Heavy weapons platoon

Heavy weapons platoon is a term from military science which refers to an infantry platoon equipped with machine guns, mortars, rocket-propelled grenades, flamethrowers, grenade-launchers, anti-tank weapons, and/or other portable heavy weapons.

The definition of "Heavy weapons" from U.S. Army regulations 320-5 (AR 320-5) is: "Heavy weapons = All weapons such as mortars, howitzers, guns, heavy machineguns and recoiless rifles which are usually part of infantry equipment."

As with most support units in any army, the size of a weapons platoon is generally smaller than that of its light infantry equivalent. For example, a typical light infantry platoon consists of 30 to 40 men divided in 3 or 4 squads (or sections) of 9-13 men, whereas a weapons platoon substitutes the squads with smaller groups for mortar teams, machine gun crews, anti-tank teams etc.

Some platoons also include the assault element of a company. A company's weapons platoon will carry portable support weapons by sections, but also include a fast-attack light-infantry specialist squad of soldiers trained for breaching, raiding, and close combat.