A Guide to the World's Militaries, Suggested reading before fighting

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

LANDING CRAFT

Role: These are small breaching vessels for transporting troops over short distances from ships to shore. The basic role and design has remained largely unchanged since WWII.

Advantages: These are incredibly cheap, among the least expensive vessels out there, and have very good cargo capacity for their size. Naturally, they're also simple and have very long service lives. You can also fit quite a few of them in the average well deck.

Disadvantages: They're painfully slow, with 10 knots being considered fast. The design is also quite poor for oceanic travel, and these (or more likely, the troops inside) tend not to fare too well on the open ocean.



Types
Note that these may not be designated under these names, as there's no real standard!

-LCU (Landing Craft, Utility): These are the largest vessels, designed to be able to operate independently for at least a few weeks, and be capable of carrying tanks. The largest are over 1000 tons and able to self deploy (if only at a crawl), as landing ships do not have space for them in their well decks. Smaller vessels of 250-300 tons are carried internally by larger amphibious vessels, and the smallest are only 100-150 tons, and used by lesser navies to deploy troops and light vehicles only.

-LCH (Landing Craft, Heavy): Similar in size to smaller LCUs (300+ tons), these are designed with much less endurance, but are otherwise functionally similar. They self-deploy over moderate distances, and usually are not carried internally. Most have the ability to carry 2-3 tanks or a good number of lighter vehicles.

-LCM (Landing Craft, Mechanized): Primarily tasked with delivering vehicles to shore, these generally run 100-150 tons in the most modern configurations, and as light as 35 in WWII versions. They're intended to be capable of carrying one tank or several smaller vehicles, or a few hundred troops. Unlike LCUs, these have very short range - about 200 miles.

-LCP (Landing Craft, Personnel): These are extremely small vessels, generally under 20 tons, whose sole purpose is to deploy a platoon or two of infantry to shore. They can't do much else.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

ANTISHIP MISSILES

Role: These are designed to engage and destroy ships. Most designs have air, surface, submarine, and ground launched versions, though some are missing one or two of those launch platforms.

Advantages: They provide high firepower at long ranges that is hard to evade. That's all that really matters.

Disadvantages: The biggest problem for antiship missiles is targeting. For ground and ship launched weapons, line-of-sight only allows for detecting and engaging at up to 30-40 km. Any further, and the launcher MUST have an aircraft or UAV acting as a spotter and relaying target information. For aircraft, there's a thin line between being high enough to detect and engage, and far enough away to avoid air defenses. And for submarines, they can only fire at what they can detect and track, and must come close to the surface to do so.
For all missiles, long-range engagements often need midcourse updates to ensure they remain on a proper course to intercept.



Types:

-Ultraheavy Antiship Missiles: Developed and employed solely by the Soviet Union, and its Russian successor, these are massive 5000+ kg weapons. All air-launched variants are retired, but submarine and ship-launched missiles remain in service. These are hard to kill, and equipped with 2-4 times the explosive yield as other contemporary weapons. All are supersonic, and ranges are in the hundreds of kilometers.

-Supersonic Antiship Missiles: Intended to dramatically reduce the time targeted vessels have to react to an incoming missile, these fly at terminal speeds of Mach 2 to Mach 3 (2452-3678 km/h). Most are air or ship launched, though recent designs may be submarine-launched as well. These are still quite heavy at 3000+ kg, and tend to be shorter ranged than subsonic weapons, usually going only about half as far in a typical engagement. Later weapons, however, can increase range by over 100% with a different, but more vulnerable, flight profile.

-Long-Range Antiship Missiles: These are smaller subsonic weapons known for being versatile and adaptable. They're usually 500-1000 kg in weight, and have ranges in excess of 150 km. These are especially popular because most designs are small enough that they can be fired from a normal submarine torpedo tube, carried in significant numbers by aircraft, and require minimal provisions for mounting on surface warships.

-Medium-Range Antiship Missiles: Most of these are older designs, and run about 50-100 km, which puts them in the unenviable situation of having a long enough range to need midcourse updates and over-the-horizon targeting, but not long enough for lone aircraft to use as standoff weapons against modern air defenses. These require significant teamwork and data-sharing to use effectively against modern forces.

-Short-Range Antiship Missiles: Most of these are either very old, or designed for use by helicopters and very light aircraft. Range is typically 15-40 km, and the missiles themselves are quite small, sometimes under 100 kg. These are generally not good for modern front-line warships, as the older ones are relatively easy to shoot down, and the helicopter-launched ones are too weak to put a major warship out of commission. Against older ships and small vessels like corvettes and missile boats, however, these are a good alternative to their more expensive counterparts.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

NAVAL AIR DEFENSE

Role: To protect ships from nasty planes and helicopters, and their nastier missiles.

Advantages: Naval platforms have much lower size and weight restrictions than ground-based ones, and can thus have much bigger and longer-ranged missiles.

Disadvantages: Aside from being phenominally expensive, warships are greatly hindered by line-of-sight. Which allows aircraft to get relatively close without threat of being attacked, and often limits reaction time when they are detected. Only the most recent systems rectify this problem to any degree.



Types

-Fleet Air Defense: Comprehensive systems that entire ships are designed around, these cost several hundred million each (the system alone, not the ship!), but are equipped with missiles that can have ranges from 100 to over 300 km. Most, like their ground-based counterparts, use some form of command guidance, but a few of the most modern possess active seekers of their own that allow over-the-horizon targeting.

-Medium Air Defense: Used by more multipurpose warships, these have ranges typically in the 30-70 km bracket, enough to engage cruise missiles at a distance and aircraft that wander too close, but easily outranged by most modern missiles, making them vulnerable to stand-off attacks.

-Short-Range Air Defense: Usually made up of ground or air launched systems modified for naval use, these are short ranged (<25 km) line-of-sight systems that protect mostly against cruise missiles and helicopters. If any other aircraft gets close enough to get engaged by these, it did something wrong.

-CIWS (Close-In Weapons System): Last ditch point defense. Ranges are usually 1.5-3.5 km for guns, and 5-10 km for missiles. These are relatively small systems that can be fitted even on small corvettes, and are designed specifically as the last defense against incoming missiles, engaging them at close range just before they hit their target. Most are made up of aircraft or ground-based weapons systems that either have their own radar, or are attached to the ship's own tracking systems.

-Sub-Launched: The Soviet Union pioneered the use of submarine launched SAMs by sticking a launcher for slightly modified shoulder-fired SAMs on the mast of many submarines. Though they had to break the surface to do so, they could quickly pop up to shoot down overflying helicopters or maritime patrol aircraft. Modern versions that can be fired from torpedo tubes while completely submerged are in development in Germany, and likely to be fielded within a few years.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

ANTISUBMARINE WEAPONS

Role: These are devices carried by aircraft, submarines, and surface ships designed specifically to engage submarines. It's that simple.

Advantages: Depends on the specific type, but all of them have some capability against surface ships, and these are the only ways submarines are going down other than mines.

Disadvantages: Some capability is not necessarily enough to warrant use in combat. Most of these have no real purpose other than engaging submarines, and in all cases, the location of the sub must be known or they're useless!



Types

-Heavy Torpedoes: While 533mm (21") torpedoes gained dominance in most countries, the Soviet Union produced 650mm torpedoes specifically for long-range strikes against carrier battle groups. These weapons have long range (50 km) and a powerful warhead, but only a handful of designs can fire them, and they're on the way out.

-Medium Torpedoes: The ubiquitous 21" weapon offers a good mix of speed, power, and range, with the best even matching or exceeding the 25.6" weapons in most areas. Fired from submarines, these are wire-guided until they get very close to the opposing submarines, after which their own sensors take over. Some surface ships can also deploy torpedoes of this size, in which case their range is reduced compared to sub-launch weapons simply due to the fact that wire guidance doesn't quite work as well.
It should be noted that in real engagements, a submarine will usually fire 2-3 torpedoes on slightly different headings (ahead of, straight at, and behind the target) to ensure that at least one tracks and hits its target.

-Light Torpedoes: These small weapons are useful in that aircraft, including helicopters, can carry and drop them in significant numbers. They've also found their way into a number of guided and unguided rockets and missiles to engage submarines from long range. Many surface warships also use them for point defense against subs. Their main problems are short range, both in detection and travel, and the fact that their small warheads are insufficient to take out some better protected submarines.

-Underwater Rocket: An emerging technology just coming into service, these are extremely fast, several times as much as a torpedo, but shorter ranged and much more difficult to guide effectively. Their originally intended role was defensive - they were fired towards an enemy submarine that had just launched a torpedo, forcing it to evade, severing its torpedoes' guidance wires. Modern ones are considered first strike weapons due to the lack of reaction time they offer.

-ASW Missile: Long-range, guided weapons fired from specialized launchers in surface ships or submarine torpedo tubes, many of these have been phased out of service, with only four nations still operating them. The smallest of these are no bigger than a medium antiship missile, and have ranges of 20-30 km, while larger weapons weighing several tons can reach as far as 120. These carry either a light torpedo or a nuclear depth charge, and especially with the depth charge, are also effective against surface warships.

-ASW Rocket: Firing out to 25-50 km, these are generally smaller than guided weapons, and are purely ballistic, lacking any real guidance. They've been popular for over half a century and continue to serve in most nations because of their simplicity. Like ASW missiles, these deploy nuclear depth charges or lightweight torpedoes.

-ASW Mortar: These are multiple-tube launchers that deploy depth charges at short range (1-6 km) and are among the most common ASW weapons in existence due to their popularity in Soviet and Chinese designs. They fire in salvoes of up to 12 weapons, and have secondary capabilities agaist divers and even torpedoes.

-Depth Charge: A small bomb that's dropped in the water and sinks, detonating at a set depth. These are usually dropped by aircraft nowadays, but some ships still have the ability. They're always used in significant numbers such that a direct hit is not necessary - the shockwaves from numerous explosions are enough to sink the submarine. More modern weapons may have a degree of guidance and proximity fusing, increasing lethality.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

NAVAL MINES

Role: Just like landmines, these are intended to deny a stretch of ocean to the enemy, usually in shallower water. Depending on the type, they can be deployed by aircraft, surface ships, and/or submarines.

