Quote Originally Posted by JMA View Post
Sub-unit operations down to fire team level (four men) is not easier for the Brit forces. Corporals and Lance Corporals are not trained to apply the required degree of operational leadership and discretion that is required for such independent operations. How a typical US fireteam would perform independently on a (say) five day patrol I can't say.
Formation level operations require practising skills to that have a major flow down effect. For the fire team, there may not be a lot of difference, but for Coy Commanders on up, there will be, and very little can be adequately practised doing a CPX.

EG: A Formation level passage of lines, at night to launch to one battle group into an opposed obstacle crossing.

Training fire teams is cheap and easy. Training formations is vastly expensive and very complicated.

Why would you need bridging kit to facilitate a 4-man fireteam crossing a river?
You need bridging kit for all the vehicles, plus you need multiple bridging sites