Panzergrenadier

(), abbreviated as PzG (WWII) or PzGren (modern), meaning "Armour"-ed fighting vehicle "Grenadier", is the German term for the military doctrine of mechanized infantry units in armoured forces who specialize in fighting from and in conjunction with infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) – that is, armoured troop carriers designed to carry a mechanized squad of six to eight soldiers into, during and out of combat while providing direct fire support for those troops.

The doctrine originated primarily in Germany before World War II and is today used by name in the countries of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Sweden.

Doctrine

thumb|Swedish displaying mounted and dismounted combat with [[strf 90C IFVs.]]

combat is conducted in close cooperation with IFVs. Each squad has its own designated IFV during battle. Combat can be conducted either from within the vehicle via portholes in the walls or hatches on the roof etc., so-called mounted combat, or from outside the vehicle in its vicinity using dismount-hatches at the back of the vehicle, so-called dismounted combat.

Combat missions consist of ambushing, fire support, reconnaissance, spearhead attacks, etc. Depending on the armament, the IFV can have a varying degree of active participation in the battle. Early examples simply featured a pair of rifle-calibre machine guns. Modern day examples traditionally use medium-caliber () autocannons and integrated missile-systems in a revolving turret. Unlike traditional mechanized infantry, do not use armoured personnel carriers (APC) in their doctrine, as APCs are intended as "armoured taxis" and by design lack the ability for mounted combat.

Use

The doctrine and name is primarily used in the armies of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Sweden, in the latter under the native forms "pansarskytte" ( = ) and "pansarinfanteri" ("armour infantry"). In the modern German Army, (Pzg) is the lowest rank of enlisted men (Mannschaften) in the Panzergrenadiertruppe, comparable to NATO Other Rank-1 level.

History

The doctrine was introduced by the German Army during the second half of the 1930s, initially being simple infantry () belonging to the armoured force (so-called "armour infantry"), serving either as mechanized or motorized infantry depending on their mode of transportation (armoured half-tracks vs unarmoured trucks). Half-tracks () such as the Sd.Kfz. 251 were the preferred vehicle of transportation for the armour infantry, but due to shortages, most units had to be transported in trucks as motorised infantry. The role of the armour infantry was to escort and protect the armoured force from enemy infantry, allowing allied armour to deal with heavier threats. Mounted combat in IFVs could also be used in advancing assaults on to the enemy flanks. The success of this tactic during the first years of World War II led to the introduction of a new troop type specialising in IFV combat, called . All mechanized and motorised infantry in the armoured force were reclassified as such in 1942, changing their classification from infantry to armoured unit.

Sweden also adopted the doctrine in 1942, to some extent independently, although lacking dedicated infantry fighting vehicles until 1943. due to a chronic shortage of tanks throughout the German armed forces. A few elite units, on the other hand, might have the tanks plus a battalion of heavy assault guns for their anti-tank element, and armored carriers for some of their infantry battalions as well.

On paper a division had one tank battalion less than a Panzer division, but two more infantry battalions, and thus was almost as strong as a Panzer division, especially on the defensive. Of 226 battalions in the whole of the German Army, Luftwaffe and Waffen SS in September 1943, only 26 were equipped with armoured half tracks, or just over 11 percent. The rest were equipped with trucks.

List of Wehrmacht and SS Panzergrenadier divisions

3rd Panzergrenadier Division
10th Panzergrenadier Division
15th Panzergrenadier Division
16th Panzergrenadier Division
18th Panzergrenadier Division
20th Panzergrenadier Division
25th Panzergrenadier Division
29th Panzergrenadier Division
90th Panzergrenadier Division
233rd Panzergrenadier Division
Panzergrenadier Division Brandenburg
Panzergrenadier Division Feldherrnhalle
Panzergrenadier Division Großdeutschland
Fallschirm-Panzergrenadier Division 2 Hermann Göring (Luftwaffe)
SS Panzergrenadier Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
3rd SS Panzergrenadier Division Totenkopf
4th SS Polizei Panzergrenadier Division
9th SS Panzergrenadier Division Hohenstaufen
11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland
16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS
17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel
23rd SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nederland
28th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Wallonien
38th SS Panzergrenadier Division Nibelungen

Wehrmacht Panzergrenadier equipment

The use of armoured half-tracks was rare in the German Army, and even the elite Großdeutschland Division, with two regiments, only mustered a few companies' worth of the vehicles, generally Sd.Kfz. 251 troop carriers. The vast majority of Schützen/ soldiers were mounted in trucks. Additionally, vehicles in the early war period suffered from poor off-road performance.