Advantages: They are amazingly cheap, with all but the CAPTOR type costing no more than a few thousand dollars, and they are very hard to deal with.

Disadvantages: Many are rather indescriminate in what they hit, and they're also difficult to collect after being deployed. Live mines from WWII, for example, still damage ships to this day. And of course, they can be circumvented if their location is known, since a target has to come within range of the mine for anything to happen.



Types

-CAPTOR (enCAPsulated TORpedo) Mine: This is a small launcher carrying a lightweight torpedo that's anchored to the seabed. Most can be programmed to target only specific classes of ships. Deployed by ships, submarines, and aircraft, these are primarily used against submarines in deeper waters.

-Bottom Influence Mine: These consist of an explosive device that rests on the seabed, and like a CAPTOR, has its own sensors that cause it to detonate when a ship is within range. The resulting shockwave is enough to severely damage nearby vessels, especially if multiple mines detonate simultaneously. Early weapons were pressure sensitive and indiscriminate, while modern ones may use passive sonar and be able to differentiate targets. Since they're resting on the seabed and resistant to many countermeasures, these are especially difficult to counter, though they can only operate at limited depths: <60m against surface vessels, and ~200m against submarines. The mines that damaged the USS Princeton in 1991 were of this type.

-Moored Influence Mine: Similar to bottom influence mines in operation, but much smaller due to both issues with effectiveness and the fact that they're much closer to the target when they detonate.

-Moored Contact Mine: The classic weapon, these are cheap floating designs anchored to the seabed that detonate when a ship hits them. They're popular for their amazingly low cost, even if they're relatively easy to deal with compared to other types. They still damage ships when they're caught off guard, including the USS Tripoli in 1991 and the USS Samuel B. Roberts in 1988, both in the Persian Gulf.

-Bottom Contact Mine: Useful only against submarines (which like to lie on the seabed to reduce their sonar signature) and landing craft, they're a contact mine that lies on the seabed. It's that simple.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

Air Forces Equipment Overview


This segment is intended for players who want to RP actual combat, but aren't as familiar with military equipment. It's here to provide a brief introduction to the various classes of combat systems and their roles, along with some of the key advantages and disadvantages of specific types of each. I will not go into much depth here, but will hopefully give enough to help out.


Aircraft Types

Fighter Aircraft

Attack Aircraft

Bomber Aircraft

Transport Aircraft

Special Mission Aircraft

Helicopters


Munitions Types

Air-to-Air Missiles

Cruise Missiles

Attack Missiles

Smart Bombs

Dumb Bombs

Guns


Mission Types

Air-to-Air Missions

Air-to-Ground Missions

Transport Missions

Special Missions


Other

Reading Aircraft Stats

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

FIGHTER AIRCRAFT

Role: Fighters are primarily tasked with air superiority roles, and are optimized for air-to-air combat. Many can be modified to make quite effective air-to-ground platforms, but that is not their primary purpose.

Advantages: Unlike SAMs, aircraft have no minimum altitude or horizon issues for detecting and engaging targets. And compared to other aircraft, they are usually faster, better armed, more maneuverable, and possessing better sensors for air-to-air engagements.

Disadvantages: Pure fighters are a dying breed. Today, the simple fact is that shrinking air forces need planes that can do more than one thing, something shown in all modern fighters and attempts to upgrade older ones. They also have limited endurance and radar range, meaning fighters alone are not effective for controlling air space - they need significant numbers, and a lot of help, to do so. These also include the most expensive non-bomber combat aircraft.



Types

-Strike Fighters: These are large aircraft, usually twin-engined, that have significant focus on ground attack capability, bridging the gap between fighter and strike aircraft. Their role is to fight their way to a target (air or ground) that may be deep in enemy territory, destroy it, and then fight their way back out. As most are modified heavy fighter designs, they tend to have most of the features and advantages of those, but with additional avionics associated with strike aircraft. The F-15E are Su-30 are the best known examples today.

-Multirole Fighters: These are usually small to medium sized planes that maintain a large payload capacity and significant air-to-ground capability, even if that is not their primary role. They lack the range and sheer power of strike fighters, but are extremely versatile and can perform a wider variety of missions. These usually form the backbone of an air force. Major examples are the Eurofighter, F-16, and MiG-29M.

-Heavy Fighters: Big, powerful aircraft weighing in at up to 60,000 lbs (27,210 kg) fully loaded, these are built solely for air superiority. They mount powerful radars, have large fuel reserves, and as one design has been describe, devote "not a pound for air-to-ground." Most of these are being replaced by strike fighters due to their limited utility, but many still serve, often with modifications to provide some degree of air-to-ground capability. The F-15C and older Su-27 variants are great examples.

-Medium Fighters: With a maximum takeoff weight of usually 35-60,000 lbs (15,873-27,210 kg), these used to form the backbone of many fighter forces. Most have, with upgrades or modifications, become multirole fighters, though many older air forces may still have them in significant numbers. They provide a compromise compared to heavy fighters in that they still retain decent capability, but usually are a few notches below in radar range and weapons load. Major examples of current medium fighters include the J-10 and older MiG-29 variants.

-Light Fighters: Little planes weighing less than 35,000 lbs (15,873 kg) even at maximum takeoff, these tend to be extremely popular in less developed countries, and are particularly common among former Soviet clients. New ones are not produced by many nations today. Most have rather weak radars (or none at all) and limited missile loads, but are extremely popular due to low cost. New designs are not as common as they once were, but older ones are everywhere. The most well known exampls are the MiG-21, Mirage III, and F-5 series.

-VTOL Fighters: A subcategory of light fighters, these are designed with a powerful engine that provides vertical takeoff and landing capability, allowing operation on naval helicopter carriers, and hasty forward "airfields" for ground units. They have relatively short range, and low armament when lifting off vertically, but are highly versatile. The Harriers are the only survivors of this class.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

ATTACK AIRCRAFT

Role: Ground pounders, attack planes are designed completely around destroying ground targets of all kinds. Most are optimized for a specific target or mission type.

Advantages: These planes pack tremendous punch and are ground troops' best friends. They tend to excel at low altitudes and have excellent air-to-ground capability, as well as high survivability.

Disadvantages: Most have little, if any, air-to-air capability, even if many are quite maneuverable. At best, they just carry some short-range missiles for self defense. As such, they require fighters to protect them from enemy aircraft. Their mission profile also tends to put them in the line of fire, particularly AAA, which can be more dangerous than SAMs. And as with dedicated fighters, pure ground attack aircraft are becoming less popular due to their limited ability to perform other roles.



Types

-Gunships: Operated only by the US, these are actually modified transports with significant sensor and fire control systems, along with several heavy weapons. They have very high endurance that allows them to stay on station for hours, performing close support missions for ground troops. The only currently operational planes of this type are the AC-130s.

-Heavy Strike: Think heavy fighter, but without the secondary air-to-air capability. These are very large (60,000+ lb) aircraft that are optimized for missions against targets deep in enemy territory. They may also be used on the front lines, where their high payload makes them excellent for hitting large formations. The Su-24 is one of the few survivors in this category.

-Close Air Support: These are medium weight aircraft, typically 40-50,000 lbs (18,140-22,675 kg), which are designed to support troops on the front line. They tend to be slow, but with high endurance, good agility, heavy payloads, and the most extreme protection of any aircraft out there. The Su-25 and A-10 are the icons of this type.

-Light Strike: These are small planes (<35,000 lb max take-off) that are designed to launch strikes against intermediate targets, including front-line troops and forward support elements like artillery and command posts. Most of these are old designs long out of production, with the only modern ones being modified trainer aircraft.

-Counter Insurgency: Usually modified trainers or commercial aircraft (always small, and always propeller-driven), these are cheap planes that have relatively short range, but low speed and good endurance. They're very lightly armed compared to larger planes, but are inexpensive and easy to operate.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

BOMBER AIRCRAFT

Role: Up until the end of the Cold War, most of these large aircraft were expected to perform nuclear strikes against strategic targets deep in enemy territory, or cruise missile strikes against tactical targets. Most of the focus today is on what were originally secondary roles that are more tactical in nature, such as reconnaissance and conventional bombing.

Advantages: No combat aircraft can fly further or deliver more ordnance to a target than a bomber. They can carry more and heavier weapons than anything else.

Disadvantages: These are expensive. Phenominally expensive. A single bomber can cost more than a squadron of fighters, both in acquisition, and operation. As such, with the exception of maritime patrol units, only a handful of nations (China, US, Russia) still build and operate such aircraft. They also are victims of their own role - they fly too far to be escorted by fighters, but have no real way to defend themselves other than running or hiding.



Types

-Stealth Bombers: Intended to allow for greater survivability over enemy territory, these are difficult to detect despite their size. The only type currently in service is the B-2, which is comparable to other heavy bombers in everything but speed, cost, and radar signature.

-Heavy Bombers: Massive aircraft on par with airliners and strategic cargo planes in sheer size, these carry over 20,000 kg (44,000 lbs) of ordnance several thousand kilometers, and back. Most are primarily tasked with using cruise missiles today, but all have the capability to carry massive numbers of conventional bombs, and are still used in that role.

-Medium Bombers: Smaller aircraft that carry 9000-20,000 kg (20,000-44,000 lbs), these are mostly older aircraft, and mostly retired from service. They still fill similar roles to heavy bombers, just in a smaller plane. The only remaining examples are the Tu-95MS and H-6 (Chinese Tu-16K), both 1950s designs.

-Maritime Patrol: These are a special type of bomber designed specifically for extended missions over water, where they are tasked with identifying, tracking, and possibly engaging warships and submarines. Most are modified airliners, but many are also derived from heavy and medium bombers. They carry a variety of depth charges, mines, torpedoes, and antiship missiles for their task, but have comparatively small payloads, as they focus more on increased range and sensor loads.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT

Role: As you might expect, these are simple planes meant to transport various types of cargo from point A to point B. These are essential for any global and most regional powers, as while expensive, nothing moves troops and equipment faster.

