Light infantry
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought as scouts, raiders, and skirmishers. These are loose formations that fight ahead of the main army to harass, delay, disrupt supply lines, engage the enemy's own skirmishing forces, and generally "soften up" an enemy before the main battle. Light infantrymen were also often responsible for screening the main body of a military formation.
Following World War II, the term "light infantry" has evolved to include rapid-deployment units that emphasize speed and mobility over armor and firepower. Some units or battalions that historically held a skirmishing role retain their designation "light infantry" for the sake of tradition.
History
Ancient history
The concept of a skirmishing screen is a very old one and was already well-established in Ancient Greece and Roman times in the form, for example, of the Greek peltast and psiloi, and the Roman velites. As with the so-called "light infantry" of later periods, the term more adequately describes the role of such infantry rather than the actual weight of their equipment. Peltast equipment, for example, grew steadily heavier at the same time as hoplite equipment grew lighter. It was that peltasts fought in open order as skirmishers that made them light infantry and that hoplites fought in the battle line in a phalanx formation that made them heavy infantry.File:Agrianian3.jpg|thumb|upright|Agrianian peltast,Modern history
Early regular armies of the modern era frequently relied on irregulars to perform the duties of light infantry skirmishers. In particular, the French Army employed detachments of German and Balkan mercenaries to serve as patrols in the rough country until a permanent corps of Mountain Fusiliers was raised in the 1740s. In the 17th century, dragoons were sometimes employed as the skirmishers of their day, as mounted infantrymen who rode into battle but dismounted to fight, giving them a mobility lacking to regular foot soldiers.In the 18th and 19th centuries most infantry regiments or battalions had a light company as an integral part of their composition. Its members were often smaller, more agile men with high shooting ability and capability of using initiative. They did not usually fight in disciplined ranks as did the ordinary infantry but often in widely dispersed groups, necessitating an understanding of skirmish warfare. They were expected to avoid melee engagements unless necessary and would fight ahead of the mainline to harass the enemy before falling back to the main position.
During the period 1777–1781, the Continental Army of the United States adopted the British Army practice of seasonally drafting light infantry regiments as temporary units during active field operations, by combining existing light infantry companies detached from their parent regiments.File:Cacadore leichte Infanterie.jpg|thumb|upright|Portuguese Army light infantryman of the Peninsular War.
Light infantry sometimes carried lighter muskets than ordinary infantrymen while others carried rifles and wore rifle green uniforms. These became designated as rifle regiments in Britain and Jäger and Schützen regiments in German-speaking Europe. In France, during the Napoleonic Wars, light infantry were called voltigeurs and chasseurs and the sharpshooters tirailleurs. The Austrian army had Grenzer regiments from the middle of the 18th century, who originally served as irregular militia skirmishers recruited from frontier areas. They were gradually absorbed into the line infantry becoming a hybrid type that proved successful against the French, to the extent that Napoleon recruited several units of Austrian army Grenzer to his own army after victory over Austria in 1809 compelled the Austrians to cede territories from which they were traditionally recruited. In Portugal, 1797, companies of Caçadores were created in the Portuguese Army, and in 1808 led to the formation of independent "Caçador" battalions that became known for their ability to perform precision shooting at long distances.
Light infantry officers sometimes carried muskets or rifles, rather than pistols, and their swords were light curved sabres; as opposed to the heavy, straighter swords of other infantry officers. Orders were sent by bugle or whistle instead of drums. Some armies, including the British and French, recruited whole regiments of light infantry. These were considered elite units, since they required specialised training with emphasis on self-discipline, manoeuvre and initiative to carry out the roles of light infantry as well as those of ordinary infantry.
By the late 19th century, the concept of fighting in formation was on the wane due to advancements in weaponry and the distinctions between light and heavy infantry began to disappear. Essentially, all infantry became light infantry in operational practice. Some regiments retained the name and customs, but there was in effect little difference between them and other infantry regiments.
File:Jaakaripataljooa libaussa.jpg|thumb|The pioneer company of the 27th Jäger Battalion returning from a parade in Liepāja in 1917.
On the eve of World War I, the British Army included seven light infantry regiments. These differed from other infantry only in maintaining such traditional distinctions as badges that included a bugle-horn, dark green home service helmets for full dress, and a fast-stepping parade ground march.
Contemporary
Today, the term "light" denotes units lacking heavy weapons and armor or with a reduced vehicle footprint as in opposition to motorized infantry or mechanized infantry, both of which rely heavily on vehicles for both transport and for combat. Light infantry units lack the greater firepower, operational mobility, and protection of mechanized or armored units, but possess correspondingly greater tactical mobility and can execute missions in severely restrictive terrain and areas where weather makes vehicular mobility difficult.Light infantry forces typically rely on their ability to operate under restrictive conditions, surprise, violence of action, training, stealth, field craft, and fitness levels of the individual soldiers to compensate for their reduced lethality. Despite the usage of the term "light", forces in a light unit actually normally carry heavier individual loads vis-à-vis other forces, because they must – due to their lack of vehicles – carry everything they require to fight, survive, and win.
Although some units are categorized as Air Assault Infantry, Airborne Infantry, Naval infantry or Marines, they also fall under the overall concept of light infantry. Light infantry forces are typically infantry forces intended for difficult terrains such as:
- amphibious assault – e.g., the U.S. Marines, Royal Marines;
- mountains or arctic conditions – e.g., the United States Army 10th Mountain Division, United States Army 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Italian Army Alpini, French Army Chasseurs Alpins; or
- jungle – e.g., the Philippine Army 1st Scout Ranger Regiment and Brazilian Army Jungle Infantry Brigades.
National examples
Argentina
- Mountain Huntsmen, in Spanish: Cazadores de Montaña
- Jungle Huntsmen, in Spanish: Cazadores de Monte
Austria
Belgium
- 12th-13th Battalion of the Line
- 1st Regiment Jagers te Paard, mechanized reconnaissance battalion
- 2nd/4th Regiment Mounted Rifles, mechanized reconnaissance battalion with electronic warfare unit
- Regiment Carabiniers Prins Boudewijn – Grenadiers
Brazil
Canada
Each of the three regular army regiments maintains their third battalion as light infantry capable in airborne, mountain, and amphibious operations, with varying degrees of capability. All reserve infantry units are classed as light infantry, all with varying degrees of capability.Denmark
- Schleswig Regiment of Foot
Finland
- Finnish Jäger troops, volunteers from Finland in Germany trained as Jägers
- Guard Jaeger Regiment, a Finnish Army unit
- Jaeger Brigade, a unit of the Finnish Army
- Para Jägers, Special Operations Airborne Infantry in the Finnish Army
- Utti Jaeger Regiment, the Finnish Army training and development centre for special forces and helicopter operations
- Sissi troops can also be considered light infantry