Portuguese Army
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (April 2019) |
Portuguese Army | |
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Exército Português | |
The Portuguese Army (Portuguese: Exército Português) is the land component of the Armed Forces of Portugal and is also its largest branch. It is charged with the defence of Portugal, in co-operation with other branches of the Armed Forces. With its origins going back to the 12th century, it can be considered one of the oldest active armies in the world.[2]
The Portuguese Army is commanded by the Chief of Staff of the Army (CEME), a subordinate of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces for the operational matters and a direct subordinate of the
Presently, the Portuguese Army is an entirely professional force made of career personnel (
As 2014, the Portuguese Army employed 5,667 career personnel and 10,444 volunteers, this representing a total of 16,111 military personnel. Of the total military personnel, 2,669 were officers, 3,917 were NCOs and 9,595 were other ranks. Further, the Army also included 1,897 civilian employees.
Current deployments
National deployed forces
The national deployed forces (forças nacionais destacadas or FND) are units or teams deployed by the Portuguese Armed Forces in foreign missions, mostly in the scope of NATO, the United Nations or the European Union. Currently, the Portuguese Army maintains forces or elements deployed in the following international missions:
- Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq
- Operation Gallant Phoenix in Jordan
- NATO – Enhanced Vigilance Activity in Romania
- NATO – Tailored Forward Presence in Romania
- Takuba Task Force in Mali
- Insurgency in Cabo Delgado in Mozambique
- MINUSCA in the Central African Republic
- MINUSMA in Mali
- UN Verification Mission in Colombia
- EUTM-Somaliain Somalia
- EUTM Maliin Mali
- EUTM RCA in Central African Republic
- EUTM Mozambique in Mozambique
Technical-military cooperation
The technical-military cooperation (cooperação técnico-militar or CTM) are the military missions permanently maintained by Portugal in several members of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries to train and support their national armed forces. Currently, the Portuguese Army maintains elements deployed in the following CTM missions:
- CTM Angola
- CTM Cape Verde
- CTM Guinea-Bissau
- CTM Mozambique
- CTM São Tomé and Príncipe
- CTM Timor-Leste
History
The Portuguese Army has a long history, directly connected to the history of Portugal since its early beginnings.
Middle Ages
The Portuguese Army has its remote origins in the military forces of the County of Portugal that allowed its ruler, Afonso Henriques, to obtain its independence from the Kingdom of León and to enlarge its territory in the 12th century. The victory of the Portuguese forces in the Battle of São Mamede, on 24 June 1128, is considered the seminal event for the foundation of an independent Portugal, leading to Afonso Henriques to style himself as Prince.
The Portuguese forces were also involved in the
Under the Treaty of Zamora, signed on 5 October 1143, Portugal was officially recognized as an independent Kingdom.
In 1147, an important step in the Reconquista is done, with the conquest of the city of Lisbon to the moors. The Portuguese part of the Reconquista would finally come to an end in 1249, with the complete recapture of the Algarve.
The Portuguese ground forces of that time were initially formed by military contingents provided by the landlords (
In the 14th century, the Portuguese troops
Organization of the Portuguese military developed during the Middle Ages, leading to a more complex structure and the consequent creation of new command offices. Thus, in 1383, the office of Constable of Portugal was created, replacing the Alferes-Mor as the head of the military. The Constable was assisted by the Marshal of Portugal.
Other Portuguese important military offices that existed were those of fronteiro-mor (theatre commander of the forces operating in a province), of Coudel-Mor (superintendent of the cavalry) and of Anadel-Mor (superintendent of the shooters). The Anadel-Mor, by himself, superintended the commanders (anadéis) of the king's crossbowmen, of the horse crossbowmen and of the municipal crossbowmen.[2]
Overseas expansion
With the start of the
Reflecting the importance of the artillery, in 1449, the role of Vedor-Mor da Artilharia (Superintendent of the Artillery) is established by King Afonso V, with the responsibility for the procurement and conservation of the artillery.
After a number of previous failed attempts, King
During the reign of Sebastian, Portuguese land forces also adopted the terço (modeled after the Spanish tercio) as its main infantry formation. In 1578, for the Moroccan campaign, four provincial terços were raised through the Ordenanças system, another one was drawn from young nobles volunteers and a further three were made up of foreign mercenaries. Each of these terços was made of 12 companies and around 3000 men (pikemen, arquebusiers and musketeers), under the command of a colonel. In respect of the Portuguese cavalry of the time, it included the acorbetados (heavy armored cavalry) and the ginetes (light cavalry).
The advanced organization of the Portuguese forces, however, was not sufficient to avoid the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Alcácer Quibir with the death of the young and childless King Sebastian. His death soon led to the takeover of the Portuguese Crown by Philip II of Spain in 1580, consolidated after the defeat of the Portuguese resistance, led by António of Portugal, in the War of the Portuguese Succession. These events originated the 60-year-long Iberian Union, period in which the interests of Portugal became subordinated to those of Spain, causing a sharp decline in its economical, political and social might.
