A group is a

military unit Military organization or military organisation is the structuring of the armed forces of a state so as to offer such military capability as a national defense policy may require. In some countries paramilitary forces are included in a nation' ...

or a

military formation Military organization or military organisation is the structuring of the armed forces of a state so as to offer such military capability as a national defense policy may require. In some countries paramilitary forces are included in a nation ...

that is most often associated with

military aviation Military aviation comprises military aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling aerial warfare, including national airlift ( air cargo) capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a war the ...

Air and aviation groups

The terms group and

wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expres ...

differ significantly from one country to another, as well as between different branches of a national defence force. Air groups vary considerably in size and status, but generally take two forms: * A unit of two to four

squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, de ...

s, commanded by a

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

, naval captain or an equivalent rank. The

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

(USAF), ''groupes'' of the French ''

Armée de l'air The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...

'', ''gruppen'' of the German ''

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

'',

United States Marine Corps Aviation United States Marine Corps Aviation (USMCA) is the aircraft arm of the United States Marine Corps. Aviation units within the Marine Corps are assigned to support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force, as the aviation combat element, by providing six ...

, British

Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...

and some other naval air services usually follow this pattern. * A larger formation, often comprising more than 10 squadrons, commanded by a

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

, commodore,

rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

, air commodore or air vice-marshal. The air forces of many

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

countries, such as the British

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

(RAF), follow this pattern. In such cases, the group is equivalent to a US wing, a German ''

Geschwader This is a list of words, terms, concepts, and slogans that have been or are used by the German military. Ranks and translations of nicknames for vehicles are included. Also included are some general terms from the German language found frequently i ...

'' or a French '' escadron''.

Historical overview

During the early stages of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

and

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, the respective aviation services formed ''groupes'' and ''Gruppen''. Beneath the level of the group was a unit of six to 16 aircraft: an ''

escadrille A flight is a small military unit within the larger structure of an air force, naval air service, or army air corps; and is usually subservient of a larger squadron. A military aircraft flight is typically composed of four aircraft, though ...

'' or '' Staffel''. Immediately above the French and German groups was the ''escadron'' or ''

''. In the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

(RFC) and

Royal Naval Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps t ...

(RNAS), a squadron was usually composed of 18–24 aircraft. When the

(RAF) was formed in 1918 from a merger of the RFC and RNAS, an officer with the rank of

typically commanded a group. The following year, when the RAF introduced its own rank system, RAF colonels became

group captains Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...

, reflecting both the level of command responsibility and the seniority of naval captains (the equivalent Royal Navy rank). By World War II, the ''groupes'' of the French ''Armée de l'Air'' usually comprised two ''escadrilles'' (but sometimes only one, or as many as four). French ''groupes'' were the equivalent of U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) /

U.S. Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

(USAAF) groups (analogous to RAF wings), while a ''groupement'' was the equivalent of a RAF group (USAAC/USAAF wing). For example, in May 1940 the ''Groupe de Bombardement I/31'', a bomber unit, was operationally part of ''Groupement de Bombardement 6''. In the German ''

'', the principal unit of action was the '' Gruppe'' (plural ''Gruppen''); the equivalent of a French or USAAC/USAAF group. ''Gruppen'' were part of a ''

'' (equivalent to a USAAC/USAAF wing or an RAF group) and the ''Geschwader'' were named according to their function. For instance, I./StG 77 was ''I Gruppe

Sturzkampfgeschwader 77 ''Sturzkampfgeschwader'' 77 (StG 77) was a Luftwaffe dive bomber wing during World War II. From the outbreak of war StG 77 distinguished itself in every Wehrmacht major operation until the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942. If the claims mad ...

'', which flew Junkers Ju 87 Stuka

dive bomber A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb's trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact througho ...

s. II./JG 26 was ''II Gruppe

Jagdgeschwader 26 ''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 (JG 26) ''Schlageter'' was a German fighter-wing of World War II. It was named after Albert Leo Schlageter, a World War I veteran, Freikorps member, and posthumous Nazi martyr, arrested and executed by the French for ...