Advantages: Naturally, these are compared with other forms of transport. They are by far the most expensive, but even the slowest transport aircraft move at over 6 times the rate of the next best alternative. Of the four most popular means of transporting supplies, aircraft are the second most versatile, as building a new airfield is far easier than a new seaport or rail station (which also needs the rails connected to existing tracks).

Disadvantages: Relatively low per-unit capacity makes certain types of popular cargo (tanks, helicopters) difficult to transport in any quantity, and capacity limits also mean that aircraft are not ideal for providing supplies needed for sustaining larg-scale operations. Finally, planes can only take off and land at established airfields.



Types

-Heavy Strategic Transports: big planes for big loads - well over 50 tonnes - great distances (4000-4500 km range fully loaded). These planes are actually used to deploy main battle tanks on occasion, and are designed almost exclusively for large cargo. Though all can be adopted to a troop transport role, they are quite inefficient in that respect. Only two nations build these, and only a handful of others operate them in any numbers. The C-17, C-5, and An-124 are the landmark designs in this category.

-Medium Strategic Transports: Something of an international workhorse, these planes run payloads in the 30-60 tonne range. Most can fly the same 4000-4500 km with a max load as the larger heavy transports, though some may only manage 3000 km. Most of these are still used primarily for transporting supplies and equipment rather than troops, but unlike their larger cousins, they can take on the troop transport role with relative ease. The Il-76 is by far the most numerous plane in this category, and the A400M is the best western example.

-Light Strategic Transports: These are the true workhorses of most modern air forces. Usually running 15-20 tonnes, but going as high as 30, these are relatively small and often highly valued for their short takeoff and landing runs, as well as ability to operate from rough fields. These have similar range to medium and heavy strategic transports, but are more often used to transport troops, a role for which they are much more efficient than their boxy cousins. They still regularly carry cargo and vehicles as well, but are limited to nothing above the lightest armored vehicles due to weight considerations. It should be noted that there has been a relative lack of new developments here, with most new planes being either medium strategic, or tactical transports. The C-130 and An-12 are the best known examples in this category.

-Medium Tactical Transports: In many ways, these are similar to light strategic transports. They have similar payload, design, and often even size. The big difference is range. While a strategic transport can fly at least 3000 km with a full load, and often 4000+, tactical planes are impressive if they manage 2000-2500. Medium tactical transports generally haul 10-20 tonne payloads around 1200-2000 km. While historically popular, these are now, just like the light strategic planes with similar payloads, fading out in favor of either larger or smaller aircraft. The C-160 Transall and An-72 represent landmark designs in this category.

-Light Tactical Transport: Probably the largest current segment in the transport market, these are relatively small planes with 5-10 tonne payload capacities, that are generally good for 1200-2500 km at maximum payload. You mostly see them in smaller air forces, but even the US employs them in decent numbers. The C-27J/G.222 and CN-295 are the newest developments, while older planes like the An-24/26/32 are still quite popular.

-Troop Transports: Usually modified airliners specifically adopted for ferrying troops, these have the payloads of light or medium tactical transports, but may have ranges putting even strategic transports to shame - often exceeding 5000 km fully loaded. They can still be converted to the cargo role as well, but tend to lack the heavy loading ramps of dedicated military cargo planes. The C-40 (Boeing 737) is a prime example.

-Liason: Basically really small aircraft that can only carry a handful of people, and only for relatively short distances (often less than 1500 km, though up to 2500). These have payloads that are completely insufficient for carrying any meaningful cargo, and are used only for training and ferrying troops - a role they do much more cheaply than larger aircraft. These usually come from popular makers of small civilian aircraft like Cessna and Beechcraft.

-VIP Transports: These are modified troop transports or liason aircraft, or in some cases, modified civilian business jets, whose sole job is to provide comfortable travel for more important people, like generals and civilian leaders. The upper end are planes like the VC-25 (Air Force One), the range also includes C-32 (Boeing 757), C-37 (Gulfstream V), and versions of the Beechcraft King Air.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

SPECIAL MISSION AIRCRAFT

Role: I'll give you three guesses
Seriously though, the term applies to any aircraft that is purpose built for a unique, and narrowly defined mission. Usually, this is a special variant of an existing design. Only rarely is an entirely new aircraft design developed for a special mission platform.

Advantages: Ever hear the hold adage "jack of all trades, but master of none?" Most aircraft can be modified to do a number of things, but none of them particularly well. And a few roles, like electronic warfare, really need a specialized platform to give them a performance edge.

Disadvantages: Well, obviously, if they can only do one thing, they have no use outside their primary role. And to add insult to injury, they tend to be quite expensive. Not surprisingly, the smaller the air force, the lower the ratio of special mission aircraft. In fact, the USAF has an astounding prorportion of existing examples of most types.




Types

-Aerial Tanker: among the more common types of special mission aircraft, tankers are basically big flying gas stations. Their primary role is to get up and refuel other aircraft in the air so they can fly longer distances. Originally, this was mostly for strategic bombers, but in modern times transport aircraft are key recipients. Most of these are modified transports, usually based on commercial airliner designs. However, just to prevent them from being listed in the transport section, some bombers and strike aircraft have been converted as well. Most more modern versions can double as cargo aircraft, and in some cases even carry cargo and extra fuel at the same time. The Boeing KC-767, Airbus A330 MRTT, and Russian Il-78 are all prime examples.

-AEW&C: Or its US counterpart, AWACS. These are massive airborne radars meant for tracking numerous air, and possibly ground or sea, targets at extreme ranges, and controlling friendly forces as they engage. These can range from massive self-contained command centers such as the E-3 and E-767, to much smaller and lower endurance aircraft like the twin-turboprop E-2, and even some modern ones that relay airborne radar data to a ground station. Whatever the size and capabilities, these can track hundreds of targets hundreds of kilometers out, and are a critical component of any first-rate air force.

-ELINT: Short for ELectronic INTelligence, this covers a wide range of aircraft whose role is to monitor radio waves. This can be radio communication, radar (RAdio Detection And Ranging) emmissions, or even remote control systems. These don't just tell the type of transmitter (and by extension, what sort of nasty surprises it's associated with), but also where it is. This is extremely important in dealing with air defense networks. The RC-135 Rivet Joint would be one of the best aircraft in this category.

-Reconnaissance: While most recon aircraft have always been slightly modified fighters and strike aircraft equipped with cameras, they're not the only ones. And while those modified combat planes are all over the place, some others are among those rare planes actually designed from the get-go for a special mission. Regardless, all are tasked almost solely with finding and/or monitoring ground installations and troop movements. They locate targets, track them, and observe the result of air strikes. Most recon aircraft use either ground-mapping radar or the old-fashioned camera to see what's going on down there, with IIR being an occasional alternative. These can be either tactical, like the RF-4 or MiG-25R - both converted fighters, or strategic like the TR-1 and RC-135S Cobra Ball (the latter tracks ballistic missiles). Most UAVs are also purpose-built reconnaisance aircraft.

-EW: short for Electronic Warfare, this is just a fancy way of saying airborne jammer. Some of these, like the EC-130 Compass Call, focus on disrupting communications, but most of these aircraft are arrayed against, you guessed it, radar systems. Planes like the EA-6B, EA-18G, and Tornado ECR are intended to escort airborne strike forces into enemy territory, suppressing air defenses so they don't have to deal with SAMs.

-Special Operations Support: A very few number of aircraft variants in a very small number of air forces are designed specifically for clandestinely deploying, supporting, and even extracting (!) special forces deep behind enemy lines. The US MC-130 variants are pretty much the only purpose-built planes in this category, though some older designs like North Korea's An-2 transports take advantage of some "obsolete" design features to fill a similar role.

-Mapping: You'll probably never see any of these planes get mention in the news, unless they somehow crash or get shot down by accident. But you also wouldn't believe how important they are. Aerial cartography is an important service to both military and civilian establishment - accurate and up-to-date maps being very important.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

HELICOPTERS

Role: While much shorter-ranged than fixed wing aircraft, helicopters are much less limited in where they can take off and land, and are thus extremely valuable as tactical asses operating with front line units. They provide local transportation, close air support, and even battlefield command services.

Advantages: They can take off and land on any relatively flat patch of ground that's big enough, which is often almost anywhere, and since they can hover in place, airdropping troops and equipment can still be done with pinpoint accuracy.

Disadvantages: Helicopters have very low ceilings, meaning they cannot fly very high, and are also extremely limited in range, and quite vulnerable to damage as they have numerous exposed, and easily damaged parts that the aircraft can't fly without. They also have much greater size restrictions than aircraft.



Types

-Heavy Lift Helicopter: Capable of lifting 10-20 tonnes, these are the largest and most powerful of helicopters, even if that's only relatively light for a cargo aircraft. In fact, you're unlikely to see anything smaller carrying decent-sized vehicles internally. These, however, can usually only go a few hundred kilometers with their maximum load. The Mi-6, Mi-26, CH-47, and CH-53 are the primary examples.

-Medium Lift Helicopter: Capable of lifting 5-10 tonnes, these are mostly outdated aircraft that were once considered heavy lift helicopters, such as the CH-54 Tarhe. The differ from more modern utility helicopters in that they are clearly optimized for heavy cargo loads rather than troop transport, even if they don't quite carry as much as more modern designs.

-Heavy Utility Helicopter: The utility helicopter is the ubiquitous workhorse of any military, filling most roles in a pinch, and being regularly assigned to any kind of frontline unit. Capable of carrying over 20 passengers or 4500-5500 kg of cargo, these heavier examples bridge the gap between the utility and cargo helicopter designs. The Mi-8/17, AW101, and Cougar/Super Puma are the most popular designs in this class. Some of these can carry very light vehicles internally.

-Medium Utility Helicopter: Capable of carrying 12-20 troops, or 2500-5000 kg of cargo, with good range and endurance (for a helicopter), these form the backbone of most modern helicopter fleets. They often serve a variety of roles, and, along with heavy utility helicopters, are the most prone to having specialized variants.

