ARTICLES

ARTICLES
across the corps. The LAV-equipped IFV platoon is essentially a bolt-on capability (requiring
some specialization), replacing the weapons platoon, that a company commander uses to
transport and support the company’s platoons.
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IFV Pl
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14 x LAV IFV
Coy HQ
Coy Comd (Maj)
CSM (MWO)
Coy Signaller (C-P)
Coy Driver (C-P)
Copy HQ
Pl Comd (Lt)
Pl 2IC (WO)
2 x Turret Op (C-P)
2 x Driver (C-P)
Coy CP
Coy 2IC (Capt)
Coy Sigs NCO (MCpl)
2 x CP Op (C-P)
IFV Sect
CQMS
CQMS (WO)
CQ 2IC (MCpl)
2 X Storeman (C-P)
Sect Comd (Sgt)
3 x Veh Comd (MCpl)
4 x Turret Op (C-P)
4 x Driver (C-P)
Coy Tpt
Tpt Sgt (Sgt)
Tpt 2IC (C-P)
2 x Driver (C-P)
Figure 10: Mechanized rifle company
The IFV platoon contains 14 LAVs and 42 soldiers in three sections led by the platoon
commander, who fulfills the LAV captain’s role of commanding the vehicle component of a
mechanized rifle company. The 15th LAV in current companies, used solely by the
LAV captain, is eliminated as a “nice to have”; the LAV platoon commander utilizes the
LAV carrying the company commander. The IFV platoon can carry the three rifle platoons
through the battlespace, support them with direct fires from the 25‐mm cannon, and work
with the Leopard 2 in a combat team setting. While the critique may be made that a LAV does
not carry a rifle section of two fire teams, four LAVs carry a 28‐soldier rifle platoon.
Reorganization should occur as a deliberate action upon dismount, and there is a strong case
to be made that the current practice of dismounting on the objective is not a sound one for a
light armoured vehicle, due to both the vulnerability of the vehicle and the additional dismounted
protection requirements of extra vehicles on positions that require infantry soldiers
who should be fighting into the objective. 19
Along with replacing company weapons platoons with IFV platoons, another key difference
between the IB and the MIB lies with the combat support company. With three mechanized
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