Restoration War
With Portugal subject to the Spanish kings, the early 17th century was a period of neglect of the Portuguese military. Portuguese forces were mobilized to fight for Spain in its campaigns in several theatres. By contrast, almost no military support was received from Spain for the defense of the Portuguese Empire, which came under successive attacks by Spain's enemies, in particular the English and the Dutch. As a result, Portugal suffered a series of military set backs, losing several territories in Africa, in Asia and in America.
On 1 December 1640, the Portuguese revolted and restored their full independence, under the leadership of the Duke of Braganza, who was crowned as King John IV of Portugal. The Portuguese Restoration War then started, with the Portuguese Army defeating the Spanish Army in a series of military campaigns, until achieving the final victory in 1668. At the same time, the Portuguese defeated the Dutch in a series of overseas campaigns, recovering most of its territories in Africa and South America.
At the moment of the Restoration of Portuguese independence, the country's ground forces were reduced to around 2000 ill-equipped men. The Ordenanças had been neglected and virtually disappeared. A new military organization had then to be built. By this time, ground forces started to be referred to as the Exército (Army). The high command structure of the new military organization had a Council of War (Conselho de Guerra) as the supreme military body of the country. The Monarch delegated most of his military roles in this council, including the responsibility for military organization, commission of officers, military operations planning, building of fortifications and military justice. The role of Captain-General of the Arms of the Kingdom was created to serve as the commander-in-chief of the Army, at the same time presiding over the Council of War. Under the Captain-General, there was a military territorial organization that included a general officer governor of arms for each of the six provinces (Entre-Douro e Minho, Trás-os-Montes, Beira, Estremadura, Alentejo and Algarve) and under them, a military governor for each of the 25 comarcas.
This system of forces – approved by the Portuguese Cortes (Parliament) in 1642 – had one of the most advanced organizations of the time, including three lines or classes of troops. The organization of the forces established at this time would remain almost unchanged until the disbandment of the Army in 1837, after the end of the Civil War.
The first line was made up of the paid troops (professional troops), which included terços of infantry and independent companies of horse (
The second line was made up of the auxiliary troops that formed the reserve of the Army, being able to assume the same role as the troops of the first line, if necessary. The soldiers of the auxiliary troops were recruited among the orphans, farmers and married men, these only being paid if engaged in campaign. Its officers were taken from the paid troops. Initially, the auxiliary troops were organized in independent companies, several of which were grouped under the command of each of the 25 military governors of comarca. In 1661, the role of governor of comarca was disbanded, with the companies of auxiliary troops being grouped into 25 auxiliary terços.
Finally, the third line was made up of the rebuilt Ordenanças. These were intended to include all the eligible men of the country, serving as a recruitment depot to provide men to the first and second lines of the army. Besides the role of recruitment depots, its units could occasionally be actively employed in the garrison of fortresses or in local defense roles. The Ordenanças continued to follow the organization established by King Sebastian, with their basic units being the companies of 250 men, grouped in captaincies. In the city of Lisbon, whose inhabitants were exempt from being draft for the auxiliary troops, the Ordenanças had a special organization, constituting five terços commanded by colonels.[3]
The Restoration War also obliged the incorporation of foreign troops into the Army. In 1641, these included eight French regiments (five of light cavalry, one of carabineers, one of dragoons and the other of infantry), two Dutch cavalry regiments, one Irish infantry regiment, one Scottish infantry regiment and one Italian infantry regiment.
Military forces were also organized in the overseas territories of Portugal, especially in Brazil, where the European Portuguese military organization with three classes of troops was replicated, although with local adaptations. In Brazil, terços of whites, Native Americans and blacks were raised. The Brazilian colonial forces successfully defeated and expelled the Dutch invaders not only from Brazil, but also constituted the bulk of the expedition to Africa that expelled the Dutch from São Tomé Island and from Angola, restoring Portuguese sovereignty in those territories.
Ancien Régime
In the early 18th century, the Portuguese Army participated in the War of the Spanish Succession on the side of the Grand Alliance forces. In the middle of the century, it took part in the Seven Years' War, fighting the Spanish in the European theater (Iberian Peninsula) and in the South American theater.