-Light Utility Helicopter: These are smaller or older designs that still have sufficient internal space and payload to actually haul cargo, and thus can fill the utility role either in absence of, or augmentation to, heavier aircraft. They generally have a passenger capacity of 6-10, and a payload capacity of 1500-2000 kg, up to 3000 kg on some more recent models like the UH-1Y. All UH-1 variants (and related civilian versions), as well as the Russian Mi-2 and Eurocopter Panther, fall into this category.

-Light Transport Helicopter: Sometimes difficult to differentiate from utility birds, these usually have larger cabin space, but lower payload capacity, as with the Eurocopter Dauphin, or just happen to be very light on everything, like the MD 500 series. The latter may serve in a limited utility role as well. Regardless, all of these are among the smallest non-trainer helicopters you will see in any military.

-Attack Helicopter: These are large, heavy, well-protected, and heavily armed aircraft dedicated to providing close support for ground units, as well as a limited interdiction role. Primary targets are enemy armor and SAM positions. Most (Mi-24/35 being the exception) have no troop or cargo carrying capability, and are devoted entirely to heavy weapons loads and sophisticated sensors. The AH-64, Mi-28, and Eurocopter Tiger are some of the best known among these.

-Light Attack Helicopter: These are usually modified recon or light transport units, and have only a fraction of the size, payload, and protection of regular attack helicopters. They are, however, easily transported due to their small size, and difficult to detect and target for the same reason. The AH-6J and PAH-1 are good examples.

-Observation Helicopter: These are small, relatively stealthy aircraft that have the unenviable task of locating and observing enemy ground forces, and directing friendly ground forces, or attack helicopters, to engage or avoid them. Many modern versions, such as the OH-58D, have modest weapons capabilities, and can serve as light attack helicopters in a pinch. Most modern ones will also have a mast-mounted sight that allows them to observe while still remaining behind some piece of cover, and some even carry laser designators that let them paint targets for laser-guided weapons.

-ASW Helicopter: Virtually always modified utility helicopters of various sizes, these are designed to be operated from ships and shore installations (or in rare cases, shore only) and locate and attack submarines, with possible secondary roles including search and rescue and antiship. They're equipped with various detection systems to track their prey, possibly including sonobuoys, dipping sonar, magnetic anomaly detectors, and surface search radar. The Ka-27, UH-60,and NF90 NFH are prime examples of this type.

-AEW Helicopter: These are modified ASW helicopters equipped with a large airborne radar, and are not dissimilar to small AEW&C aircraft. They were intended preform that role for small aircraft carriers and naval surface groups, as an alternative to larger planes like the E-2. However, lower ceiling, and the naturally lower endurance of a helicopter mean that these have never really caught on all that well. The Sea King AEW, AW101 AEW, and Ka-31 are all examples.

-Special Operations Helicopter: Specialized transport helicopters meant to operate deep behind enemy lines and support special operations forces, these tend to have more sophisticated electronics and detection systems, as well as greater capability to carry weapons compared to their regular counterparts. The MH-53J Pave Low and MH-60 Pave Hawk are prime examples.

-Other Special Mission Helicopters: Like fixed-wing aircraft, there are helicopter variants designed for almost anything you can think of, including NBC detection, airborne jamming, airborne command post, search-and-rescue, photoreconnaissance, aerial refueling, etc. With only a handful of excepptions, all of these are modified utility designs.

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AIR-TO-AIR MISSILES

Role: Abbreviated as AIM (Air Intercept Missile) or AAM (Air-to-Air Missile), these are the primary weapons of fighter aircraft, and give them the ability to effectively engage distant and/or maneuvering targets, both of which the more classic guns have significant trouble dealing with.

Advantages: Even the shortest ranged missiles have 3-5 times the effective range of aircraft cannons (1000-2000m VS 5000-6000+), and unlike shells, missiles follow the target, reducing the effectiveness of wild maneuvers.

Disadvantages: Air-to-air missiles are one-trick ponies. Aside from a handful that have a very modest capability against ground-based radars, the only thing they can engage is aircraft. They're also expensive, with only outdated designs going less than $450-500,000, and long range missiles at 2-3 times that. Also, especially in older aircraft, only a very limited number of these weapons can be carried.



Missile Types:

-Long-Range AAM: Despite how awesome these often sound, most are actually obsolete. These are very big, very heavy (1000+ lbs/454+ kg) missiles that were originally designed for intercepters, and tasked with taking out large and relatively unmaneuverable heavy bombers at extremely long range (beyond 150 km) - before they could fire off cruise missiles at vital air or naval targets. Since this bomber threat has dissipated, these have been largely shelved in the west, though continued development elsewhere has occurred based on their potential for destroying AEW&C/AWACS aircraft. With the retirement of the US AIM-54 with its F-14 fleet, the R-33/AA-9 Amos is the only currently active weapon in this class.

-Medium-Range AAM: Often also referred to as BVRAAM (Beyond Visual Range AAM), these are intended to engage maneuvering aircraft at ranges of up to 30-100 km, though they may have maximum ranges of twice that. While current high-end versions have ranges that match current-generation LRAAMs, the key differences are that they have generally about half the weight or less, are optimized against maneuverable fighters and strike aircraft, and are not intended for use at maximum range. All of these need at least midcourse updates from the launching aircraft. The US AIM-120 AMRAAM, Russian R-77/AA-12, and UK Meteor are all examples of this type.

-Short-Range AAM: The classic dogfighting missiles. These were the first to be developed and employed on aircraft for obvious reasons, and are intended for use only in close-in dogfights. Effective range is usually 6-12 km on modern ones - don't let the 20+ km claims for Russian weapons fool you. Just like MRAAMs, they're intended for maneuvering targets, and will virtually never be fired at their maximum theoretical range. The most modern weapons have a very high off-boresight capability - some able to see targets over 90 degrees off (directly beside them), and combined with programming, the latest weapons can even hit aircraft directly behind the launching plane. The AIM-9X, IRIS-T, ASRAAM, and R-73/AA-11 Archer are all examples.



Guidance Types

-Active Radar: the missile has its own radar in the nose, and can seek and engage targets without any input from the launching aircraft. Most modern long and medium-range AAMs have this as their primary source. But, as with other things, don't take it too literally. These radars are small and only have a relatively short range, well under 20 kilometers for most targets. Much like torpedoes, these missiles have to be directed to the target so they can get close enough to find it themselves. Usually, this is provided in the form of midcourse updates from the launching aircraft, or a combination with semi-active radar. The AMRAAM, BVRAAM, and AA-12 all use this.

-Semi-Active Radar: This is a generally obsolete system that requires the launching aircraft to "paint" the target with its own radar, directing the missile to the target. Much like a laser-guided weapon, the missile will become useless if the target is not painted throughout its entire flight - meaning the launching aircraft has to keep facing the target, and using its radar, until the missile hits. This leaves it open to return fire, and makes the whole engagement not unlike a high-tech game of "chicken." The AIM-7 Sparrow, AA-9, and French R530/Super 530 are among the handful of designs still in service, mostly with 3rd world militaries.

-Passive Radar: You'll rarely listed as an official guidance for an AAM, but it's still not just for anti-radar missiles. The important application here is a variation known as home-on-jam. This is important for active radar guided missiles as their small radar is easily jammed, making them unable to effectively locate and/or track the target. When that happens, they can automatically switch to this mode, and the same jamming signal that blinded them before suddenly becomes a giant homing beacon.

-Infrared: The oldest and most proven of all of these, this is what made air-to-air missiles even possible. While infrared guidance systems have very short range, their wide field of view and passive nature makes them the clear choice for any short range dogfighting missile. The system is also finding itself on some medium-range missiles where it's used in some variants as an alternative to active radar, as in the French MICA and Russian R-27/AA-10.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

CRUISE MISSILES

Role: Cruise missiles are long-range weapons intended to deliver an explosive warhead to a target from outside the range of air defenses. In other words, a big, guided, flying bomb. Unlike normal standoff attack missiles, cruise missiles are optimized for either extreme stealth or very low-altitude flight, making them difficult to detect and intercept.

Advantages: Cruise missiles let planes hit targets, even pinpoint ones, from impressive distances - up to 3000 km away, allowing the launching aircraft to avoid having to expose itself to enemy air defenses, and in some cases, even fighter interception.

Disadvantages: Naturally, these tend to be big, heavy, and bulky, greatly limiting the number that can be carried even by heavy bombers. They can also themselves be vulnerable to interception - something that is becoming an increasing focus in modern aircraft and air defense weapons. Finally, these are the most expensive weapons out there aside from ballistic missiles, and can easily cost several million each.



Types

-Antiship Cruise Missiles: intended for attacking naval vessels, covered in the naval section. Most models have air-launched versions as well.

-Long-Range Cruise Missiles: epitomized by the famous Tomahawk, these are extremely long range weapons that fly at efficient subsonic speeds to strike targets up to 1000 km or more from the launch platform. Most are ship-launched, but two existing models, the US AGM-86 CALCM and Russian Kh-55/AS-15 Kent, are intended for deployment from heavy bombers.

-Medium-Range Cruise Missiles: These weapons are similar to LRCMs in design and operation, but have shorter ranges of 300-1000 km, usually 300-500. The biggest draw of these weapons is they're small enough to be fitted on tactical aircraft, though at over 1000 kg, they're still too heavy for many, especially if you want to mount more than one or two. Most new developments are in this type. The US JASSM, Anglo-French Storm Shadow, and Pakistani Ra'ad are all examples.

-Short-Range Cruise Missiles: These are weapons that fly less than 300 km, and weigh less than 1000 kg, allowing smaller tactical aircraft to carry them, and large ones to carry them in decent numbers. Most of these are either antiship missiles, or land-attack versions of common antiship missiles. The US SLAM-ER is probably the best example.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

ATTACK MISSILES

Role: Not unlike cruise missiles, these are intended to engage targets from outside the range of defenses. However, they usually focus on tactical rather than strategic targets, and are thus much shorter ranged. They also usually have a straight or ballistic flight profile, with only size and speed working to prevent interception.

