The West German and Post Cold War German Army (Bundeswehr)

The German army was officially reformed in 1956, but was not fully reorganized until the early 1960’s, although combat troops could have been fielded earlier. Initially the army had almost entirely American equipment and doctrine, but cross-attachment is carried out on a permanent basis by adding a mobilization battalion within the brigade, this adds the differing company type to each panzer or panzer grenadier battalion.  Some older equipment survives in the territorial forces, and these plus some of the Jaeger units are committed to homeland defense not NATO command.

German Panzer or Panzer Grenadier Brigade Headquarters 1964 to 1982 (May command 3 Battalions)

HQ                                           1 HQ

Recce Company                      3 Spz11, 3 Recce or 3 Luchs (From 1975)

Brigade Anti Tank Company    3 JPz Rak (Pz Bde) or 2 JPz Kan, 2 JPz Rak (Pz Gren Bde)

Brigade Engineer Company    2 M113, 2 Engr, 2 AVLB

Brigade Anti-aircraft Coy         2 Gerpard, 1 Roland

Note                                                                             Earlier units could replace M113 with trucks for the commander and engineers, and Spz123 the Headquarters infantry platoon.

German Griebs or Luftlander Brigade Headquarters 1964 to 1997 (May command 3 Battalions)

HQ                                           1 HQ

Recce Company                      3 Jeep/MG or 3 UH1, 3 Rifle

2 Brigade Anti Tank Company 4 JPz Kan (Griebs Brigade)

1 Brigade Anti Tank Company 2 JPz Rak (Griebs Brigade)

3 Anti Tank Companies            12 Cobra Or Milan (1975), 6 UH1 (Luftlande Brigade)

Brigade Engineer Company    3 Truck, 3 Engr

Brigade Anti-aircraft Coy        

Note                                                                             Luftlande brigade replaces any vehicle not noted with UH1. Light Heimatschutz Kommando brigades replace the anti-tank companies with a M48 panzer company, and delete the Recce Company. One of its infantry battalions may be in M113.

German Panzer Battalion 1964 to 1982

HQ                                                                               1 HQ

2 Tank Companies each          1 Leopard 1 or M48A2G2                       

1 Grenadier Company             3 Spz123 or M113 or Marder1, 3 Rifle

Note                                                                             This represents the war organization within a Panzer Brigade.  Dates for tanks are as follows; only one type may be used:

                                                            M48A2 G                      to 1980

                                                            Leopard 1                      from 1965             

                                                            Leopard 1 A1                 from 1971

                                                            Leopard 1 A3                 from 1975

                                                            M48 A2G2                     from 1979

                                                            Marder APC                  from 1975         

German Panzer Grenadier Battalion 1964 to 1982

HQ                                                                               1 HQ

2 Grenadier Companies each  3 Spz123 or M113 or Marder1, 3 Rifle

1 Tank Company                      3 M48A2G2 or 1 Leopard1

1 Battery                                  2 M113/120M   

Note                                                                             Dates for equipment are as for the Panzer battalion.

German Jaeger, Griebs or Luftlander Battalion 1964 to 1982

HQ                                                                               1 HQ

3 Jaeger Companies each       3 Truck or UH1, 3 Rifle

1 Mortar Company                   2 Truck or CH53, 2 120M

Note                                                                             Mountain units use motor transport, Luftlande the Helicopters. Jaeger battalions may have one company in M113 as in Pz Gren Battalion.

German Divisional Recce Battalion 1964 to 1975

HQ                                                                               1 HQ, 1 Engr, 1 Truck

            2 Recce Companies each        4 Spz 222, 4 Recce

                                                1 Platoon                     1 M41 or Leopard 1 (for dates on Leopard see Pz Battalion)

1 Support Company                 2 M48 or Leopard 1, 1 Spz 222, 1 Rifle

Note                                                                             This unit may be reinforced with one panzer company and one panzer grenadier company.  M41’s may not be used with Leopards in the support company.

German Brigade Artillery Battalion 1964 to 1982

3 Batteries each                                   1 FAO, 2 M109G or 2 Truck and 2 105H or 155H or 120M

Note                                                                             Individual batteries may be attached to Battalions. M109 is used for Panzer, Panzer Grenadier, and Recce. The towed 105mm are for Mountain or Jaeger Brigades. The Mortars are for Luftlande Brigades. There is also Corps level towed units, of both 105mm and 155mm weapons. Divisions have one Heavy Battalion with one Battery of two M110 and two of two M107, plus a rocket battalion of two Batteries of two LARS, rest as above. 

