and 270 engineer and pontoon-bridge battalions on December 31, 1943. When the Red Army began the 1944 campaign, the structure of its engineering troops already fully met the increased operational needs.

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Engineering position company (IPR).

Engineering road company (IDR).

Company of engineering barriers (RIZ).

Engineer-sapper company (ISR).

The engineering and sapper company is designed to perform the tasks of arranging barriers and making passages in minefields.

The composition of the ISR:

2 engineer platoons;

Controlled mining platoon.

Armament of the ISR:

BGM drilling machine - 1 unit;

Cars Ural-43202 - 10 units;

Trailer 2-pm-4 - 3 units;

Chainsaw "Friendship" - 9 units;

IMP mine detectors - 12 units;

KRI reconnaissance kit - 6 units;

DSP-30 - 6 units;

PFM - 3 units;

PD-530 - 1 set;

PBU-50 - 3 units.

Capabilities of an ISR company (for 10-12 hours):

1. Install - 3-6 minefields;

2. Make 6-9 passes in minefields;

3. Arrange 1-2 barrier nodes;

4. Set 1-2 INP;

5. Prepare to blow up 2-3 bridges .

Composition of RIZ:

2 platoons of obstacles;

1 remote mining platoon.

RIZ armament:

GMZ-3 - 3 units;

PMZ-4 - 4-3 sets;

Cars Ural-43202 - 12 units;

Trailer 2-PN-4 - 3 units;

Set of controlled minefield UMP-3 - 3 sets.

RIZ capabilities (for 10-12 hours):

1. Set up 2-3 guided minefields;

2. Allocate 2 mobile detachments of obstacles;

3. Make and maintain 3-4 passes in minefields.

It is intended for equipment and maintenance of extension routes, building low-water bridges for loads of 60 tons.

The composition of the IDR:

2 road engineering platoons;

obstacle platoon;

A platoon of heavy mechanized bridges.

Armament of the IDR:

Tracklayers BAT-2 - 6 units;

TMM-3 set - 2 sets;

Installation UR-77-3 units.

IDR capabilities (for 10-12 hours):

1. Equip and maintain 2 road sections of 75 km each;

2. Equip 1-2 obstacle crossings;

3. Make up to 6 passages in the minefields of the enemy, directly during the battle (the length of the passage is 100m, the width is 6m).

Designed to perform tasks on fortification equipment of the defense area, positions, command posts, water supply to subunits and units.

The composition of the IPR:

2 engineering position platoons;

Platoon of engineering structures;

Department of water supply;

Paint department.

IPR armament:

Pit machine MDK - 3 units;

Trench machine BTM - 3 units;

Excavators EOV-4421 - 4 units;

Truck crane KS-2573 - 1 unit;

Set KVS-A (KVS-U) - 3 sets;

Filtration station VFS-10 - 1 set;

Sawmill LRV-2 - 1 set;

Lighting station AD-75-VS - 1 set;

Power plant ESB-8I-1 set;

Painting station POS - 1 set;

Power plant ED-16RAO - 1 set.

Possibilities of IPR (for 10-12 hours):

1. Equip 1-2 water supply points;

2. Equip 1-2 NP of the unit commander;

3. Dig 30 km of trenches and communications;

4. Open 20 covers for vehicles;

5. Prepare up to 50 m 3 of lumber;

6. Produce the manufacture of 50 linear meters. bridge meters per shift;

7. Equip 2-3 sets of crusher.

Designed to provide forced obstacles on floating bridges or with equipment for landing crossings.

Composition of PonR:

2 pontoon platoons;

A platoon of floating transporters;

Coastal department.

Armament PonR:

0.5 set of PMP park;

6 boats of the BMK-T type;

4 ferry-bridge machines;

BAT-2 - 1 unit;

PTS-2 - 6 units.

PonR opportunities (for 10-12 hours):

1 floating bridge with a length of 117 m for loads of 60 tons.

1 bridge with a length of 314 m for loads of 20 tons.