Advantages: Much cheaper than cruise missiles, but still able to avoid battlefield defenses, these are also more effective in dealing with targets of opportunity. Their small size and short flight time makes intercepting them both unproductive and extremely difficult, and also means large numbers of weapons can be carried by even small aircraft.

Disadvantages: Most are outranged by long-range air defense, and even medium, leaving launching aircraft vulnerable to any of those with over-the-horizon targeting capabilities. They're also less capable of dealing with large or hard targets than both cruise missiles and conventional bombs.



Types

-Antiradiation Missiles: These are relatively supersonic, long-range (90-150 km) weapons with passive radar seekers, meant to take out search and fire control radars and render air defenses temporarily impotent. Most are either faster than likely SAM opponents, longer ranged, or both, such that the launching aircraft doesn't have to expose itself. Modern ones also may have a loiter capability, where they circle a programmed target area and wait for a radar to turn on, immediately attacking it. Examples include the US HARM, UK ALARM, and Russian Kh-31.

-Long-Range Standoff: relatively large missiles with ranges exceeding 50 km, placing them beyond the range of medium air defense systems. These tend to be rather large weapons, but still primarily use tactical guidance. Examples include the US/Israeli AGM-142/Popeye and US AGM-130.

-Medium-Range Standoff: This is the home of most of the more ubiquitous designs. These weapons have ranges in the 20-50 kilometer range (outside short-range air defense), and usually need no secondary guidance, as their seeker alone is sufficient. These weapons are solely tasked with hitting battlefield targets, even moving ones, and are often used as close support weapons. The AGM-65 Maverick is by far the most important weapon in this class, with its distant contender being the Russian Kh-29 (AS-14).

-Short-Range Standoff: These are small weapons, with ranges of 8-20 kilometers - sufficient to avoid shoulder-fired SAMs and AA guns only. Most are either older weapons, or optimized for use in the antitank role, usually by helicopters. The French AS.30 is a key example of the former, while the Hellfire and Brimstone would be examples of the latter.

-Direct Attack: Or, in short, medium helicopter-launched antitank missiles, such as the TOW, which have ranges of less than 8 km, and leave the launching aircraft quite vulnerable to any air defense that might be lurking.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

SMART BOMBS

Role: When is a missile not a missile? Smart bombs are cheaper alternatives to missiles that usually involve using a strap-on "kit" to turn a regular bomb into a guided weapon. This includes a tail section that has fins for both allowing it to glide further, and often also a nose segment for precision guidance.

Advantages: These are cheap, even the most expensive of the strap-on kits costing less than $200,000 (bomb included), and quite versatile in that they can be strapped on virtually any bomb of the proper dimensions. They also have greater power than short-range missiles, but longer range than regular bombs. Plus, virtually any plane can carry and drop them with minimal modification.

Disadvantages: The big problem with these is that range is extremely dependent on launching speed and altitude. With few exceptions, that range is also very limited.



Types

-Purpose-Built: while most glide bombs are just snap-on kits, there are a very small number of weapons that were designed from the beginning for this role. They're most notable in that they have fold-out wings to provide extended range beyond 100 km with high-altitude drops, making them true standoff weapons. Currently, the only examples I know of are the German HOPE/HASBO, and the US SDB and JSOW.

-Third-Generation Snap-On: the most modern weapons often have multiple guidance systems that combine GPS or inertial with IR or semi-active laser terminal homing on a 500, 1000, or 2000-lb class bomb. Either system is fully capable of guiding the bomb to its target, so combining them provides increased accuracy and/or redundance in case of bad weather. They also have improved glide mechanisms, allowing ranges of 15-20 km from low altitude and 30-50 for high altitude release. The French AASM and US Paveway III and IV fall under this category.

-First/Second-Generation Snap-On: These are the original bombs, almost all of which are laser guided only. They have shorter range, especially at low altitudes, and are good to 5-8 km from low and 20-30 km from high altitude drops. The Paveway I & II series, and GBU-15 (all US) are pretty much the only notable weapons here.

-Tailkit-Only Snap-On: The JDAM, which only has a tail kit and no nose section, kind of deserves a special place. Original versions had ranges on par with earlier Paveways, 15-20 km. An ER version good to 40 km has also been developed. Regardless, all of these have GPS guidance only, and are less accurate than counterparts with laser or IR guidance. Of course, they're also cheaper.

-Russian Guided Bombs: You didn't think I forgot did you? The sad truth is that Russia has always been a bit behind in bomb technology. The FAB series bombs used in the conversions are not very aerodynamic, and neither are the snap-on kits. As such, range is generally only 10-15 km. They do, however, make up for it with a vast assortment of sensor and bomb unit options - far greater than in western nations. All such weapons have a KAB designation, and there are 500 and 1500 kg (1100 and 3300 lb) variants.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

DUMB BOMBS

Role: Unchanged since WWI. Fly over a target, drop a few, watch the fireworks. They come in many different sizes from 250 to 3500 lbs, and a wide variety of warheads too.

Advantages: Phenominally cheap compared to any other option, extremely versatile, and able to be loaded in large numbers, these are the best thing to use if your goal is to put as much air-delivered ordnance on a target as possible. Almost any aircraft worth noting can carry these.

Disadvantages: They have very short range, the plane has to fly almost directly over the target, they may damage the plane if it's too close when they blow, and, well, it's impossible to avoid collateral damage with these, unless there's no collateral.



Types

-Low-Drag General Purpose Bombs: The modern standard bomb, most commonly represented by the Mk.80 series (Mk.81 250-lb, Mk.82 500-lb, Mk.83 1000-lb, and Mk.84 2000-lb). These are designed so that they can be carried and dropped from supersonic aircraft. The Russian equivalents are later versions of the FAB (demolition) and OFAB (fragmentation) bombs, which are a bit more specialized, and only available in 250 and 500 kg.

-High-Drag General Purpose Bombs: the old WWII style blunt-noses. These are generally used either as internal payload for heavy bombers, or by Russian clients, and are not effective when carried externally by aircraft at transsonic speeds or higher. Many Russian bombs, including all 750, 1500, and 3000 kg versions, fall into this category, while the US M117 750-lb bomb is among the few remaining western examples.

-Retarded Bombs: Kind of an insult to injury, since, this is a sub-category of dumb bombs, don't you think? Actually, it refers to the fact that these have some means of slowing the bomb down after being dropped (strakes, vanes, or even parachutes). This is so aircraft can fly low-altitude bombing missions, where slowing the bomb gives the plane enough time to get a safe distance away. The downside is that they're, naturally, less accurate. The most common example is the US Snakeye (Mk.80 series bomb with vanes, as pictured in the link).

-Penetrators: These are similar to general purpose bombs, but with a much thicker shell casing and a delayed fuse. The purpose is to hit buried targets such as caves, bunkers, and other underground facilities. Most are 1000 or 2000-lb class weapons, but 500-lb ones exist. These have similar dimensions and weight compared to their general purpose cousins, and the most common example is the US 2000-lb BLU-109.

-Mines (!): You may be surprised to learn that the ubiquitous Mk.80 series was, in the 1970s, modified to be dropped into the water, or on land, where the bombs would become bottom influence, or very big anti-personnel mines. 500, 1000, and 2000 lb variants were all produced, and called "destructor," with upgraded versions called "quickstrike." A host of other 2000-lb naval mines, including moored weapons and CAPTOR torpedoes, have been employed over the decades.

-Fuel-Air: Originally envisioned as a means of destroying minefields, these release a cloud of chemical vapor that is then ignited, generating a massive fireball. The only such weapons carried tactically on aircaft today are the Russian ODAB series, the US having destroyed its FAE stockpiles. More unique versions include the massive weapons such as the US BLU-82 "Daisy Cutter" and MOAB, and the Russian FOAB.

-Incendiary: As with fuel-air weapons, incendiary bombs have been mostly eliminated from most stockpiles. Traditionally, they carried some long-lasting gel-fuel mixture such as napalm, white phosphorus, or thermite, that started raging fires to either provide smoke signalling/obscuration or burn flammable materials. Most of the few remaining weapons use conventional fuel, such as the JP-4/5 in the US Mk.77 Mod 5.

-Cluster: The final form of dumb bomb is a canister that deploys a number of smaller submunitions over a wide area. These can be antipersonnel grenades, antitank bomblets, landmines, incendiary bomblets, smart munitions, or even nonlethal devices. Most of these are under a lot of heat from international and human rights groups due to their tendency to leave behind unexploded bomblets that later maim civilians, but few countries that have them are fully willing to get rid of them due to their ability to engage large targets and formations effectively.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

GUNS

Role: Originally, guns were the primary weapon of aircraft. Today, they're often the last backup when everything else has been exhausted. BUT . . . virtually every combat aircraft either has one mounted as standard, or has provisions for it. While not the best in any given role, they are still heavily used.

Advantages: The main value of guns is their ammunition supply. While a missile or bomb can only engage 1 target, and a full load rarely more than 10 or 12, a gun may have, alone, enough ammunition to destroy just as many targets as a full bomb load. They're also relatively light, leaving little reason not to have them.

Disadvantages: First and foremost, guns are very, very short ranged. The effective range is generally only 1000-2000 meters (though with a maximum firing range of around 4000-6000), meaning there is no aircraft or antiaircraft weapon that doesn't beat them there. They also have the problem of shell spread. At high speeds, even the best can have several meters between shell impacts when strafing, and similar dispersals against aircraft. Thus, they can easily miss even when perfectly aimed. They also do limited and localized damage, have no homing properties, and can damage or even destroy their own aircraft if they malfunction.



Types

-Rotary Cannon: Sometimes referred to by the name of its ancestor, the gattling gun, this consists of a number of barrels (usually 6) run by an electric motor. These are noted for their extreme rate of fire, up to 10,000 rounds per minute. The US is the only nation that makes heavy use of this type on fixed-wing aircraft, though ones with a reduced number of barrels (3-4), are popular helicopter armament. The US 30mm GAU-8/A and 20mm M61A1, and Russian GSh-6-23 and GSh-6-30 represent aircraft-mounted, while the most notable helicopter mounted are the M197 3-barrel 20mm.