In 1707, with the Portuguese Army engaged in the War of the Spanish Succession, King
In the scope of the
In 1790, Queen
Besides the Army in Europe, the armies of the Crown of Portugal also included military forces and garrisons in the Portuguese Overseas territories. These forces formed separate organizations subordinated to the local Portuguese
Peninsular War
At the end of the 18th century, Portugal joined in the
The experience from the Roussillon campaign highlighted some gaps in the Portuguese Army, including the lack of light infantry troops. This led to the inclusion of a
The Portuguese Army underwent a major reorganization in 1807, being focused mainly on the territorial military division of the country, for recruitment, mobilization and training purposes, taking advantage of the data obtained in the 1801 census about the number and distribution of the Portuguese population. The country was divided into three grand military divisions (North, Center and South), these being in turn subdivided into 24 recruiting districts called Ordenança brigades. This geometrical division was established so that each Ordenança brigade would cover an identical population and would be responsible for the raising of a line infantry and two militia regiments. Each grand division then included eight line infantry regiments (grouped in four brigades), four cavalry regiments, one artillery regiment, eight militia regiments and four Ordenanças brigades. The South Division included further the Legion of Light Troops and a second artillery regiment. The existing line infantry, cavalry and artillery regiments were kept, but became numbered instead of being designated after their garrison places or the name of their commanding officers as they were previously. Lisbon's inhabitants also became eligible to be drafted for the Militias, with two regiments being created in the city (the regiments of Royal Volunteers of Foot Militias of Eastern and Western Lisbon). The Army was then to be composed of 24 infantry, 12 cavalry, four artillery and 48 militias regiments, the Legion of Light Troops, the 24 Ordenanças brigades, the Army military corps (Army Staff, Engineers, Fortresses Staff, Fortress fixed garrisons, Guides and Artificiers) and the Army civil corps (Treasury, Hospitals, Hospital Guardianship, Transportation and Army Police). Shortly afterwards, a militia cavalry regiment (the Regiment of Royal Volunteers of Horse Militias) was raised in Lisbon and added to the Army.
The transference of the Portuguese Government and Crown to Brazil meant that some of the most important military officers were also transferred. Most of the remaining more experienced officers and best units of the Army were ordered by the French occupant authorities to form the
In 1809, following the
South American campaigns
The Portuguese Royal Court and Government install themselves in Brazil from 1808, with
With the presence of the Royal Court and of a high number of Portuguese Army officers that accompanied it, the military organization of Brazil is developed, with its ground forces now being frequently referred as the "
Liberal Wars
From 1828 to 1834, occurred the
As early as 1835, the new organized Army sends an expeditionary division to Spain, to support the Spanish liberals and their Queen Isabel II, in the Carlist War. For several years, the Portuguese Army would also be involved in a number of internal civil conflicts that erupted as remnants of the Liberal Wars. These included the Revolution of Maria da Fonte and the Patuleia.
The Royalist Army (Exército Realista) that fought on the Miguelite side resulted essentially from the reorganization of the Portuguese Army established by King Michael I in 1829. The main changes implemented in this reorganization were the formal disbandment of the military units that joined the liberal side, the change of the line regiments designation system (the units ceased to be identified by numbers and come to be again designated by the names of their garrison places) and the creation of four regiments of caçadores from the four battalions of caçadores that remained loyal to Michael. The first line of the Army thus included eight cavalry, 16 infantry, four caçadores and three artillery regiments, the Engineers Battalion and the Telegraph Corps. The Militias and Ordenanças were maintained with the previous organization, but were joined by a newly raised volunteers corps (the Corps of Royalist Volunteers), that included around 40 battalions and a number of independent companies of cavalry and caçadores.
The army raised by the Liberals to fight the Miguelites came to be known as the "Liberator Army" (Exército Libertador). It started to be raised from the military units stationed in the
The transformation of the Liberator Army into the new Portuguese Army occurred by the organization established in July 1834. By this organization, the Army included the General Staff, the Staff Corps, the Engineering Corps (including a staff and the Sappers Battalion), the Artillery Corps (including a grand staff and two regiments), six regiments of cavalry, 12 regiments of infantry, four regiments of light infantry or caçadores and the military intendancy. The infantry regiments would form six brigades grouped in three divisions, the light infantry regiments would form two brigades grouped in a light division and the cavalry regiments would form three brigades. Each province continued to have a military governor, that commanded the troops stationed there and that were not assigned to a special purpose division. The artillery, cavalry, infantry and light infantry regiments would be numbered. Despite several of these regiments originated from units of the previous Liberator Army, they received numbers identical to those once used by the old disbanded regiments to whom they were not related. Besides the previous referred corps and units, the Army also included the fortresses staffs, the secretariats, the academies, the Military College, the arsenals and trains, the Telegraph Corps, training depots, the Veterinary School, veterans, invalids and fortress garrisons.
Constitutional Monarchy
After the gradual stabilization of the Constitutional Monarchic regime after the Liberal Wars and with no imminent perceived immediate threats against the Portuguese European territory, the Army will focus on internal security duties and in the organizations of military expeditions to overseas.
The first major re-organization of the Army after its transformation from the previous Liberator Army, occurred as soon as 1837. The cavalry started to be organized in eight regiments, of which four would be of lancers and the others of caçadores a cavalo (mounted rifles). The infantry ceased to have regiments and become organized in 30 independent battalions, of which 10 would be of caçadores (numbered 6 to 25) and the others would be of line infantry (numbered 1 to 5 and 26 to 30). The artillery started to include four regiments, one of which was of horse and mounted artillery and the others were of garrison artillery.
In 1837, a deep reformation of the military higher education also occurred. The previous Royal Academy of Fortification, Artillery and Design was transformed into the new Escola do Exército (Army School), intended to train the Army officers and also to train civil engineers. The old Royal Academy of the Navy was replaced by the new Escola Politécnica (Polytechnic School), intended to serve as an undergraduate preparatory establishment for the access to the Army School and also to the Naval School.
