British Section:
Late and Post–Cold War:
The British Army fully adopting the L85 A1 system (SA80) in 1987 the standard British infantry section comprised of the following loadout and breakdown.
A section consists of eight soldiers, divided into a Charlie and Delta fireteam with each team comprising an NCO and three other men. Rifle platoon compised of three sections.
The normal section organisation during the late 1980s, the 1990s, and the early 2000s was as follows
Charlie Fireteam
Section Commander/Charlie Commander (Corporal) armed with an L85A1 5.56mm rifle
Two Riflemen armed with L85A1 5.56mm rifles
Gunner armed with an L86A1 5.56mm light support weapon ( Due to the lack of firepower normally replaced by L7A2 7.62mm general-purpose machine gun and later officially replaced by the L110A1 5.56mm light machine gun circ 2003)
Delta Fireteam
Section 2IC/Delta Commander (Lance Corporal) armed with an L85A1 5.56mm rifle
Two Riflemen armed with L85A1 5.56mm rifles
Gunner armed with an L86A1 5.56mm light support weapon ( Due to the lack of firepower normally replaced by L7A2 7.62mm general-purpose machine gun and later officially replaced by the L110A1 5.56mm light machine gun circ 2003)
For Anti Tank protection the section would also carry 2 LAW 80 (L1A1) HEAT distributed to two of the riflemen, normally one in each fireteam but this could be changed to support an assaulting force.