-Multibarrel Cannon: Unique to Russia, these are basically two guns, set up so that when one fires, it causes the other to fire as well. These have a rate of fire between single-barreled and rotary cannons, typically around 3000-3500 rounds per minute, and a weight in between as well. The Russian GSh-23-2 and GSh-30-2 are the only major current examples, with the former being, along with the M61 Vulcan, one of the most widely used aircraft cannons in the world.

-Revolver Cannon: Maybe you could call this the rotary cannon's little brother. It consists of a rotating block with multiple chambers, but a single barrel (not unlike a revolver pistol). These have much lower rates of fire than rotary cannons (1500-2000 rounds per minute), but are also much smaller and lighter, and don't burn through ammunition so quickly. Most European aircraft cannons fall in this category, including the French DEFA and GIAT 30mm, UK ADEN 30mm, and German BK-27 27mm. Ironically, the two largest exporters, the US and Russia, are the only major aircraft developers that don't use this type (though the US did back in the '50s and '60s). Go figure.

-Linear Autocannon: No fancy gigs here, just a single barrel, single chamber weapon. Rate of fire is about 1500-1800 rounds per minute, and far less in some, but these have small size, low weight, and are very cheap and simple (aka reliable). The main examples here are the US M230 (used on the AH-64) and Russian GSh-30-1.

-Minigun: A term that came into use for smaller weapons that operated like rotary cannons, but were chambered for regular machine gun rounds. These are used mostly against infantry and other "soft" targets like trucks, and are most commonly found on helicopters. The US M134 is the best known, but the Russians also run a 4-barreld one called the GShG-7.62. Both the US and Russia also have 12.7mm and 5.56/5.45mm versions in smaller numbers.

-Heavy Machine Gun: Generally speaking, a cannon is a weapon of 20mm or greater bore diameter with an explosive shell, while a machine gun has a bore of less than 20mm and fires a solid bullet. Heavy machine guns are traditionally .50 cal (12.7mm), though the Russians also have 14.5mm weapons. These are very common on helicopters, but have not seen significant use on fixed-wing aircraft since the Korean War. Machine guns have much lower rates of fire than the advanced aircraft cannons, only 450-900 rounds per minute.

-Medium Machine Gun: These are 7.62mm designs, often used as a suplementary armament on transport and utility helicopters, and occasionally on light attack helicopters. Down at this level, the weapons are only good against infantry and completely unarmored vehicles.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

AIR-TO-AIR MISSIONS

Role: The glorious realm of fighter combat. This represents any missione wherin combat aircraft engage other aircraft, and is the most glamorous variation of aerial warfare.

Restrictions: In order to perform this role, an aircraft must have, at a minimum, a weapon capable of engaging other aircraft. Usually, this will be air-to-air missiles. However, guns are also common. In the less common, but not impossible arenas, you will find some rockets and antitank missiles can be used here as well.



Mission Types

-Combat Air Patrol (CAP): This is a defensive mission where a group of fighter aircraft are sent to an area with orders to patrol for an extended period, and engage hostile aircraft that show up. Aircraft with this mission will fly at medium or high altitude during the entire flight, and generally operate in flights of 2-3 planes, with 2-4 flights dispersed along an elliptical patrol route. Often, at least one aircraft in the flight will be using its radar to sweep, with the dispersed flights working together to provide a near continuous coverage of the patrol route and surrounding zone.
This mission is done as a peacetime patrol, when hostile attacks are expected, and/or over a combat zone once a degree of air superiority has been established. The purpose is to deny the air space in the patrol zone to the enemy. The CAP has a benefit in that it guarantees planes are in the air, and is the best prepared for a surprise engagement,. It can also be broken to support other mission types.
No aircraft are specifically designed for this, but heavy fighters such as the F-15, Su-27, and Tornado ADV are best suited to it by virtue of having greater flight endurance, and thus a longer time on station without refueling.

-Interception: This defensive operation is the most time-critical of all air-to-air mission types. Once an air attack, or even just a breach of restricted air space, is detected, very fast aircraft are launched from airfields or carriers to engage the intruder(s) as quickly as possible. Critical features of intercepter aircraft are very high sustained climb rates, high speed, and high operational readiness. These missions are usually very short in range and duration - the intercepter launches, gets to altitude and range as fast as possible, engages, and heads home. This role is rarely filled by dedicated aircraft today, with heavy and medium multirole fighters taking on the role as-needed.
Notable aircraft for this role include the MiG-21, MiG-29, MiG-25/31, and F-14.

-Guard: Something of a merger between CAP and escort missions, this occurs when one or more flights is tasked with defending one or more non-combat aircraft. This usually involves multiple flights spread out to cover different approaches, and they may fly a CAP-style pattern around their charges. The aircraft being protected are usually large, slow, high-value targets - either electronic warfare (including AEW), tankers, or transports. Aircraft for this role should have excellent radar, long endurance, and preferrably an aerial refueling capability.
Again, heavy fighters like the F-15, Su-27, and Tornado ADV are the most suitable.

-Escort: For this mission, aircraft are tasked with providing cover for a ground attack. They fly above the strike formation, often at medium or high altitude, and are tasked with engaging any enemy planes that are sent out to intercept the ground attack force. By flying at a higher altitude, they will be able to detect incoming enemies before those enemies can see the strike units, but also leave themselves more open to attack. Naturally, superiority in numbers and/or quality is necessary to succeed here, as is preventing ground defenses from becoming an issue.
With the demise of specialized interceptors, all fighter aircraft are expected to be able to perform this role, though some types have advantages in certain situations.

-Air Superiority: Somewhat similar to the CAP, this involves a group of aircraft being sent to an area, where they patrol, and engage any hostile aircraft they find. The difference is that an air superiority mission is offensive - its goal is to attack and destroy the enemy's air forces rather than defend a stretch of sky.
As with the escort mission, this role is something any aircraft outside of a specialized interceptor can do well.

-Aerial Interdiction: The antithesis of the guard mission, this involves sending a force to engage a high-value target well away from the front lines, and often well protected. AEW aircraft are the most talked-about targets today, though transports and large reconnaissance aircraft are also attractive. The key here is that the target is known before hand, and this is the only type where this is almost always the case.
One of two types of aircraft should be used in a mission like this: either big, powerful fighters that can fight their way through defenses, like the F-15 and Su-27 series, or extremely stealthy ones such as the F-22, Eurofighter, and F-35, which can sneak in, engage the target, and sneak out without being identified.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

AIR-TO-GROUND MISSIONS

Role: Not as glamorous as fighter combat, but much more appreciated by the largest branch of most militaries - the army. In fact, all aerial combat is related to either preventing or allowing air-to-ground missions to be successfully launched.

Restrictions: In order to engage ground targets, a plane must be capable of carrying air-to-ground weapons. Preferrably, these are bombs, rockets, or missiles, but in many cases, even a light machine gun can be extremely useful. The most important factors in ground attack aircraft are low-level handling and payload capacity.



Mission Types

-Interdiction: A long-range strike deep behind enemy lines, with the purpose of taking out high-value strategic targets. Planes sent on these missions are often on their own, with little support, so while this role has been historically left to dedicated bombers and long-range strike aircraft, today, heavy multirole fighters like the F-15E and Su-30 are most common.

-Strategic Bombing: Similar to an interdiction, but involving either multiple smaller targets or one very big one that requires a great deal of ordnance to destroy. Naturally, this is almost solely reserved for medium and heavy bombers, as no other aircraft have the range and payload capacity to pull it off effectively.

-Carpet Bombing: Generally limited to large formations of heavy bombers, this involves dumping a massive number of conventional bombs to completely saturate a large area. This overlaps with strategic bombing to a degree, but is generally used only against major troop concentrations and military bases due to collateral damage issues. This can also be used as a form of close support for ground forces, in which case it has been traditionally known as an Arc Light raid, in reference to the Vietnam code for conventional B-52 strikes.
The primary platforms for these missions are large, slow moving bombers like the B-52 and Tu-95.

-Strike: This is a mission against a known target at or near the front lines. If an air strike is set up specifically to hit something like a gun position or a warship, it would fall under this mission type. The most common strike targets are troop and vehicle concentrations, and forward supply depots.

-Combat Patrol: Much like a CAP or Guard mission for fighters, this involves an aircraft patroling a set area and engaging any targets of opportunity that show up. Such missions are typically flown just behind the FEBA (forward edge of the battle area), and usually go after logistics and support units and reserve forces that aren't in combat yet.
Any combat capable aircraft will be expected to do this.

-Close Air Support (CAS): A CAS mission involves aircraft being called in and directed by ground forces to hit front-line enemy forces in support of said ground units. In most cases, this mission involves aircraft, holding a patrol pattern just behind the lines, and on call for ground forces to use when needed. Alternately, they may be on standby at a forward airfield. For these missions, lower speeds, high endurance at those speed, low-level performance, and the ability to operate from unprepared forward airfields are all valuable features.
Thus, most CAS missions are run by dedicated aircraft like the A-10 and Su-25, V/STOL aircraft like the Harrier and F-35B, small modified trainers/light attack aircraft, or by combat helicopters. However, any plane with weapons can fill the role.

-Counter Insurgency (COIN): A special mission variation of combat patrol and CAS, this uses aircraft to both scout and mount attacks against light forces operating in an insurgency capacity. This usually uses helicopters and small, cheap, propeller-driven aircraft that are often variations on basic trainers or civilian aircraft. These have limited weapons loads, and thus do not pose as great a threat of causing collateral damage. However, the main advantage is that they're cheap, and can be used instead of dedicated combat aircraft, freeing those up for regular combat operations.

-Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD, also called Wild Weasel): A highly specialized ground attack mission requiring specialized equipment, this has one or more planes acting as "bait" to draw the attention of air defense networks. They then use a combination of airborne jamming and antiradiation missiles to disable radars and clear a corridor through enemy defenses so that a strike force can get through unmolested. These missions may also include more conventional bombing runs on air defense control centers and other support sites.
With the retirement of the F-4G Wild Weasel, there are no dedicated aircraft designs. Instead, aircraft like the F-16, EA-18G, and Tornado ECR carry external mission pods that provide the necessary sensor and control systems.



Mission Flight Profiles

Hi-Hi-Hi: You rarely see this outside of air-to-air combat and heavy bombers. It is the preferred profile for long-range operations because high altitudes have lower air density, so planes can fly faster and further with less fuel than they can "on-the-deck." The disadvantage is the radar horizon - the higher the altitude, the greater the distance to the horizon, and therefore the greater the range that a ground-based radar can detect and track the plane, which is often tied into the appearance of interceptors and surface-to-air missiles. As such, this is only really used when there is minimal chance of fighter interception, and the target is either undefended or lacking defenses capable of reaching the altitude the attack is coming from.

Hi-Lo-Hi: This is the typical flight profile for a strike or interdiction mission, and is used against a target that has primarily only local defenses. It starts with the aircraft climbing to medium or high altitude for greater range and endurance. However, as the aircraft approaches the target, it drops to very low altitude, to reduce the effective range of air defense systems and give it a greater chance of reaching the target without getting detected or engaged. After it leaves the target area, it returns to medium or high altitude to again take advantage of the lower fuel consumption.

Hi-Lo-Lo: In some cases, the aircraft will use different routes to enter and leave the target area. If the exit route takes it through defenses or rugged terrain, this profile is used, where the aircraft remains at low altitude until well inside friendly airspace. This may also be used when an attack is expected to create a great deal of commotion and result in maximum effort by air defense networks to locate and engage the strike aircraft.

Lo-Lo-Hi: The opposite of Hi-Lo-Lo, this time its the route to the target that is frought with danger, or maybe it's just that a strong element of surprise is needed, and the aircraft must remain low to avoid long-range search and surveillance radars. However, once the aircraft has hit the target and is on its way home, it is safe enough that it can increase altitude.

Lo-Lo-Lo: If the routes both to and from the target are too well defended for a high altitude approach or exit, the aircraft will have to remain low throughout the entire mission. It'll come in at treetop level, hit the target from low level, and fly out again the same way. This is usually not popular against distant targets because it maximizes fuel consumption, and thus the chance of running out of it!
Lo-Lo-Lo is also the standard profile for close air support and COIN operations, which require the aircraft to be close enough to differentiate the enemy from friendly forces and civiliancs, often visually.

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TRANSPORT MISSIONS

Role: Get people, supplies, and/or equipment from point A to point B. The only complications are what those are.

Restrictions: The plane must both pick up and deposite its cargo, which places limitations on both which plane can be used, and what locations cargo can be picked up or dropped off from.


Mission Types

-Strategic Airlift: This involves large airbases and large aircraft hauling a large amount of cargo. This is usually seen in buildups of troops and supplies prior to major operations. Cargo capacity and range are the most important things in this type of operation, and all the really big planes (C-5, C-17, An-124) are meant for this role.

-Tactical Airlift: While the aforementioned missions are used to move entire military formations, tactical airlift is mostly for keeping them operating, and focuses on delivering supplies and replacements. As such, it does not require as many (or as large) aircraft, and instead places greater emphasis on the planes being able to land, fully loaded, in as many locations as possible. Most tactical airlifters carry between 10 and 25 tonnes of cargo. The C-130, with its good range and payload, and amazing ground maneuverability, is the undisputed king of mission type.
At the smaller scale, most cargo helicopters also perform this role.

-Self-Deployment: A variation of strategic airlift most commonly seen in Expeditionary and Projection militaries, though other larger ones can use it. This is where a unit of cargo and/or tanker aircraft deploy to a new, distant base, carrying themselves all the personnel and equipment they will need for extended operations.

-Rapid Deployment: Planes are tasked with loading up with light combat units, and all the personnel, equipment, and supplies they need for short-term operations, and get everything to a distant hot spot in 24-72 hours, tops.

-Battlefield Resupply: Typically, aircraft deliver supplies to rear area bases, and these are then shipped to frontline units using other methods. This isn't always possible, and sometimes the only way to get sufficient supplies to a combat unit is to fly them in. Helicopters are the preferred method of doing this, as they can land in any flat stretch of land big enough, but tactical airlifters have also been known to use some tricks to pull this off.

-Ferrying: This involves small to medium sized aircraft, in many cases modified civilian airliners, whose only job is simply to carry troops from one place to another. This role usually falls to small turboprop aircraft that carry only a few dozen passengers at most, though some forces have larger planes, such as the US's 737 variants.

-Medevac: Not limited to just helicopters, many air forces have airliners converted to this role as well. In both types, the goal is to evacuate the critically wounded to a facility where they can be treated. Helicopters fly from the battlefield to aid stations, while airliners fly patients who need further treatment to major hospitals.

-High-Altitude Airdrop: The most common means of deploying special forces, this involves a plane flying at altitudes of 7600-27,000m, above most local air defenses, and delivering paratroops and their equipment.

-Airborne Insertion: Major airborne operations typically involve static line jumps (see those WWII films), as these are still the best way of deploying large numbers of troops relatively close to each other relatively safely. Such air drops are generally done at altitudes of 90-180m, and may require a plane to stay level for longer than other airdrop types simply due to the time it takes to get everyone out.

-Low-Altitude Airdrop: Used for delivering equipment and supplies to troops on the ground, this involves aircraft flying no more than a few hundred meters above the ground, and often only a few dozen. The low altitude reduces chance for wind and other factors to affect the load, and improves the accuracy of the drop while also leaving the aircraft less vulnerable to interception.

-LAPES: Low Altitude Parachute Extration System, which is a nifty means for cargo aircraft to deliver cargo without having to land, but without the inaccuracy of a high altitude airdrop. They fly a few meters over the the ground, and release a parachute that drags the cargo when it catches the wind. This is commonly used at airfields under fire, or forward positions where there might not be a runway, but at least enough open space to pull it off. Armored combat vehicles, such as the M551 Sheridan and M2 Bradley, have also been airdropped in this fasion.

-Touch-And-Go: If LAPES is not an option for any reason, this involves a cargo plane landing on an airfield, dumping out its cargo without stopping, and then immediately taking off, minimizing exposure to ground fire. Naturally, the plane must have enough runway to both land and take off in the same run. This is also what a helicopter would do when deploying troops to a "hot LZ." In such a case, it would drop low enough for the troops to get off, and immediately go straight up.

-Heliborne Insertion: This is the preferred method for inserting troops in difficult terrain (cities, forests, etc), and involves either a touch-and-go drop off or soldiers rappelling down static lines attached to the helicopter. Both are used to quickly get troops off and minimize the helicopter's vunlerability.

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SPECIAL MISSIONS

Role: Many larger air forces have aircraft that are designed or modified to do unique things. These are force multipliers that either support intelligence gathering, or in some cases combat operations.

Restrictions: Most of these planes are one-trick ponies that can do their one role extremely well, but nothing else. They also tend to be quite expensive and vulnerable to attack themselves.



Mission Types

-ELINT (ELectronics INTelligence): ELINT is the observation and evaluation of any non-communication related electronic signals, most notably radar emissions. These kinds of missions are typically flown with a modified cargo plane (for endurance and payload) that carefully moniters types, locations, and operating patterns of radars in preperation for possible strike missions. It can also evaluate IFF transmissions and observe other forms of radio traffic for the purpose of locating units and installations.

-COMINT (COMmunications INTelligence): Sister to ELINT, this involves similar (and in some cases, the same) aircraft whose job is to monitor enemy communications. At the simplest end, it looks for who was transmitting to who and any patterns in such transmissions. If possible, it may also attempt to decipher coded transmissions and learn exactly what was said.

-IMINT (IMage INTelligence): Also called photoreconnaissance, this involves an aircraft equipped with cameras that fly over a target and snap pictures for evaluation. Naturally, this is found in most air forces, especially those of nations without satellite reconnaissance capability. The most common aircraft type is a modified combat aircraft that carries a camera and make a high speed, low-altitude pass over the target. However, some more advanced militaries may have more specialized planes that fly at high altitudes and carry a telephoto lens that can snap picutres from great distances - never getting in range of defenses.

-Radar Surveillance: These are aircraft equipped with a large, powerful radar that provides long-distance detection and tracking of ground and/or air targets. They typically fly in a lazy circle at altitude for periods of several hours, letting their radar and computer systems do their work. And while many may process the data themselves, some relay it to ground stations that have less space and personnel restrictions. These are almost always modified cargo aircraft, though a few systems can be found on large helicopters. Examples include all AWACS and AEW&C, JSTARS (tracks ground vehicles), and maritime reconnaissance aircraft like the Russian Bear-D.

-Maritime Patrol: A maritime patrol mission involves an aircraft with multiple sensor types that looks for hostile naval vessels. For most of these, the main target is submarines, and they use an array of detection systems including sonobuoys, magnetic anomaly detectors, radar, and for helicopters, dipping sonars. Since sub-hunting is like finding a needle in a haystack, fixed-wing sub hunters tend to be large and with high endurance, but relatively few weapons. Alternatively, these missions may also be flown against surface ships, in which case radar is usually the primary means of detection.

-Airborne Jamming: Often referred to as ECM or EW (both being blanket terms that technically cover much more), this uses highly specialized aircraft that target signals emitters to render them temporarily impotent. The best known are of course aircraft like the EA-6B, EA-18Gm and Tornado ECR that accompany strike missions and counter enemy radars, but some others (like the EC-130 Compass Call) go after communications. These latter aircraft are quite versatile, being able to simply jam, as well as hijack channels and broadcast propaganda or false information.

-Aerial Refueling: This involves specialized cargo aircraft, or in the unique case of the US Navy, an add-on to strike aircraft, whose job is to replenish the fuel of other aircraft, thus dramatically increasing their range and/or time on station. This allows shorter-ranged aircraft to self-deploy great distances, strike aircraft to fly deeper into enemy territory, and surveillance aircraft to keep watching someone indefinitely.