The infantry came to be again organized in regiments in 1842. It now included the Queen's Grenadiers Regiment, 16 line infantry regiments and 18 caçadores battalions. The Queen's Grenadiers was a special regiment responsible to serve as the royal guard of Queen Mary II. In 1855, it would however cease to have a special status and be transformed into a regular line infantry regiment.
Until the 1840s and to face the internal troubles caused by the political instability that followed the Liberal Wars, the Army continued to be reinforced with units of volunteers, generically referred as the "national battalions". These included units of infantry, caçadores, artillery and cavalry, raised through all the country.
The inexistence of nationwide gendarmerie, meant that the Army would partially be employed in that role, mainly in the rural areas of the country. So, most of the Army units were frequently requested by the local administrative authorities to maintain public order and to perform other police duties, employing in these services an important part of their personnel.
The national defense strategy of the late 19th century focused mainly on the defense of Lisbon, as the major populational, economical and political center of the country and its only part considered defendable against possible aggression from a major power. Lisbon was so transformed in a national redoubt, with a modern system of fortifications built around the city, equipped with advanced systems of armament and communications. This fortified system protected the city against both land and sea attacks and became known as the Lisbon Entrenched Camp.
The last Army organizations in the Monarchy occurred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. By that time, the Army was administratively organized in three grand military circumscriptions (North, Center and South), each including two military territorial divisions, plus two military commands (Azores and Madeira). Distributed by the several territorial divisions, there were four cavalry brigades and 12 infantry brigades, each including two regiments. Each division, brigade and military command had its own headquarters. The Lisbon Entrenched Camp constituted a separate military command headed by a general, with its own permanent garrison artillery and engineering units. In 1901, the units of Army included one engineering regiment (with sappers-miners, pontoneers, telegraph and railway companies), three engineering independent companies (fortress sappers, torpedoes and fortress telegraph), six mounted artillery regiments, one
Colonial pacification campaigns
From the second half of the 19th century until the beginning of the 20th century, the Portuguese Army focused in a number of colonial pacification campaigns in Africa and in Asia. In the 1840s, the Portuguese forces in Macau face several conflicts, including internal insurrections and Chinese threats, being able to maintain the Portuguese sovereignty in the territory. In India, the Portuguese Army had to face several uprisings of local military units. In Africa, the Portuguese forces organize a number of campaigns intended to suppress tribal uprisings and to expand the hinterland controlled by the Portuguese authorities. These campaigns intensify especially after the beginning of the Scramble for Africa in 1881, to protect the Portuguese territorial claims that were being threatened by other European colonial powers. The success of the Portuguese advance to the interior of Africa led to Portugal reclaiming the sovereignty over the whole African hinterland between Angola and Mozambique. This claim collided however with the British interests on the same territory, leading to the 1890 British Ultimatum, forcing the withdrawal of the Portuguese forces from those areas. The most important pacification campaigns occurred in Mozambique and in Angola in the 1890s. In Mozambique, the Portuguese Army faces the powerful Gungunhana, tribal emperor of Gaza that rebelled against Portugal. Gungunhana is finally defeated and captured at Chaimite in 1895.
The military forces of the Portuguese Overseas, continued to constitute separate organizations, distinct from the so-called Army of Portugal or Army of the Kingdom. As so, they were not subordinated to the War Ministry, but instead they were under the supervision of the
Later, the military forces of the Overseas suffer several reorganizations. In 1876, the Overseas Infantry Regiment was created. This regiment had its home garrison in Lisbon, but deployed its forces to the Overseas. Two of its battalions were always deployed in India and Macau, on rotation. This regiment would be disbanded in 1892 and replaced by the Overseas Enlisted Depot.
From the end of the 19th century, the whole of Overseas forces started to be collectively referred as the Exército Ultramarino (Overseas Army) or Exército Colonial (Colonial Army), to distinguish it from the Army in the Metropole (European Portugal) that was now frequently referred as the Exército Metropolitano (Metropolitan Army). A major reorganization of these forces, occurs between 1895 and 1901, taking advantage of the experience obtained in the colonial campaigns that were on course. The organization of the military forces of the Overseas established in 1901 included the headquarters of the overseas provinces and autonomous district, first-line garrisons, military organized corps of police and customs guard, disciplinary corps, military courts, war material depots, fortresses and strongpoints staffs, health service, military administration services, the Overseas Enlisted Depot, retirees and second-line troops. The governors-general of province (Angola, Mozambique and India), the governors of province (Cape Verde, Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe and Macau) and the governor of autonomous district (Timor) continued to be the superior commanders of the military forces in their respective provinces and district, with the same role as a general commanding a division, superintending the respective headquarters. The governors of subordinate districts were the commanders of the garrisons in their districts, with the role of a general commanding a brigade. The first line units included three mixed batteries of mountain and garrison artillery (in Angola, Mozambique and India), one European company of garrison artillery (in Macau), one Indigenous company of garrison artillery (in Cape Verde), six mixed companies of mountain artillery and infantry (one in Guinea, two in Angola, one in Mozambique and two in Timor), two mixed companies of garrison artillery and infantry (in São Tomé and Príncipe and Mozambique), three squadrons of dragoons (one in Angola and two in Mozambique), four independent platoons of dragoons (two in Guinea, one in India and one in Timor), six European companies of infantry (one in Cape Verde, one in Angola, two in Mozambique, one in India and one in Macau), 32 Indigenous companies of infantry (16 in Angola, 10 in Mozambique and six in India), six corps of police (in Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Angola, Mozambique, India and Macau), two disciplinary battalions (in Angola and Mozambique), eight depot companies (four in Angola and four in Mozambique), five European music bands (three in Angola and two in Mozambique) and four Indigenous music bands (in Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, India and Macau).
