Do you speak military? These are division, infantry, infantry fighting vehicle and colonel general

Ukraine war
Do you speak military? These are division, infantry, infantry fighting vehicle and colonel general

Since the invasion of Ukraine, military jargon has been back in the news – words like bridgehead, corps, mobilized soldiers. What’s behind it? A glossary.

Artillery: Heavy artillery primarily for shooting at distant targets. The Bundeswehr’s Panzerhaubitze 2000, for example, fires from a distance of 100 kilometers and more. Rocket launchers like the HIMARS are also part of the artillery.

Reconnaissance Aircraft: Gather information about the enemy and the battle situation in the air. The AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) have a radar range of up to 400 kilometers. Russia uses the Su-57 stealth plane for this purpose.

Ballistic Missiles: UGuided missiles that can cover short to intercontinental distances. The first rocket of this type was the German V2 in World War II. During the Cold War, the Pershing II and SS-20 became symbols of the arms race.

Bridgehead: Used to cross rivers. For example, when the opponent has destroyed existing bridges. For this purpose there are, among other things, bridge-laying tanks. Building bridges is considered a frequent and risky operation with its own branch of troops, the (bridge) pioneers.

Division: A so-called Großverband, generally composed of land forces. Depending on the army, a division consists of many thousands of soldiers. At NATO there are between 10,000 and 20,000. They are led by a Major General.

Drone: Unmanned aerial vehicle, abbreviated UAV. Can be used for different purposes: for reconnaissance as well as for attacks. Russia uses Iranian “Kamikaze” drones for attacks on Ukraine. There are numerous variants of drones, including those with propellers or as flying wings.

Encirclement: A war party has surrounded the enemy. Famous encirclement battles included the Battle of Tannenberg in World War I and the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II. During the Ukraine War, Russian troops withdrew from Cherson for fear of being surrounded.

anti-aircraft: The purpose is to shoot down enemy aircraft, cruise missiles or drones – either with anti-aircraft guns (flak) or anti-aircraft missiles. The latter includes the American Patriot system, which is also supplied to Ukraine. There are also so-called manpads: defensive missiles that can be fired by a soldier. The Stinger system is well known.

Front: Place where the opponents of the war fight each other. Also called battle line. The front can be between a few hundred meters and 50 kilometers wide.

Combined Arms Battle: A tactic in which different types of weapons are used together: from infantry to air force to electronic combat units. For several years, combat tactics have been adapted to the presumed behavior of the affected civilian population.

Chief of Staff: The country’s highest-ranking soldier and superior to all senior officers. In Germany, this position is called General Inspector of the Bundeswehr.

Geneva Convention: Often not much attention is paid in war, but international law is intended to protect all war victims from violence and despotism: both soldiers and civilians.

Hybrid Warfare: Modern wars are no longer fought solely with soldiers, tanks and planes. Economic pressure, propaganda in the media and social networks, and computer attacks on infrastructure or companies are also used as weapons.

Infantry: Is what most people think of as a soldier: an armed man in uniform fighting on foot.

Airborne Troops: Soldiers dropped by planes and helicopters or parachuted like the paratroopers themselves. In the Bundeswehr, the latter belong to the army. In Russia, the airborne troops are a separate branch of service.

main battle tank: Essentially a tank with high firepower. Among others, the German Leopard 2, the American M1 Abrams, as well as the Soviet and Russian models T72 and T90 are known.

Corps: Association of several divisions. The chief superior is the lieutenant general. Several corps form an army, several armies form an army group and several army groups are the supreme command – each headed by a general.

Maneuver: A trial run for real battles. Exercises are generally announced so as not to cause concern. However, the Russian raid on Ukraine was preceded by large-scale maneuvers.

Mobilized Soldiers: Are essentially citizens who have military experience but are not active duty soldiers. In the event of war, these reservists are called up to reinforce the fighting troops. In Russia, mobilization took place partly through attractive earning opportunities, partly through coercion.

rocket launcher: Missile launcher. The Soviet Katyusha rocket launchers, known as the “Stalin organ” because of their noise, were notorious during World War II. A well-known current model is HIMARS, the abbreviation stands for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System.

recruits: Soldiers at the beginning of their training or career.

Armored personnel carrier: Essentially an all-purpose weapon with light firepower. Used as a troop transport, for reconnaissance and fire protection.

Tactical Retreat: Turning away from the enemy, for example to prevent losses or encirclement or to regroup. In the best case, a retreat is orderly, but it can quickly degenerate into an uncontrolled and uncoordinated flight.

Sources:Federal Ministry of Defence, armed forces, nvDPA, AFP