Squadron
A Squadron is a small unit or formation of cavalry , aircraft , naval vessels .
A cavalry squadron (horse or armoured ) typically consists of three to five troops . In the United States Army , a squadron is the Armor Branch equivalent of a battalion of infantry or artillery ; in the British Army , it is the counterpart of an infantry company or artillery battery .
An air force , army aviation or naval aviation squadron typically consists of three or four flights , with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, depending on aircraft type and air force. In the Imperial Japanese Army in the Second World War , three air squadrons were assigned to each air regiment . Some air forces (including the Royal Air Force and United States Air Force ) also use the term for a ground unit.
In Britain, the designation is also used for company-sized units in the Special Air Service , Royal Engineers , Royal Corps of Signals , Royal Army Medical Corps and Royal Logistic Corps , and formerly of the now defunct Royal Corps of Transport , as well as some units in the Royal Marines .
A naval squadron is more of an ad hoc formation. The only requirement for a grouping of ships to be a squadron is that at least two must be capital ships (battleships , battlecruisers , cruisers , or aircraft carriers ). In the United States Navy , several ships of a similar type, such as submarines and destroyers, are administered as squadrons.
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