Portuguese Army

Portuguese Army
Exército Português

Portuguese Army Coat of Arms
Active 25 July 1139 – present
(875 years, 9 months)
Country Portugal
Type Army
Role Land Force
Size 17,816 [1]
Part of Portuguese Armed Forces
Patron Afonso I of Portugal
Motto Em perigos e guerras esforçados
In dangers and wars strengthened
Engagements Reconquista
1383–1385 Crisis
War of the Castilian Succession
Persia–Portugal war
Ethiopian-Adal War
Dutch–Portuguese War
Turkish-Portuguese Wars
War of the Portuguese Succession
Malayan-Portuguese War
Portuguese Restoration War
War of the Spanish Succession
Seven Years' War
French Revolutionary Wars
War of the Oranges
Peninsular War
Luso-Brazilian invasion
Brazilian War of Independence
Liberal Wars
First Carlist War
World War I
Portuguese-Indian War (1961)
Portuguese Colonial War
IFOR
SFOR
EUFOR
KFOR
Afghanistan War
Peacekeaping Missions
-Angola
-Bosnia
-Croatia
-Macedonia
-Kosovo
-Western Sahara
-East Timor
-Georgia
-Lebanon
-Afghanistan
Commanders
Army Chief of Staff

General Artur Neves Pina Monteiro

Notable
commanders		 Afonso I of Portugal
Nuno Álvares Pereira
John I of Portugal
Afonso de Albuquerque
Costa Gomes

The Portuguese Army (Portuguese: Exército Português) is the ground branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in co-operation with other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the defence of Portugal. It is one of the oldest armies in the world, established in the 12th century.

History

The history of the Portuguese Army is directly connected to the history of Portugal.

National defence

The land forces fought for Portuguese independence against the Leonese and the Moors in the 12th century, against the Castilian invaders in the 14th century, against the Spanish Habsburgs in the 17th century, and against French invaders in the Peninsular War in the 19th century. Here they were re-trained by the British (under the direction of Lieutenant General William Carr Beresford). Their infantry and artillery went on to perform brilliantly up until the final French capitulation in 1814.

Foreign campaigns

Since the 15th century, the land forces have also participated in Portuguese foreign and overseas campaigns – in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Oceania, and Europe. In the 20th century, the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps participated in World War I on the side of the Allies in the European western front and Africa.

Colonial War

The army participated in colonial war from 1961 to 1974, in Angola, Goa, Mozambique, Portuguese Guinea and Cape Verde. At the other oversees possessions, East Timor and São Tomé and Príncipe, there was a military presence but no guerrilla organizations. In 1961, the isolated and relatively small Portuguese Army suffered a defeat against a largely superior Indian Army in the colony of Portuguese India, which was subsequently lost to the Union of India in the same invasion. The counterinsurgency campaigns in Africa had various degrees of success ranging from almost victory in Angola to total and conventional war in Portuguese Guinea. This war ended after the Carnation Revolution military coup of April 1974 in Lisbon and subsequently independence of the colonies.

European/NATO focus

After the independence of the colonies and the normalization of Portuguese political affairs the Portuguese army returned to the barracks and began the process of changing from an oversized colonial and counter-insurgency army to a conventional European army, including drastic personnel reduction, disbanding of some units, acquisition of new arms and equipment, reorganizing units and roles, fielding new headquarters and becoming fully professional. These took several decades and the defined purposes and roles have somehow changed due to external causes like the end of the Cold War as well internal causes like available budget, political changes and the acceptance and desires of the Portuguese people regarding its armed forces.

Peace missions

In the 21st century, the Portuguese Army has participated in several peace missions, including in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, East-Timor, and Afghanistan – where it has a Comandos company deployed. In December 2005, a Portuguese commando died in an incident in Afghanistan when a bomb trap was detonated.

Order of battle

Operational Structure of the Portuguese Army.