'', which flew

Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War an ...

fighters, then switched to

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, nicknamed ''Würger'' (" Shrike") is a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, ...

fighters. Each ''Gruppe'' was composed of three, sometimes four, '' Staffeln'' (singular ''Staffel'') (usually 8–12 aircraft). Each ''Geschwader'' was composed of three ''Gruppen''. By the time of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, some Commonwealth air force groups were commanded by air commodores (equivalent to

brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...

s /

s and commodores) or even air vice-marshals (equivalent to

s and

s). They were somewhat analogous to a USAAF

numbered air force A Numbered Air Force (NAF) is a type of organization in the United States Air Force that is subordinate to a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, major command (MAJCOM) and has assigned to it operational units such as wings, squ ...

(led by a

), with 200 to 400 aircraft. From 1943 to 1945,

RAF Bomber Command RAF Bomber Command controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played the central role in the strategic bombing of Germany in World War II. From 1942 onward, the British bo ...

groups were composed of several stations (air bases) and were analogous to USAAF wings.

Commonwealth nations

In the RAF (like the air forces of most other Commonwealth countries), a group is made up of several stations or wings, each of which typically controls two or more squadrons, so that a group normally includes six to 10 squadrons. When the ranks of the RAF were designed, an officer with the rank of group captain (equivalent to colonel and naval captain) commanded such a unit, although by the time of World War II, many groups were commanded by air commodores (equivalent to brigadiers/brigadier generals and commodores) or air vice-marshals (equivalent to major generals and rear admirals). Several RAF stations (air bases) are controlled by a particular group, although expeditionary air groups control

expeditionary air wing On 1 April 2006 Expeditionary Air Wings (EAWs) were formed at nine of the RAF's Main Operating Bases. Each EAW has its own identity and is led by the Station Commander, supported by his Station management team. The deployable elements of the st ...

s directly. Groups are directly subordinate to a

command Command may refer to: Computing * Command (computing), a statement in a computer language * COMMAND.COM, the default operating system shell and command-line interpreter for DOS * Command key, a modifier key on Apple Macintosh computer keyboards * ...

(or, historically, to a

tactical air force The term Tactical Air Force was used by the air forces of the British Commonwealth during the later stages of World War II, for formations of more than one fighter group. A tactical air force was intended to achieve air supremacy and perform grou ...

). In the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

, like some other Commonwealth naval air services, a group usually consists of two or three squadrons.

United States

US Air Force

In the

(USAF) a group consists of two or more squadrons, often functionally aligned within a wing. Per AFI 38-101 Air Force Organization (21 April 2015) a group is a "level of command between wings and squadrons. Groups bring together multiple squadrons or other lower echelon units to provide a broader capability." Prior to 1991, it was not unusual for a USAF support group to have no subordinate squadrons, but merely be a larger unit than a squadron. In such cases the group would not have a headquarters. USAF groups may be dependent or independent: "A dependent group is a mission, maintenance, mission support, medical, or large functional unit (e.g., security forces, special tactics, communications, etc.) that encompasses a number of related squadrons to provide the specified capability to a parent wing. Such groups may possess small supporting staff elements, such as standardization and evaluation or quality control, that are organized as sections." "An independent group has the same functions and responsibilities as a like-type wing but its scope and size do not warrant wing-level designation and associated overhead costs." A group requires at least 400 personnel, while a wing requires at least 1,000. A fighter wing, for example, is normally composed of dependent groups: an operations group of typically three flying squadrons and an operations support squadron and a maintenance group with aircraft, equipment, and component maintenance squadrons and a maintenance support squadron. Wings responsible for an air base also have other dependent groups such as a mission support group (security, communications, logistics support, mission support, and civil engineering squadrons) and a medical group. The dependent group commanders are considered to be in command billets, but they function like staff officers (the A3/S-3/G-3/J3 or the A4/S-4/G-4/J4) in other organizations. Independent groups are effectively small wings with both flying and maintenance squadrons. USAF groups are usually commanded by officers in the grade of OF-5 (US pay grade O-6), i.e., a full colonel. Wings are also usually commanded by officers in the grade of OF-5, but these are typically more senior colonels by virtue of time in grade and/or date of rank. Some USAF wings are also commanded by officers in the grade of OF-6 (US pay grade O-7), i.e., a brigadier general.

US Marine Corps Aviation

In the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

, a Marine Aircraft Group (MAG), Marine Air Control Group (MACG) or Marine Aviation Training Support Group (MATSG) is a regimental-level unit within

, equivalent to a USAF wing. A MAG consists of at least two air aircraft squadrons and two aviation support squadrons; two or more MAGs and a MACG form a Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW). Marine Aircraft Groups consist of two or more aircraft squadrons (usually four to six) and can range to as many as ten (see

MAG-14 Marine Aircraft Group 14 (MAG-14) is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina that is currently composed of four AV-8B Harrier squadrons, one F-35C squadron, one UAV squadron, one ...

). A MAG also contains a Marine Aviation Logistics Squadrons (MALS) (intermediate aircraft maintenance, aviation supply, and aviation ordnance support), a Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) (air base functions), and a MAG headquarters detachment with a colonel as the commanding officer. The MAG is the organizational equivalent of a Marine Regiment. Marine Air Control Groups (MACG) consist of several aviation command, control, communications, and air defense units. These units include: a Marine Air Control Squadron (MACS) (control of air traffic and tactical air defense), a Marine Air Support Squadron (MASS) (control and coordination of tactical aircraft operations directly supporting ground forces), a Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron (MTACS) (command of tactical ground support and tactical air defense), a Marine Wing Communication Squadron (MWCS) (wire, radio, data, and satellite services), and a Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) (ground-based anti-aircraft missile and machinegun weapons) battalion/detachment, under a MACG headquarters detachment, commanded by a colonel. Marine Air Training Support Groups (MATSG) provide administrative control and training support at for Marines at formal naval aviation training units (e.g., combined USN/USMC Fleet Readiness Squadrons (FRS) and Naval Air Training Command and Naval Air Technical Training Command installations). These groups, commanded by a colonel, do not have subordinate squadrons assigned and are not part of the Fleet Marine Force (FMF). Two or more MAGs (usually three or four), and a MACG, under a Marine Aircraft Wing Headquarters (MAW HQ) supported by a Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron (MWHS) form a Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), usually commanded by a major general, and is the FMF organizational equivalent of a Marine Division (MARDIV). The MAW is analogous to a USAF

or a British

(RAF) group.

US Navy aviation

All the aircraft on a United States Navy (USN) aircraft carrier, historically, were called the carrier air group regardless of whether the total was 72–90 on a fleet carrier or 20 to 30 on an escort carrier. Even today, the commander of the carrier air wing is traditionally called "CAG," a legacy title from when they were known as "commander, air group." A USN aviation wing is designated as either carrier air, maritime patrol & reconnaissance, strategic communications, training air, or type (there are type wings for strike fighters, electronic warfare, airborne early warning and logistics, maritime strike helicopter, and sea combat helicopters that provide squadrons to the carrier air wing for operations, as well as shore based fleet logistics support and tactical support wings that operate independently of aircraft carriers). All of these entities maintain administrative and standardization control and are OF 5 (US pay grade O-6)

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

commands roughly analogous to a USMC Marine Aircraft Group or USAF wing. Officers in command of wing level units other than carrier air wings utilize the legacy title of "commodore" and are authorized to fly a command broad pennant from their headquarters ashore or when embarked aboard a warship as the senior officer present afloat (SOPA). Group is no longer a contemporary term in the USN portion of Naval Aviation except for that of the tactical air control group. This entity uses "group" in lieu of "wing" as a legacy title and is also an OF 5 (US pay grade O-6)

command analogous to a USMC Marine Aircraft Group, Marine Air Control Group, or USAF wing in which the incumbent senior officer also utilizes the title of "commodore" while in command. The immediate superior of a carrier air wing commander (CAG) is the flag officer who is the carrier strike group commander, a surface or aviation rear admiral in the grade of OF 6 or 7 (US pay grade O-7 or O-8), with a mixed air, surface, and subsurface staff, who integrates four major USN (OF 5) (US pay grade O-6) commands – a carrier air wing, an aircraft carrier, one or more cruisers, a destroyer squadron, and an attached attack submarine – into a coherent air, surface and subsurface fighting force. The commodores of the other USN aviation organizations will also report to similar rank flag officers, e.g., patrol & reconnaissance wing commodores reporting to the commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Group (COMPATRECONGRU); training air wing commodores reporting to the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA); tactical air control group commodore reporting to an expeditionary strike group (ESG) commander, etc.