In 1944 a couple of Panzer Divisions based in France had more than the standard one battalion mounted in Sd.Kfz. 251 troop carriers. The Panzer Lehr Division's infantry and engineers were entirely mounted in Sd.Kfz. 251 troop carriers, while the 1st Battalion in both regiments in 2. Panzer Division and 21. Panzer Division were half-equipped with armoured halftracks (Sd.Kfz. 251 troop carriers for 2. Panzer, U304(f) light armoured personnel carriers for 21. Panzer).

German Bundeswehr

thumb| squad in 2012.

When the armed forces of West Germany was formed as the in late 1955, it was decided to readopt the doctrine instead of adopting the American doctrine of mechanized infantry using armoured personnel carriers as simple "battlefield taxis" and not as assault vehicles. This led to the development of the Schützenpanzer, lang, Typ 12-3 infantry fighting vehicle, introduced in 1960, followed by the Schützenpanzer Marder 1 in 1971, the cancelled Marder 2 in 1991, and the Schützenpanzer Puma in 2010.

File:Schützenpanzer Halbgruppe (Hotchkiss).jpg|SPz 11-2 Kurz

File:Schützenpanzer (lang) Hispano-Suiza HS 30.jpg|SPz 13-3 Lang

File:ILÜ der Bundeswehr am 24.09.2012 -- Marder AT (cropped).jpg|SPz Marder 1

File:Marder 2 Prototype.jpg|SPz Marder 2

File:Puma, first series.jpg|SPz Puma

</gallery>

Bundeswehr doctrine

In the German army, act as mechanized infantry and escort for tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles.

According to the German central army regulation HDv 100/100 (2000 edition), the Panzergrenadiertruppe and their co-operation with other armoured troops is characterized as following:

According to the HDv 231/100, the fighting of a Battalion is characterized by the following aspects:

"The fighting of the battalion is characterized by:

the combination of fire and movement,
attacking in conjunction with main battle tanks,
swift changes between mounted and dismounted combat,
close cooperation between mounted and dismounted forces,
the particularly mobile combat, [...]"

</blockquote>

Bundeswehr Panzergrenadier units

After the newest phase of the transformation process the German Army will be fielding the following active Panzergrenadier battalions:

23px|Insignia of Panzergrenadierbataillon 33 Panzergrenadierbataillon 33, Neustadt am Rübenberge
23px|Insignia of Panzergrenadierbataillon 92 Panzergrenadierlehrbataillon 92 (Demonstration battalion), Munster
23px|Insignia of Panzergrenadierbataillon 112 Panzergrenadierbataillon 112, Regen
23px|Insignia of Panzergrenadierbataillon 122 Panzergrenadierbataillon 122, Oberviechtach
25px|Insignia of Panzergrenadierbataillon 212 Panzergrenadierbataillon 212, Augustdorf
23px|Insignia of Panzergrenadierbataillon 371 Panzergrenadierbataillon 371, Marienberg
23px|Insignia of Panzergrenadierbataillon 391 Panzergrenadierbataillon 391, Bad Salzungen
23px|Insignia of Panzergrenadierbataillon 401 Panzergrenadierbataillon 401, Hagenow
23px|Insignia of Panzergrenadierbataillon 411 Panzergrenadierbataillon 411, Viereck

Additionally, in 2008 two inactive Panzergrenadier Battalions were formed:

Panzergrenadierbataillon 908, Viereck (with Panzergrenadierbataillon 411 as supplying and maintaining unit)
Panzergrenadierbataillon 909, Marienberg (with Panzergrenadierbataillon 371 as supplying and maintaining unit)

Training and development of the Panzergrenadiertruppe is usually performed by the Armoured Corps Training Centre (Ausbildungszentrum Panzertruppen) in Munster, its commander holding the title of General der Panzertruppen. Some essential training courses, especially for urban warfare and fighting in forested terrain, are held at the Ausbildungszentrum Infanterie ("Infantry Training Centre") at Hammelburg.

