Editing Army (section)

==Field army==
{{Main|Field army}}

[[File:Italian Army 7th Army Aviation Regiment "Vega" NH90 transport helicopters.png|thumb|An army can also feature specialized units to give air or sea support. This image depicts the [[Italian Army]] [[7th Army Aviation Regiment "Vega"]] transporting troops with [[NHIndustries NH90|NH90]] helicopters.]]
A particular army can be named or numbered to distinguish it from military land forces in general. For example, the [[First United States Army]] and the [[Army of Northern Virginia]]. In the [[British Army]] it is normal to spell out the ordinal number of an army (e.g. First Army), whereas lower formations use figures (e.g. 1st Division).

Armies (as well as [[army group]]s and [[Theater (military)|theater]]s) are large formations which vary significantly between armed forces in size, composition, and scope of responsibility.

In the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Red Army]] and the [[Soviet Air Force]], "Armies" could vary in size, but were subordinate to an [[Army Group]]-sized "[[Front (Soviet Army)|front]]" in wartime. In peacetime, a [[Army (Soviet Army)|Soviet army]] was usually subordinate to a [[military district]]. [[Viktor Suvorov]]'s ''Inside the Soviet Army'' describes how [[Cold War]] era Soviet military districts were actually composed of a front headquarters and a military district headquarters co-located for administration and [[Military deception|deception]] ('maskirovika') reasons.

===Formations===
<!-- This section is linked from [[2nd Armored Division (United States)]] -->
In many countries, especially in Europe or North America, armies are often subdivided as follows:

{| style="border:1px solid black; background:white;" cellpadding="3"
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| [[Image:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Army.svg|80px|  ]]<br/>[[Image:Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Unspecified or Composite All-Arms (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]||'''[[field army]]''': A field army is composed of a headquarters, army [[troops]], a variable number of [[corps]], typically between three and four, and a variable number of [[Division (military)|divisions]], also between three and four. A battle is influenced at the Field Army level by transferring divisions and reinforcements from one corps to another to increase the pressure on the enemy at a critical point. Field armies are controlled by a general or lieutenant general.
|-
| [[Image:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Corps.svg|80px|  ]]<br/>[[Image:Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Unspecified or Composite All-Arms (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]||'''[[Corps]]''': A corps usually consists of two or more divisions and is commanded by a [[lieutenant general]].
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| [[Image:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Division.svg|80px|  ]]<br/>[[Image:Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Unspecified or Composite All-Arms (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]||'''[[Division (military)|Division]]''': Each division is commanded by a [[major general]], and usually holds three brigades including infantry, artillery, engineers and communications units in addition to [[logistics]] (supply and service) support to sustain independent action. Except for the divisions operating in the mountains, divisions have at least one armored unit, some have even more depending upon their functionality. The basic building block of all ground force combat formations is the infantry division.
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| [[Image:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Brigade.svg|80px|  ]]<br/>[[Image:Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Unspecified or Composite All-Arms (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]||'''[[Brigade]]''': A brigade is under the command of a [[brigadier]] or [[brigadier general]] and sometimes is commanded by a [[colonel]]. It typically comprises three or more battalions of different units depending on its functionality. An independent brigade would be one that primarily consists of an artillery unit, an infantry unit, an armour unit and logistics to support its actions. Such a brigade is not part of any division and is under direct command of a corps.
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| [[Image:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Battalion.svg|80px|  ]]<br/>[[Image:Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Unspecified or Composite All-Arms (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]||'''[[Battalion]]''': Each battalion is commanded by a [[colonel]] or sometimes by [[lieutenant colonel]] who commands roughly 500 to 750 soldiers. This number varies depending on the functionality of the regiment. A battalion comprises 3–5 [[Company (military unit)|companies]] (3 rifle companies, a fire support company and headquarters company) or its functional equivalent such as batteries (artillery) or squadrons (armour and cavalry), each under the command of a [[Major (rank)|major]]. The company can be divided into platoons, each of which can again be divided into sections or squads. (Terminology is nationality and even unit specific.)<ref name="definitions">{{cite web|url=https://www.fotw.info/flags/pk%5Eard.html |title=Subdivisions of the army |access-date=2007-01-21 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116031246/https://www.fotw.info/flags/pk%5Eard.html |archive-date=2006-11-16 }}</ref>
|}