Patrol and reconnaissance group

A patrol and reconnaissance group (PATRECONGRU) consists of two or more patrol and reconnaissance wings under the command of a flag officer at the OF6 (US pay grade O-7) level.

United States Army Aviation Branch

In the United States Army Aviation Branch, a group is a term that has, historically, been used interchangeably with combat aviation brigade or

air division An air division is an air force or naval air formation that is roughly equivalent to an army division. An air division is usually commanded by a major general and it is composed of multiple wings, groups, air brigades, or equivalently-sized air forc ...

United States Space Force

The United States Space Force has a single command echelon known as a delta which combines the group and wing echelons found in air forces.

Naval groups

US Navy Carrier Strike Group (CSG)

A CSG usually consists of one aircraft carrier with an embarked carrier air wing, one or two guided missile cruisers, a destroyer squadron of two or three guided missile destroyers, one or two attack submarines, and a logistics support ship, all under the command of an embarked flag officer at the OF6 (US pay grade O-7) or OF7 (US pay grade O-8) level.

Groups in armies

Within armies and land forces, groups are units or formations that are roughly equivalent to regiments and are commanded by colonels. Groups should not be confused with

army group An army group is a military organization consisting of several field armies, which is self-sufficient for indefinite periods. It is usually responsible for a particular geographic area. An army group is the largest field organization handled by ...

s which are multiple armies commanded by a general or field marshal.

British Army

Many group-sized formations have existed throughout the modern history of the British Army, especially post- Second World War. For instance, following the radical

1966 Defence White Paper The 1966 Defence White Paper (Command Papers 2592 and 2901) was a major review of the United Kingdom's defence policy initiated by the Labour government under Prime Minister Harold Wilson. The review was led by the Secretary of State for Defence, ...

, several signal groups were formed, such as the 1st Signal Group, 2nd Signal Group (Static Communications Network), and 3rd Signal Group.Lord & Watson, pp. 128–130 These formations were all commanded by a Colonel.Royal Corps of Signals Association,
Royal Corps of Signals Journal: The Wire for 1969
'. Retrieved 25 June 2021Royal Corps of Signals Association,
Royal Corps of Signals Journal: The Wire for 1970
'. Retrieved 25 June 2021. Since 2012, several colonel sized groups have been formed, including:

7th Air Defence Group 7th Air Defence Group (7 AD Gp) is a formation of the British Army and part of 3rd (United Kingdom) Division. It is responsible for all the army's ground based air defence assets. All of the organisation's subordinate units are drawn from the Roy ...

and 29th Pre-Hospital Divisional Medical Group.

Canadian Army

By the late 1980s, the doctrinal Canadian Army division organized manoeuvre forces into brigades while division level combat support and combat service support was organized into groups. The doctrinal division would have had an artillery group, an engineer group, and a support group. Present day Canadian Army divisions each contain a division support group commanded by a colonel.

United States Army

In the United States Army, certain non-aviation formations (e.g., currently the

1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) The 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) is a division-level special operations forces command within the United States Army Special Operations Command. The command was first established in 1989 and reorganized in 2014 grouping together the Arm ...

's Special Forces Groups and PSYOP Groups and formerly some Air Defense Artillery, Armored Cavalry, Combat Engineer, Field Artillery, Military Intelligence, Military Police, and Signal Corps units) are/were also organized into groups, vice brigades or regiments. These units are/were generally smaller than brigades, usually consisting of from two to four battalions/squadrons (armored cavalry only), separate companies/batteries (air defense and field artillery)/troops (armored cavalry only), and/or detachments.