Bundeswehr Panzergrenadier equipment

thumb|Camouflaged [[Puma (IFV)|Puma IFV in 2017.]]

The main weapon system of the German is the Schützenpanzer Puma infantry fighting vehicles. It was introduced beginning in 2010, intended to replace the Schützenpanzer Marder 1 IFV, with equipping to be completed by 2025. Due to the design of the Puma, cannot exceed a height of 1.84 meters.

The G36 assault rifle is the standard weapon of German infantrymen and also used by units. Each dismounted fireteam usually also deploys a MG3 machine gun. To fight armored vehicles or other hard targets the Panzerfaust 3 rocket-propelled grenade and the MILAN Anti-tank guided missile are in use. The MILAN-ATGM is used by dismounted fireteams (which consist of six soldiers due to the number of soldiers carried by the Marder and Puma IFVs), as well as attached to the Marder turret to provide the IFV with enhanced anti-armour capabilities. In tandem with the replacement of the Marder by the Puma, the MILAN is similarly being replaced by the Spike-ATGM for mounted and dismounted use.

As part of the Future Soldier-program, the German Infanterist der Zukunft program is also intended to be introduced into units and is already deployed with German soldiers in Afghanistan.

Swedish Army

The Swedish Army has used infantry in its armored force since 1942, so-called "armour infantry" (). In 1943 the first Swedish dedicated infantry fighting vehicle was introduced, namely the tgb m/42 KP. Infantry serving with it were called "armour schütze soldiers" (). The tgb m/42 KP was generally a good design for its time but it lacked an armored roof for the troop compartment. Its wheeled design also limited its use alongside tanks when in terrain. By the late 1950s a replacement design was needed. This led to the development of the pbv 301 and 302 IFVs, featuring tracked chassis and enclosed troop compartments. By the 1980s the next generation of Swedish IFV was in development, ultimately resulting in the strf 90 IFV, internationally known as the CV90. For a brief period, Sweden also operated ex East German BMP-1 IFVs from the Soviet Union, under the Swedish designation pbv 501, while waiting for more strf 90s to be produced.

File:KP car loaded during WWII.jpg|Tgb m/42 KP with mounted infantry

File:Swedish Mechanized Forces Advance by Sjögren.jpg|Pbv 301 with dismounted infantry

File:Pbv 302-1.jpg|Pbv 302 with mounted infantry

File:Pbv 302-22.jpg|Pbv 302 with dismounted infantry

File:Stridsfordon 90 Revinge 2018-2.jpg|Strf 9040 with mounted infantry

</gallery>

Swiss Army

thumb|Five Swiss SPz2000 ([[Combat Vehicle 90) at Frauenfeld Training Area, 2016]]

Switzerland adopted the M113 armored personnel carrier as an IFV in 1963, designated Schützenpanzer 63. Similar to most World War II IFVs it only carried machine gun armament and relied on the panzergrenadier squad and their armament for effect. The Schützenpanzer 63 was subsequently updated with a 20 mm gun turret from Swedish firm Hägglund & Söner in the 1970s, mounting a modified Hispano-Suiza HS.804 autocannon. The same turret had previously been developed for the similar Swedish IFV pbv 302.

The Schützenpanzer 63 was eventually replaced with the Hägglunds CV9030CH from Sweden in the early 2000s, designated the Schützenpanzer 2000. The Swiss Army purchasing 186 vehicles from Hägglunds. They are in use with Panzergrenadier troops.

Austrian Bundesheer

The two existing battalions of the Austrian use the Austrian version of the ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Cooperation Development) armoured fighting vehicle, known as the Schützenpanzer "Ulan". The Waffenfarbe of the Austrian is black.

Notes

References

Panzergrenadier