World War I
The period before
Portugal participated in
The republican reform of the Army implemented between January and May 1911 did not change deeply the organization of the last years of the Monarchy, the changes being especially the honors, disciplinary and conscription systems, with the transformation of a mainly professional army into a mainly militia army. Notable changes in the organization included the increase of the number of divisions and regiments, the extinction of the traditional caçadores units, the creation of independent units of machineguns (being part of the infantry, but organized in batteries as the artillery) and the subdivision of the artillery arm in two almost separate branches (the field artillery and the foot artillery, this last being mainly a weapon engineering and technical branch, but being also responsible for the operation of the heavy guns of the garrison and coastal artillery). By this organization, the Metropolitan Army included the general officers, the Staff Service, the several arms and services (the engineering, artillery, cavalry and infantry arms, the military health, military veterinary and military administration services, the military secretariat and the auxiliary staffs), the Army general services (War Secretariat, Army Staff, headquarters and military territorial commands, military courts and justice, military schools, retirees companies and military invalids asylum) and the services of the Lisbon Entrenched Camp. The Army troops included the active troops, the reserve troops and the territorial troops. The active troops included eight divisions (each with four infantry regiments, one machinegun batteries group, one mounted artillery regiment and a cavalry regiment) and a cavalry brigade (with three cavalry regiments), plus non-divisionary engineering troops (eight companies of sappers-miners, eight divisionary sections of bridges, eight sections of floodlights, ten sections of field telegraphists, one bridge park, one wireless telegraph company, one balloon company, one railway companies group and one fortress telegraphists company, the majority of these units being administratively grouped in two sappers-miners and one pontoneers battalions), artillery troops (two mountain artillery regiments, one horse batteries group, two howitzers batteries groups and three independent mountain batteries), infantry troops (three infantry regiments and three independent machinegun companies), health service troops (eight health companies, administratively grouped in three companies groups) and military administration troops (eight supply companies and eight transportation companies, grouped in three military administration companies groups).
Adjustments to the above organization would later be done in the Army. These included the creation of the Military Aeronautical Service in May 1914, following the development of the military aviation that was happening. An aviation unit would integrate the Portuguese Forces campaigning in East Africa and Portuguese pilots would fight in the Western Front integrated in French aviation squadrons. Later, in 1924, the Army aviation would gain the status of a full arm of service (known as the "Military Aeronautics" or "aeronautics arm") as were the engineering, artillery, cavalry and infantry.
For the African campaigns, the local Portuguese colonial forces were reinforced with military expeditions sent from the European Portugal. These expeditions were made of infantry battalions, cavalry squadrons and artillery batteries detached from their parent regiments in European Portugal. Usually, each regiment deployed its 3rd battalion. Around 15 000 men were deployed to Angola and 17 000 to Mozambique. For the European Western Front, around 60 000 men were deployed in two expeditionary forces: the
Inter-wars and World War II period
On 28 May 1926, an Army led
One of the first measures of the new regime was the rationalization and re-organization of the Army, taking into account the lessons learned in the participation in the World War I. The basis of the organization established in July 1926 will prevail, although with diverse and successive adjustments, until the 1990s. The Swiss-inspired concept of a militia army is abandoned and replaced by a mixed model, capable of allowing the rapid engagement of operational forces, which had proven difficult with the previous model. Two types of units came into existence. The first was the territorial units spread across the territory, including the regiments of the several arms, that continued to serve mainly as training and mobilization centers, with a small permanent staff of professional officers and NCOs responsible for the annual training of conscripts. The second type was units permanently maintained in a higher state of readiness, with their effectiveness in time of peace being almost identical to those planned for war. These last units consisted mainly in 10 border defense reinforced battalions (with the title caçadores being recovered to designate these units) and in two brigades of cavalry. No divisions or other field formations, besides the two cavalry brigades, would be permanently maintained active, only being raised if needed. The number of military units was decreased, the territorial divisions were abolished, with the territory of Continental Portugal becoming divided in four military regions and in the Military Government of Lisbon (this one having both the role of military region and the role of the abolished Lisbon Entrenched Camp command).
The Army would suffer another major reorganization in 1937. This reorganization kept the major features of the previous one. Regarding the ground forces, the major changes were the reduction of the number of infantry regiments, from 22 to 16 and the raising of armored units. The militia-type
During World War II, to deter a possible invasion of the Portuguese islands and overseas territories, the Army had to send several military expeditions to reinforce the local defense forces. As part of the defense measures of the Overseas, the colonial military forces were transitorily placed under the control of the Army, although continuing to be separate from it. The larger contingent of expeditionary forces went to the Azores, with its Army garrison achieving the 35 000 men. The defense of the Azores was crucial as these islands were planned to serve as retreat point and base of the Portuguese Government in case of an enemy occupation of Continental Portugal. Besides this, the Portuguese authorities received intelligence about the existence of both Axis and Allied plans to occupy the islands (including the planned British operations Alloy, Shrapnell, Brisk, Thruster, Springboard and Lifebelt, the US operation
Early Cold War
In 1949, Portugal was one of the founding members of NATO. In the peak of the Cold War, the Portuguese Army focused on the preparation for a conventional or even nuclear warfare in Europe, during the 1950s. As part of this preparation, the Portuguese Army increasingly aligned with the doctrine, organization, training and equipment model of the United States Army. In 1950, the Portuguese Armed Forces were created as an integrated organization, with the operational command responsibilities of the Army and the Navy being increasingly transferred to unified bodies of command. The Colonial Military Forces are finally merged with the Metropolitan Army, with a single common Army existing since then, both in the Metropolis (European Portugal) and in the Overseas territories. In 1952, the Military Aeronautics arm is completely separated from the Army – at the same time absorbing the Portuguese Naval Aviation – and becomes the autonomous Portuguese Air Force. However, at the same time, the Army activated a small light aviation service for artillery observation and maintained it until 1955, when it was disbanded and its aircraft transferred to the Air Force.
With the creation of the roles of
In the early 1950s, the Portuguese Government committed itself with NATO with an ambitious plan to raise 10 divisions, of which five would be stronger field divisions (known as "American type") to constitute an expeditionary army corps to operate under the
Overseas wars
In December 1961, the small garrisons of the Portuguese Army in the Portuguese India had to face an
The 1950s, saw a deep reorganization of the military forces in Portugal. The Armed Forces were established as an integrated organization in 1950, encompassing the already existing Army and Navy (to which the newly created Air Force was added in 1952), under the overall command of the Minister of National Defense and the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. The ground forces in the Overseas were finally merged with the Metropolitan Army, with a single Portuguese Army existing from then on. The establishment of the integrated Armed Forces led to the creation of the permanent roles of commander-in-chief to serve as the unified operational commanders of all the ground, air and naval forces stationed in each of the Overseas provinces. These commanders-in-chief will soon increase their operational importance over the local service commanders, with the Army territorial commands in each province going to have mere logistical responsibilities. In the scope of the peak of the Cold War, the organization of the Portuguese Army in the Overseas was built with a concern on the imminent threat of war in Europe, compared with a perception of the existence of a low risk of conflicts in the Overseas provinces themselves. So, the Overseas forces were re-organized going from a focus on the internal security to a focus on the conventional warfare, at the same time being oriented to be able to reinforce the Army in Europe and not the opposite. As part of these, the previous military organization based in small company-sized units scattered along the territory was replaced by an organization based in battalion and even regiment-sized units concentrated in the main cities. In Angola and Mozambique, this structure was designed to allow the raising of entire field divisions to be deployed to European Portugal in case of a conventional warfare with the Warsaw Pact.
In the early 1960s, however, there was already a perception that guerrilla type conflicts would erupt in some of the Portuguese African territories, leading the Portuguese Army to re-orient its strategy and reorganize its forces in the Overseas, at the same type preparing its forces in Europe to be able reinforce the Overseas. As part of this, the 9th Infantry Regiment in Lamego was transformed in the Special Operations Training Centre, intended to provide counter insurgency and guerrilla warfare training. The Army territorial organization that was implemented when the Overseas war erupted, divided the Portuguese national territory (Metropolitan and Overseas) in military regions (that could be subdivided in territorial commands) and in independent territorial commands. Angola and Mozambique constituted military regions commanded by generals, subdivided in territorial commands, while the other Overseas provinces – including Portuguese Guinea – constituted independent territorial commands (The exception was São Tomé and Príncipe which constituted a territorial command of the Angolan military region, until becoming an independent command in 1962). The Overseas military regions and territorial commands included units of the normal garrison (regiments, battalions and others), which constituted the permanent territorial administrative bodies responsible for the mobilization and preparation of active troops.
The active troops themselves were organized in formations and units raised by the normal garrison units. Besides the local raised active units, many of these were raised by the European Portuguese regiments and deployed to the Overseas, being referred as "reinforcement units". The active units were temporary units – mainly formed with conscripts framed by a small
The majority of the caçadores units were deployed in grid (quadrícula), being scattered through the theatres, with each unit being responsible for the counterinsurgency activities in a given area of responsibility. Usually a caçadores battalion was responsible for a sector, having its companies disperse through the sector, each one being responsible for its own sub-sector. Sometimes, several battalion sectors were grouped in a larger battlegroup area of responsibility. The grid units were often reinforced with artillery, armored reconnaissance and other types of units. Besides the grid units, there were also the intervention forces that were held in reserve by the commands to intervene in any part of the theaters, usually in offensive operations or in the temporary reinforcement of grid units under heavy attack. Most of the intervention forces were units of special forces, but some selected caçadores units also served in this role. By 1974, as active units in the field, the Army had six Commando companies, eight battlegroup headquarters, 35 caçadores battalions headquarters and 180 caçadores companies in the Angolan theatre, one Commando battalion, four battlegroup headquarters, 18 caçadores battalion headquarters and 80 caçadores companies in the Guinean theatre and one Commando battalion, four battlegroups headquarters, 28 caçadores battalions headquarters and 120 caçadores companies in the Mozambican theatre, besides a number of active units of artillery, armor, engineering and other branches, units of normal garrison units and of other bodies.
Late Cold War
After the independence of most of the Portuguese overseas territories in the 1974–1975 period and after 500 years of being a multi-continental country, Portugal became again mainly confined to its European territory. After the end of the political instability period that followed the Carnation Revolution and the tutelage of the Armed Forces over the new regime, 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 reductions, disbanding of some units, acquisition of new arms and equipment, reorganizing units and roles and fielding new headquarters. In the late 1970s and in the 1980s, the main concern of the Army became again the possible conflict with the Warsaw Pact in Europe, in the scope of the latest period of the Cold War. The Army continued to be mainly staffed with conscripts, framed by a core of professional officers and NCOs.
The Army kept the previous basic administrative and territorial organization. The Army Ministry was formally disbanded in 1974, but its structure continued to exist, with some adjustments, under the management of the Chief of Staff of the Army, who gained the status of minister. The Army and the other branches of the Armed Forces would only be administratively integrated in the new
Units and formations in the 1980s
Traditionally the Portuguese Army maintained (until 2009) two distinct structures. A Base Structure of the Army (Estrutura Base do Exército (EBE)) included the depot units (regiments, centers and schools), which had responsibilities to train, arm and support troops, maintain military infrastructure and support the civilian population during emergencies.
A Permanent Operational Force of the Army (Força Operacional Permanente do Exército) included the operational units of the Army.
By the late 1980s, there were two brigades directly responsible to the Army Staff, the 1st Independent Mixed Brigade (established 11 May 1978) and the Special Forces Brigade (formed 3 July 1984, based upon the mechanised Commando Regiment), four military regions, and two overseas military zones.[5]
- 1st Independent Mixed Brigade
- Headquarters
- Armoured Battalion
- Mechanized Infantry Battalion
- Motorized Infantry Battalion
- Motorized Infantry Battalion
- Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron
- Armoured Combat Engineer Company
- Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Company
- Self-Propelled Surface-to-Air-Missile Company
- Light Surfact-to-Air Missile Company
- Mixed Field Artillery Battalion
- Special Forces Brigade (Brigada de Forças Especiais) (Lamego)[6]
- Commando Regiment (Regimento de Comandos) (Amadora)
- Headquarters
- 1º Commando Battalion
- 2º Commando Battalion
- 3º Commando Battalion (training unit)
- Commando Regiment (Regimento de Comandos) (Amadora)
Military Regions
Military Regions (Regiões Militares)
Military Region North
The Military Region North covered the Districts of Bragança, Vila Real, Porto, Braga and Viana do Castelo.
- Headquarters – Porto[7]
- Porto Infantry Regiment
- Chaves Infantry Regiment
- Vila Real Infantry Regiment
- Braga Cavalry Regiment
- Lancer Cavalry Squadron
- Administration Battalion
- Espinho Engineer Regiment
Military Region Center
The Military Region Center covered the Districts of Santarém, Leiria, Coimbra, Castelo Branco, Aveiro, Viseu and Guarda.
- Headquarters – Coimbra
- Abrantes Infantry Regiment
- Castelo Branco Infantry Regiment
- Tomar Infantry Regiment
- Aveiro Infantry Regiment
- Leiria Artillery Battalion
- Lancer Cavalry Squadron
Military Region South
The Military Region South covered the Districts of Faro, Beja District, Évora and Portalegre.
- Headquarters – Évora
- Beja Infantry Regiment
- Elvas Infantry Regiment
- Faro Infantry Regiment
- Estremoz Cavalry Regiment
- Sul Lancer Squadron
Military Region Lisbon
The Military Region South covered the Districts of Lisbon and Setúbal.
