infantrysupport

Infantry support is a military concept describing the range of units, systems, and capabilities that enable infantry forces to operate more effectively on the battlefield. It covers direct weapons, indirect fire, mobility, protection, and sustainment provided to infantry units.

Key components include direct fire support such as light and medium machine guns, automatic rifles, grenade launchers; indirect fire support provided by mortars and artillery; reconnaissance and targeting assets; engineering support (mobility, fortifications, breaching); medical and casualty evacuation; and logistic sustainment (ammunition, fuel, rations). In practice, these functions are delivered by a mix of organic infantry assets and joint or supporting arms.

Doctrine typically distinguishes between fire support and support by infantry; staff planners coordinate equipment and units to provide a protective umbrella and enable assault. Over time, infantry support has evolved from reliance on heavy weapons and static fortifications to integrated, multi-domain operations including air and drone assets, precision munitions, and networked command and control.

In contemporary usage, infantry support is not a single unit type but a cross-functional role within combined arms formations. In gaming and popular culture, the term is often used to describe units or abilities that bolster infantry with firepower, mobility, or healing, reflecting the same underlying idea of enabling ground troops to operate more effectively.