Central structure

The Portuguese Army is led by the Army Chief of Staff and includes:

  1. Army Staff (EME);
  2. Functional Commands:
    • Training and Doctrine Command (CmdID)
    • Logistic Command (CmdLog)
    • Personnel Command (CmdPess)
    • Land Forces Command (CFT)
  3. Operational Formations and Military Zones:
  4. Main Military Schools:
    • Military Academy (AM)
    • Army Sergeant School (ESE)
    • School of the Military Medical Service (ESSM)

Base units

Location of the main Army base units in Continental Portugal. Off-map to west are RG1 and RG2 (Azores) and RG3 (Madeira). Colors represent:
- Units of the Mechanized Brigade (BriMec)
- Units of the Rapid Reaction Brigade (BriRR)
- Units of the Intervention Brigade (BrigInt)
- General support units

The Portuguese Army Base Structure Units work as administrative bases responsible for the training and organization of
the operational units of the army's formations, military zones and general support forces. For historical reasons most of the base units are called regiments and are associated with an arm of service. By arm of service, these units are:

  1. Cavalry:
  2. Artillery:
  3. Infantry:
  4. Engineers:
    • 1st Engineers Regiment (RE1) at Lisbon
    • 3rd Engineers Regiment (RE3) at Espinho
  5. Communications:
    • Communications Regiment (RT) at Porto
  6. Material Service:
    • Maintenance Regiment (RMan) at Entroncamento
    • Military Center of Electronics (CME) at Paço de Arcos
  7. Transportation Service
    • Transportation Regiment (RTransp) at Lisbon
  8. Mixed:
    • School of Services (EPS) at Póvoa de Varzim
    • 1st Garrison Regiment (RG1) at Angra do Heroismo
    • 2nd Garrison Regiment (RG2) at Ponta Delgada
    • 3rd Garrison Regiment (RG3) at Funchal
    • Army Intelligence and Military Security Center (CSMIE) at Lisbon
    • School of the Arms (EA) at Mafra
    • Preparatory Core of the Emergency Military Support Regiment (NPRAME) at Abrantes

Ranks

General officers
Marechal do Exército
Marshal of the Army		 General
General		 Tenente-general
Lieutenant-general		 Major-general
Major-general		 Brigadeiro-general
Brigadier General
OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6
Field officers
Coronel
Colonel		 Tenente-coronel
Lieutenant-colonel		 Major
Major
OF-5 OF-4 OF-3
Company officers
Capitão
Captain		 Tenente
Lieutenant		 Alferes
Ensign		 Aspirante a official
Officer candidate
OF-2 OF-1 OF-1 OF-D
Non-commissioned officers
Sargento-mor
Sergeant-major		 Sargento-chefe
Chief Master Sergeant		 Sargento-ajudante
Master sergeant		 Primeiro-sargento
First sergeant		 Segundo-sargento
Second sergeant		 Furriel
Quartermaster		 Segundo-furriel
Second quartermaster
OR-9 OR-8 OR-7 OR-6 OR-5 OR-5 OR-5
Enlisted
Cabo-adjunto
Attached corporal		 Primeiro-cabo
First corporal		 Segundo-cabo
Second corporal		 Soldado
Soldier
OR-4 OR-3 OR-2 OR-1
No insignia

