Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between

Home / Public / Defence / Difference Between Regiment and Brigade

Difference Between Regiment and Brigade

July 25, 2011 Posted by koshal

Regiment vs Brigade
 

For those who are serving men, it is easy to understand the concepts of regiments and brigade, also the difference between them. However, to a common man on the street, it is very confusing to understand the difference between a regiment and a brigade. This article tries to highlight the features of these sub divisions of an army to make it easier to understand the differences between a regiment and a brigade. In understanding the differences, we will pay attention to the tasks of each formation and how each type of sub division is made. That can help you to understand the difference between a regiment and a brigade.

What is a Regiment?

Regiments are units that are made up of 3 battalions and they can be different depending upon their usage. If it is an infantry regiment, it has infantry battalions, and so on. A regiment is not self sufficient, and operates as a part of a bigger division where there are 3-5 regiments working together.

In ancient times, a regiment was a traditional building block of an army. When a king went to a war, he had to raise his regiment and lead it in the battle. Soon, kings learnt the lesson of keeping 2-3 full time regiments in a perpetual state of readiness. This meant that several regiments were raised and trained and kept separate from one another, and they were brought together whenever there was a war.

Difference Between Regiment and Brigade

In modern times, a regiment is a unit in military that is composed of a number of squadrons or battalions, and is commanded by a lieutenant colonel or a colonel. If we take the Indian Army for example, section is the smallest unit, comprising 10 men. It is commanded by a Section Commander. The next unit is a platoon that consists of 3 sections, and is commanded by a Platoon Commander. Then comes the company, which consists of three platoons. This is commanded by a Major. Then, there is the battalion, which has four rifle companies. This is commanded by a Colonel. Next in line is a regiment, which can be considered as a type of battalion or a grouping of several battalions (for example Gorkha Regiment). A brigade is the largest of them all, comprising 3 or more battalions or regiments, and is commanded by a high ranking Brigadier.

What is a Brigade?

On the other hand, a brigade may or may not be self sufficient, though normally it is. Often, one can see a mix of 3-5 battalions working as a brigade. These brigades have a purpose in mind. A brigade is larger than a regiment usually. These battalions are not from the same force. They are a mixture of different powers such as infantry, artillery, and tank.

Despite this clear cut distinction, there have been great differences between regiments and brigades in different national armies. In Indian Army for example, brigade is a permanent feature. In the Australian Army, a brigade consists of around 5500 men, while the number of men in a brigade in the US Army is around 4000. While a brigade is a permanent unit in Australia, it is formed only for missions in the US.

 Regiment vs Brigade

What is the difference between Regiment and Brigade?

Both regiment and brigade are tactical units in a military.

• Definition of Regiment and Brigade:

• A regiment is a unit of the army that usually has several battalions of the same force. For example, if you take a tank regiment, it has three tank battalions.

• A brigade is a unit of the army that has several battalions that belong to multiple units. It is a mixed type of unit. So, if we think of a Tank brigade that brigade can have two tank battalions, one artillery battalion, one motorized infantry battalion and several company size units that provide transport, engineering and such.

• Self-Sufficiency:

• Regiment is not self sufficient and is fixed by type.

• Brigade is normally self sufficient, though there are formations where 3 brigades work together.

• Flexibility:

• Regiment is not flexible. That is because it only contains several of the same battalion.

• A brigade is flexible. This is because it contains different types of battalions.

• Number of Battalions:

• A regiment usually has three battalions.

• A brigade has three to five battalions.

• A brigade is larger than a regiment usually.

• Commanding Officer:

• A regiment is commandeered by a Lieutenant Colonel or Colonel.

• The commanding task of a brigade is in the hands of a Brigadier.

 

Images Courtesy:

  1. Dogra Regiment by Pranav21391 (CC BY 2.0)
  2. A U.S. infantry brigade via Wikicommons (Public Domain)

Related posts:

Marines vs ArmyDifference Between Marines and Army Army vs Air ForceDifference Between Army and Air Force Army vs NavyDifference Between Army and Navy Military vs ArmyDifference Between Military and Army Difference Between Chemical Weapons and Nuclear Weapons

Filed Under: Defence Tagged With: Army, battalions, brigade, brigade and regiment, brigade definition, brigades, Brigadier, colonel, infantry battalions, infantry regiment, lieutenant, lieutenant colonel, Major, regiment, regiment and brigade, regiment definition, regiments, squadrons

About the Author: koshal

Koshal is a graduate in Language Studies with a Master's Degree in Linguistics

Comments

  1. Tom says

    May 7, 2018 at 7:43 am

    I found very clear and useful. Thanks. Tom

    Reply
  2. Tuhin says

    March 19, 2019 at 3:43 am

    Thank you

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request Article

Featured Posts

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

You May Like

Difference Between Superior and Inferior Vena Cava

Difference Between Superior and Inferior Vena Cava

What is the Difference Between PCNA and Ki67

What is the Difference Between PCNA and Ki67

Difference Between float and double

Difference Between float and double

Difference Between Hierarchical and Whole Genome Shotgun Sequencing

Difference Between Hierarchical and Whole Genome Shotgun Sequencing

Difference Between Blending Theory and Mendelian Inheritance Theory

Difference Between Blending Theory and Mendelian Inheritance Theory

Latest Posts

  • What is the Difference Between Ankylosing Spondylitis and Cervical Spondylosis
  • What is the Difference Between PAC and PVC
  • What is the Difference Between Neuralgia and Neuritis
  • What is Difference Between Craniopharyngioma and Pituitary Adenoma
  • What is the Difference Between Hydrochlorothiazide and Chlorthalidone
  • What is the Difference Between Cauda Equina and Conus Medullaris Syndrome
  • Home
  • Vacancies
  • About
  • Request Article
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2010-2018 Difference Between. All rights reserved. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal.