Fireteam
Videos
A fireteam or fire team is a small modern military subordinated element of infantry designed to optimize "NCO initiative", "combined arms", "bounding overwatch" and "fire and movement" tactical doctrine in combat. Depending on mission requirements, a typical "standard" fireteam consists of four or fewer members: an automatic rifleman, a grenadier, a rifleman, and a designated fireteam leader. The role of each fireteam leader is to ensure that the fireteam operates as a cohesive unit. Two or three fireteams are organized into a section or squad in co-ordinated operations, which is led by a squad leader.
A Georgia National Guard fireteam armed with M4 carbines during a military exercise.
Royal Anglian Regiment soldiers during a lull in operations in Afghanistan in 2014; their numbers and equipment correspond to a British fireteam of the period (Left to right: L110A2 LMG, L85A2 with L123A2 UGL, L85A2, L129A1).
US marines on patrol in Afghanistan, 2009; their numbers and equipment correspond to a United States Marine Corps fireteam (left to right: M4 carbine, M16A4 rifle with M203, M16A4 rifle, M249).
An example of fire and maneuver in actual combat. Here, during the Battle of Okinawa, a US marine on the left provides covering fire for the marine on the right to break cover and move to a different position.
SA80
Videos
The SA80 is a British family of 5.56×45mm NATO service weapons used by the British Army. The L85 Rifle variant has been the standard issue service rifle of the British Armed Forces since 1987, replacing the L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle. The prototypes were created in 1976, with production of the A1 variant starting in 1985 and ending in 1994. The A2 variant came to be as the result of a significant upgrade in the early 2000s by Heckler & Koch and remains in service as of 2023. The A3 variant was first issued in 2018 with several new improvements.
L85A2 with ELCAN LDS and 2009 upgrade suite
Pictured left to right are the L85-A2, XL 60 and EM-2
L85A1 with SUSAT
L85A1 field-stripped