German Panzer, Panzer Grenadier Brigade Headquarters 1983 to 2000

HQ                                           1 HQ

Recce Company                      3 Luchs

Anti Tank Company                 3 JPz Rak

Engineer Company                  1 Fuchs, 1 Engr, 1 AEV, 1 AVLB

Anti Aircraft Company             2 Gepard, 2 Roland

Attack Helicopter Flight           1 Bo105M, 2 Bo105P (attached from Corps)

Note                                                                             Commands 2 Panzer, and 1 Panzer Grenadier or 2 Panzer Grenadier and 1 Panzer Battalion. It has 1 Artillery Battalion under command.

German Panzer Battalion 1983 to 2000

HQ                                                                               1 HQ

3 Tank Companies each          3 Leopard I or Leopard II

1 Grenadier Company                         3 Marder, 3 Rifle, 1 Milan

Note                                                                             Only 1 type of tank may be used. Dates are as follows:

                                                            Leopard 1A2                  to 1994

                                                            Leopard 1A3                  from 1982

                                                            Leopard 1 A1A               to 1986

                                                            Leopard 1A5                  from 1989

                                                            Leopard II                      from 1982

                                                            Leopard II B8                 from 1995

                                                Until 1996 Heimatschutz kommando may use M48A2G2.                                                  Add a fourth company in 2000.

                                   

German Panzer Grenadier Battalion 1983 to 2000

HQ                                                                               1 HQ

3 Grenadier Companies each  3 Marder, 3 Rifle, 1 Milan

1 Tank Company                      As in Panzer Battalion

1 Mortar Battery                       2 M113/120

Note                                                                             Until 1987 reserve formations can use Spz 123 in place of marder.  Add a fourth company in 2000.

German Luftlande Battalion 1975 to 1997

HQ                                           1 HQ

2 Jaeger Companies each       4 UH1, 3 Rifle, 1 Milan, 1 Wiesel/TOW

2 Anti Tank Companies each   3 UH1, 1 Wiesel/TOW, 2 Wiesel/20

Note                                                                             Wiesel was introduced from 1984 before that use Kraka. A fourth battalion has three Jaeger companies only.

German Divisional Recce Battalion 1975 to 1997

HQ                                                                               1 HQ, 1 Engr, 1 Truck,

2 Recce Companies each        5 Luchs, 1 Leopard 1 or Leopard II

1 Support Company                 2 Leopard 1 or Leopard II

1 Mortar Battery                       2 M113/120

                                                            Note                                         For dates on tanks see the Panzer Battalion; only one type of tank may be used in the Reconnaissance and Support companies.  1 Panzer and 1 Panzer Grenadier Company may be attached. Similarly a Flight of Attack helicopters may be added.

German Brigade Artillery Battalion 1982 to 2000

3 Batteries each                                   1 FAO, 3 M109G or 3 Trucks and 3 155H or 105H

Note                                                                             Regular armored units use M109G (the Panzer Artillery 2000 system is being introduced).   Units equipped with Pz Artillery 2000 will have only two batteries.  Similarly the towed 155H are for Territorial and mountain units. The Luftlande units now have a Mortar battalion, with 3 batteries of 2 120M.  Its “vehicles” are the army helicopters.  Divisional and Corps level units have two structures:

Three towed batteries with 155H and one Self-Propelled Battery of M110   

Or         Rocket battalion of two batteries of two LARS, two batteries of MLRS

Large Units:

Panzer Division – 2 Panzer Brigades, 1 Panzer Grenadier Brigade, 1 Artillery Regiment, 1 Reconnaissance Battalion, 1 Engineer Brigade

Panzer Grenadier Division – 1 Panzer Brigade, 2 Panzer Grenadier Brigades, 1 Artillery Regiment, 1 Reconnaissance Battalion, 1 Engineer Brigade

Mountain Division – 3 Mountain Brigades, 1 Artillery Regiment, 1 Reconnaissance Battalion, 1 Engineer Brigade

Luftlande Brigade – 3 Infantry Battalions, 1 Attack Helicopter Battalion