The Intervention Brigade (Brigada de Intervenção or BrigInt) is a mechanized infantry brigade in service with the Portuguese Army. It was created in 2006 from the Brigada de Intervenção Ligeira (Light Intervention Brigade), which was itself the heir of the former Special Forces Brigade (Brigada de Forças Especiais).
It is organized and equipped much like a Stryker brigade of the US Army, with wheeled armored vehicles. The brigade is based in Coimbra and has several territorial (army base structure) subordinate units. Regimento de Infantaria Nº 13 in Vila Real, Regimento de Infantaria Nº 14 in Viseu, Regimento de Infantaria Nº 19 in Chaves, Regimento de Cavalaria Nº.6 at Braga, Regimento de Engenharia Nº3 at Espinho and Regimento de Artilharia Antiaérea Nº.1 at Queluz.
The operational units of the brigade are:
The Intervention Brigade (IntBde) is being equipped with the Pandur 8X8 II APC armored vehicle, being license built in Portugal. The Pandur II 8x8 will equip the 1st and 2nd Infantry Battalion, the Reconnaissance Troop, the Mobile Gun System Squadron, the Service Support Battalion as well as the signals and engineer companies. A new MGS is being negotiated to equip the MGS Squadron. A Pandur II 8x8 version is a possibility.
The Field Artillery Battalion (FAB)is currently equipped with the M114 155 mm howitzer, although there are plans to replace these with more modern towed howitzers. The Anti-areal Artillery Battery is equipped with the MIM-72 Chaparral missile. There are plans to equip the battery with the AN/TWQ-1 Avenger system in the near future.
Some of the IntBde equipment includes the Heckler & Koch G3 rifle, Rheinmetall MG 3 machine guns, M2 Browning machine gun, 120mm mortars, 81mm mortars, MILAN anti-tank missile launchers, Pandur II 8X8 APC, V200 APC (Chaimite), MGS v150, and a variety of wheeled tactical vehicles (soft skin).