Editing Battalion (section)

==Description==
A battalion is composed of two or more primary mission companies, which are often of a common type (e.g., infantry, tank, or maintenance), although there are exceptions, such as [[combined arms]] battalions in the U.S. Army. In addition to the primary mission companies, a battalion typically includes a headquarters staff and [[combat service support]], which may be combined into a [[headquarters and service company]]. A battalion may contain a [[Combat Support Company|combat support company]]. With all these components, a battalion is the smallest [[Military organisation|military unit]] capable of "limited independent operations".<ref>{{cite book|editor-last=Piehler |editor-first=G. Kurt |title=Encyclopedia of Military Science|publisher=Sage Publications|isbn=978-1-4129-6933-8|page=874|date=2013}}</ref>

The battalion must have a source of resupply to enable it to sustain operations for more than a few days. This is because a battalion's complement of ammunition, expendable weapons (e.g., [[hand grenade]]s and disposable [[rocket launcher]]s), water, rations, fuel, lubricants, replacement parts, batteries, and medical supplies normally consists of only what the battalion's soldiers and the battalion's vehicles can carry.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

The commander's staff coordinates and plans operations. A battalion's subordinate companies and their platoons are dependent upon the battalion headquarters for command, control, communications and intelligence, and the battalion's service and support structure. The battalion is usually part of a [[regiment]], [[group (military unit)|group]], or [[brigade]], depending on the branch of service.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}