Mechanized unit - Kikai kabutai (English spelling)

Japanese: 機械化部隊 - きかいかぶたい(英語表記)mechanized unit
Mechanized unit - Kikai kabutai (English spelling)

A mechanized infantry unit. It is a unit centered on infantry with high mobility, equipped with a large number of armored cars, wheeled vehicles, and self-propelled guns. Traditionally, infantry was called infantry because it fought on foot, but now infantry fights mainly on vehicles. This is guaranteed by increased mobility, firepower, and protection. The increase in mobility began with the use of automobiles, then armored cars, and recently armored infantry fighting vehicles equipped with missiles and guns have been introduced. Helicopter air mobility is also emphasized. Firepower has also become self-propelled and integrated with the vehicles. This has made it possible to carry out coordinated operations with armored units mainly consisting of tanks. In Russia, infantry is called sniper soldiers, and mechanized divisions are called motorized sniper divisions. The penetrating strikes of this division working together with tank divisions had great destructive power, but their combat power has been greatly reduced due to reductions in military spending and personnel.

[Haruo Fujii]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

機械化された歩兵部隊のこと。装甲車、装輪車、自走砲を大量に装備し、機動力を高めた歩兵を中心とする部隊である。従来は徒歩で戦闘するから歩兵といわれたが、いまでは歩兵も乗車戦闘が中心となっている。これを保障するのが機動力、火力、防護力の増強である。機動力強化は自動車化に始まり、ついで装甲車化が進み、最近ミサイルや砲をもつ装甲歩兵戦闘車が導入されるに至った。ヘリコプターによる空中機動も重視されている。火力も自走式となり、車両と一体化した。これにより戦車を主体とする機甲部隊と連携作戦を実施することが可能になった。ロシアでは歩兵のことを狙撃(そげき)兵といい、機械化師団は自動車化狙撃師団とよぶ。これと戦車師団が協同する貫通打撃は、強烈な破壊力をもっていたが、軍事費と兵員の縮小で戦力は大幅に低下している。

[藤井治夫]

出典 小学館 日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について 情報 | 凡例

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