-Special Extraction: When a simple helicopter extraction just won't do, there are some ingenious and interesting ways to get individuals and small groups out of hostile territory. The best known would be the (admittedly rarely used) Fulton Recovery System, which was employed by Batman when visiting Hong Kong in The Dark Knight.

-Search-and-Rescue: Any navy or air force worth anything has at least a few aircraft dedicated to this role, which is primarily tasked with locating and retrieving downed pilots, people lost at sea, and occasionally those lost in the wilderness as well. This is almost exclusively the domain of helicopters for their ability to actually pick up people once their found, though some fixed-wing aircraft may be employed in a support role since they can cover a larger area more quickly.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

CREW-SERVED WEAPONS

Role: These are manportable weapons systems that are used by infantry, but require more than one man to operate. The provide the most basic fire support for small infantry units (squad, platoon, company).

Advantages: Light and portable, these are the only things that can be there, on the spot, when infantry are by themselves. As such, they are critical to any unit. And yes, they are very, very cheap.

Disadvantages: These are only useful against other infantry and very light armor due to lack of firewpoer. They also have limited ammunition and, due to weight, can be quite taxing to the poor soldiers stuck lugging them around.



Types

Heavy Mortar: Mortars are the simplest form of indirect fire support out there. They consist of a tube with a firing pin at the bottom, and you just drop a shell in the barrel and it immediately shoots out. They have extremely high, arcing trajectories and high rates of fire, along with extremely low cost. Heavy mortars fire shells greather than 100mm in diameter, with 120mm being the international standard. Other calibers are seen in older US (107mm) and specialized Russian (160mm, 240mm) weapons. Many of these are actually not manportable, but towed by trucks and pack animals.

Medium Mortar: These are typically 81mm (Western) or 82mm (Eastern Bloc) weapons, which are found at the company level in most militaries, and are the most common fire support weapons in the world. Their extreme rate of fire (over 30 rounds per minute) makes up for the small shell size.

Light Mortar: 60mm weapons and below, these are often integrated into platoons, and their only advantage over medium mortars is weight - they have similar rates of fire.

Heavy Machine Gun: These are machine guns with bore diameters in excess of 10mm, with 12.7mm being the most common by orders of magnitude, the only other size in service being Russian 14.5mm. Like heavy mortars, while most of these are technically manportable, they're just too heavy to carry great distances. However, their powerful rounds are one of the few weapons infantry have that are effective against light armor.

Medium Machine Gun: These are deployed typically at the platoon and/or company level, and are chambered to full-power 7.62mm rounds (no other caliber is in use today). While only good against infantry and unarmored vehicles, they have been one of the most important weapons on the battlefield for the past 100 years.

Light Machine Gun: A concept that has been gaining momentum in the past few decades, these are weapons chambered to assault rifle rounds, which, while not as powerful as medium machine guns, allow for lighter weapons that in many cases can be carried and used by a single soldier, and they also simplify logistics by having all weapons in the squad or platoon using the same round. While some are specially designed, most are simply assault rifles with a heavier barrel (called Squad Automatic Weapons). These are commonly found at the squad level (hence the name), but some armies even use them to replace medium machine guns at platoon and company level.

Recoilless Rifle: Something of a cross between a mortar and a bazooka, these are special tubed weapons that fire large, artillery-type shells in a flat trajectory for short distances. They're typically used for engaging armored vehicles and bunkers, but versatile ammunition allows them to be used as fire support against infantry as well. Smaller weapons below 90mm in diameter can be shoulder-fired, while larger ones are mounted on towed carriages or vehicles.

Anti-tank Rocket Launcher: Dating back to WWII, these are epitomized by the Russian RPG, the US Bazooka, and the German Panzerfaust, all of which have been upgraded over the decades and are still in widespread use. However, their role is now more akin to recoilless rifles, as modern tanks are too well armored for these weapons to be effective.

[Venezuela [CSJ]]

GENERAL TOE GUIDELINES

Since I've gotten requests on this (more often than you may think), I'm going to put together some generalized data on common organizations for assorted unt types, from section level through division. While the links of interest section has most of this, I'm posting this largely for a quick reference, and because globalsecurity went pay. Regardless, anyone that interested in organization should look it up. Wiki pages are often going to have this concealed in the regular text, and most nations have some degree of info available. These are only rough guidelines. Pages will have information for multiple types.


Armor

Mechanized Infantry

Motorized Infantry

Light Infantry

Artillery

Fighter

Bomber

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ARMORED FORCES

Note that designations can vary considerably, as can specific makeup (you'll see as we move up the ladder). Even if accurate for one unit, these TOEs may not be so for another in the same army. Armored forces are built based on where offensive power is needed, and organization can be modified to reflect that.
This does not include support units, as that is highly variable and complicated, and so focuses only on frontline combat vehicles. Note that some nations may use regular APCs instead of IFVs due to availability or doctrinal restrictions.

Important Terminology
Depending on the nation and combat arm, a battalion may be referred to as a Battalion (most forces), or under the cavalry system as a Regiment (UK and most former colonies). When listing organization levels, the term before the slash is the normal battalion term, and the term after represents regimental.
Administrative units are important for training and planning purposes, but rarely operate as a whole (larger) or alone (smaller). Maneuver units are the ones that fight together, as one, most of the time.

Which One is Right for Me?
I break down these in at least 5 categories: US, UK, Europe, Russia, & China. Almost every nation has an army largely supplied and trained by, and thus organized similar to, one of these. ALL former Soviet republics, most former UK colonizes, and many former European colonies will retain the organization of the nation they formerly were controlled by, so this is usually where to start. Most others will follow the organization of their main patron during the Cold War (US or Russia).


PLATOON/TROOP:
The smallest administrative unit for armor (a squad would be a single tank). Always homogenous.
-US/Europe: 4 tanks
-Russia/China/UK: 3 tanks

COMPANY/SQUADRON:
The smallest maneuver unit for armor. Usually homogenous, but may "trade" a platoon with an infantry company in the same brigade (or battalion if a task force) to provide a combined arms force capable of truly independent operation. In the US Army, these are known as Teams (ie: Team Charlie instead of Charlie Company).
-US: 3 platoons, 2 command tanks (14 total)
-UK: 4 troops, 2 command tanks (14 total)
-Europe: 3 platoons, 1 command tank (13 total)
-Russia/China: 3 platoons, 1 command tank (10 total)*

BATTALION/REGIMENT:
The smallest unit capable of long-term independent operations. As such, they may include their own reconnaissance and artillery units (heavy mortars, not howitzers) of up to company size. As with companies, these are usually homogenous, but may "trade" a company with an infantry battalion. This combined arms unit is known as a task force (ie: Task Force 3rd Battalion) in US service.
-US: 3 (formerly 4) companies, 1 command section of 2 tanks (44 total, formerly 58)
-UK: 3 or 4 squadrons, 1 command troop of 2-3 tanks (44-45 or 58-59 total)
-Europe: 4 companies, 1-3 command tanks (53-55 total)
-Russia: 3 companies, 1 command tank (31 total)*
-China: 3 companies, 1 or 3 command tanks (31 or 33 total)

BRIGADE:
This is the largest size in which forces may be completely homogenous. Brigades may be administrative subdivisions of divisions, in which case they may or may not be homogenous, or they could be independent formations directly under Corps command, in which case they are always going to include at least 1 infantry battalion, and often support forces such as engineers, air defense, and even artillery, all up to battalion level.
-US: 2 tank & 1 mechanized battalions (88 tanks & 44 IFVs, formerly 116 tanks & 58 IFVs)
-UK (independent): 2 tank regiments & 1 mechanized battalion (88-90 or 116-118 tanks, 44-45 or 58-59 IFVs)
-UK (divisional): as above, or 3 tank regiments (132-135 or 174-177 tanks)
-Europe: 2 or 3 tank & 1 mechanized battalion (106-110 or 159-162 tanks, 53-55 IFVs)
-Russia (independent): 3 tank & 1 mechanized battalion (93 tanks & 31 IFVs)
-Russia (divisional): 2 or 3 tank & 1 mechanized battalion (62 or 93 tanks & 31 IFVs)
-China (divisional): 3 tank & 1 mechanized battalion, 1 command tank (100 tanks & 40 IFVs)
-China (independent): 3-4 tank & 1 mechanized battalion, 1 command tank (100 or 124 tanks, 40 IFVs)

DIVISION:
The largest maneuver force (Corps and above are administrative), a division usually has a brigade each of artillery, air defense, and engineers, as well as a battalion of recon forces, and possibly its own helicopters in up to 2 brigades. Typically, these are nominally dispersed evenly among combat brigades, but can be concentrated based on operational situations. Divisions are never homogenous. Europe is not here as major Western European nations no longer have divisional forations, and their colonies/clients either lack them as well or use US/Russian organization.
-US: 2 tank & 1 mechanized brigade (220 or 290 tanks & 176 or 232 IFVs)
-UK (homogenous brigades): 2 tank & 1 mechanized brigade (264-270 or 348-354 tanks, 132-135 or 174-177 IFVs)
-UK (mixed brigades): 3 tank or 2 tank & 1 mechanized brigade (as above, OR 220-225 or 290-295 tanks, 176-180 or 232-236 IFVs)
-Russia (4 brigades): 3 tank & 1 mechanized brigade (217 or 330 tanks, 155 or 186 IFVs)
-Russia (3 brigades): 2 tank & 1 mechanized brigade (155 or 217 tanks, 124 or 155 IFVs)
-China: 3 tank & 1 mechanized brigade (300 or 333 tanks, 120 IFVs)


*For Russian-based forces, they may follow different battalion and company organization when they are support units organic to infantry formations. Battalions in mechanized units, and divisional support battalions for infantry may have an extra company (for 41 tanks). Or, if the company is not part of an armored battalion (such as a brigade-level support unit for infantry forces), it may have an extra platoon (for 13 tanks).