Equipment

Infantry Equipment

Weapon Caliber Origin Notes
Pistols and Submachine Guns
Walther P38 9×19 mm  Germany Service pistol
SIG P228 9×19 mm  Germany
Heckler & Koch USP9 9×19 mm  Germany
Brügger & Thomet MP9 9×19 mm   Switzerland
Heckler & Koch MP5K 9×19 mm  Germany Also the A5 and the SD6 (since 2003) version is in use
IMI Uzi 9×19 mm  Israel Being phased out
Assault Rifles & Battle Rifles
Heckler & Koch G3 7.62×51 mm  Germany Standard issue Battle Rifle, made under license by Fábrica de Braço de Prata as the FMP m/961 (G3) and FMP m/963 (G3A3)
Heckler & Koch HK417 7.62×51 mm  Germany Used as marksman rifle
Heckler & Koch G36 5.56×45 mm  Germany Used by the CTOE
IMI Galil 5.56×45 mm  Israel ARM variant, Paratroopers standard rifle
SIG SG 543 5.56×45 mm   Switzerland
Sniper Rifles & Anti-materiel Rifles
Heckler & Koch MSG-90 7.62×51 mm  Germany Sniper rifle
AI AWSF 7.62×51 mm  United Kingdom
AI AWSM .338 Lapua Magnum  United Kingdom
AI AW50 .50 BMG  United Kingdom
Barrett M95 .50 BMG  United States
Barrett M82A1 .50 BMG  United States
Machine Guns
Rheinmetall MG 3 7.62×51 mm  Germany
Heckler & Koch HK21 7.62×51 mm  Germany Made under license by Fábrica de Braço de Prata as the m/968. General-purpose machine gun
FN Minimi 5.56×45 mm  Belgium General-purpose machine gun
Heckler & Koch MG4 5.56×45 mm  Germany General-purpose machine gun
FN M3M .50 BMG  Belgium
Browning M2HB .50 BMG  United States
Shotguns
Mossberg 500 12, 20 gauge  United States
Benelli M3 12, 20 gauge  Italy
Franchi SPAS 15 12 gauge  Italy
Grenade Launchers
Heckler & Koch HK79 40 mm grenade  Germany
M203 40 mm grenade  United States
Heckler & Koch AG36 40 mm grenade  Germany
ARWEN 37 37 mm grenade  United Kingdom
Milkor MGL 40 mm grenade  South Africa Mk.1 version
Mortars
Tampella B 120 mm  Finland Called m/74
mGrW 82 81 mm  United Kingdom /  Canada
Soltam 60mm 60 mm  Israel
Cardom 120mm  Israel
FBP m/68 60 mm  Portugal Ultra-light mortar (morteirete)
Anti-Tank Weapons
Carl Gustav recoilless rifle 84 mm  Sweden
M72 LAW 66 mm  United States Called m/78
BGM-71 TOW 152 mm  United States 45 Launchers with 216 Missiles
Spike  Israel 20 Spike LR & MR Launchers
MILAN 115 mm  France 755 Missiles 55 Milan+ 700 Milan-2-T

Vehicles

Name Origin Type Number Photo Notes
Armoured vehicles
Leopard 2A6  Germany Main battle tank 37[2] 28 are in 2 combat squadrons, 3 in the Command and Services Squadron
M60 A3 TTS  United States Main battle tank 96 14 are in 1 combat squadron. The others are in reserve
M901A1 ITV  United States Armoured vehicle ATGMs-launcher 4
M113 Armored Personnel Carrier  United States Armoured personnel carrier 277 Called m/76. Includes 251 M113A3 and 26 M557[3]
Pandur II  Austria Armoured personnel carrier 166 + 22 Several versions made under license in Portugal by Fabrequipa. Called m/07. 166 received from the original order of 240. The others were cancelled. 22 more will now be delivered.
Chaimite  Portugal Armoured personnel carrier 80 Called m/67. Retired from service
Commando V150  United States Armoured car 15 Called m/89.
Panhard M11  France Armoured car 38[3] Called m/89 Light.
HMMWV M1025  United States Armoured car 37 Called m/00 .
Engineering vehicles
M88 Recovery Vehicle[3]  United States Armoured recovery vehicle 6
M48 AVLB[3]  United States Armoured vehicle-launched bridge

Tactical Vehicles

Heavy Vehicles

Artillery

Anti-Air Artillery

Others

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Portuguese Army.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.emgfa.pt/pt/organizacao
  2. ↑ Army - armedforces.co.uk, July 29, 2013
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 - Armyrecognition.com, July 29, 2013
  4. ↑ "Curso de Operador de Radares de AAA" [AAA Radar Operator Course]. Portuguese Army. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  5. ↑ "1st Air Defense Regiment, Portuguese Army Testimonial". Griffin Aerospace. Retrieved April 17, 2014.

External links