- Headquarters – Lisbon
- Mafra Infantry Regiment
- Lisbon Artillery Regiment
- Queluz Infantry Regiment[7]
- Coastal Artillery Regiment
- Lisbon Engineer Regiment
- Lisbon Lancer Regiment (military police)
Military Zones
There are two Military Zones (Zonas Militares):
Madeira Military Zone
- Headquarters – Funchal, Madeira[8]
- Headquarters Team
- Funchal Garrison Regiment
- Funchal Lancer Squadron
Azores Military Zone
- Headquarters – Ponta Delgada, Azores[9]
- Headquarters Team
- Angra do Heroísmo Garrison Regiment
- Ponta Delgada Garrison Regiment
- Ponta Delgada Lancer Squadron
Post Cold War
The end of the Cold War and the consequent reduction of the threat of a conventional warfare in Europe brought the refocus of the Portuguese Army. From the beginning of the 1990s, the Army started a process of deep transformation, evolving from a mainly conscript army organized as skeleton structure oriented to support the raising of operational units through mobilization to a much smaller professional army organized with permanent operational units. This change implied a rationalization of the forces that included the deep reduction of personnel, the disbandment of a number of regiments and bodies (including the Commando Regiment) and the transference of the Parachute Troops from the Air Force to the Army.
The involvement of Portugal in a series of multinational and even national peace operations in foreign countries led the Army to become again a mainly expeditionary oriented force. Since the end of the 20th century, the Portuguese Army participated with national deployed forces in numerous foreign operations, including in
.As part of the Army transformation, it was re-organized in 1993. The division of the territory in military regions and zones was kept, with the reduction of the number of regions, but with the raising of the Airborne Troops Command (using the structure of the previous Air Force's Paratroopers Command) and the Santa Margarida Military Camp as two special territorial commands. The regiments of the Army became again designed by numbers and not anymore by the place where they were based. The assigned numbers were not consecutive, as in previous organizations, but were the historical numbers previously used by each unit or by its predecessor in the same garrison place. The old 1950's plans to equip the Army with light aviation assets were resumed, with the raising of a
General organization
The general organization presently in force for the Portuguese Army was established in December 2014.[10] Accordingly, with this organization, the Army is commanded by the Chief of Staff of the Army and includes:
- the Army Staff (EME);
- the central bodies of administration and management;
- the Land Forces Command (CFT);
- the bodies of advisement;
- the Inspection General of the Army (IGE);
- the base bodies;
- the elements of the operational component of the system of forces.
Chief of Staff of the Army
The Chief of Staff of the Army (Chefe do Estado-Maior do Exército, CEME) is the Army commander. He/she is the only officer with the rank of general (four stars) in the Army. The CEME is the principal adviser of the minister of National Defense and of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces in all Army specific matters, having the competence foreseen in the Law and participates, inherently, in the bodies of advisement in it foreseen.
The Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army – headed by a major-general – is the personal and direct support body of the CEME.
The CEME is assisted by the Vice-Chief of Staff of the Army (VCEME), who is the Army second-in-command. The VCEME is a lieutenant-general superordinate to all the other Army officers of the same rank. Under the direct dependency of the VCEME are the Directorate of Communications and Information Systems, the Directorate of History and Military Culture and the Directorate of Education.
Army staff
The Army Staff (Estado-Maior do Exército, EME) is the body of study, conceiving and planning of the Army activities, for the decision support of the CEME. It is headed by the VCEME, assisted by a major-general designated EME Director-Coordinator. It includes the Coordinator Staff and the Support Unit.
Central bodies of administration and management
The central bodies of administration and management have a functional character and are intended to assure the management and the execution of essential specific activities, namely in the management of human, material, financial, intelligence and infrastructure resources. They are headed by general officers, directly subordinated to the CEME. These bodies are:
- Personnel Command (CMDPESS) – assures the Army's activities in the scope of the human resources administration, of the training and of the health. It is commanded by a lieutenant-general designated Adjutant-General of the Army. Besides the office of the commander and the support unit, the CMDPESS includes the Directorate of Training, the Directorate of Human Resources Administration, the Directorate of Personnel Services and the Directorate of Health;
- Logistics Command (CMDLOG) – assures the Army's activities in the scope of the material resources administration, of the movements and transportation and of the infrastructures. It is commanded by a lieutenant-general designated Quarter-Master General of the Army. Besides the office of the commander and the support unit, the CMDLOG includes the Directorate of Material and Transportation, the Directorate of Procurement and the Directorate of Infrastructures;
- Directorate of Finance (DFIN) – assures the administration of the financial resources made at the disposal of the Army. It is headed by a major-general, designated Director of Finance.
Land Forces Command
The Land Forces Command (Comando das Forças Terrestres, CFT) is the land component command. It is commanded by a lieutenant-general, directly subordinated to the CEME, with a major-general as second-in-command.
The CFT has the mission of supporting the exercise of command from the part of the CEME, in view of the preparation, the readying and the sustentation of the forces and means of the operational component of the system of forces, of the accomplishment of the missions regulated by particular legislation and other missions given to the Army, keeping the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces permanently informed of the employed forces and means and of the development and results of their respective operations and of the administration and management of the units and bodies of the fixed component placed under its direct dependence.
Under the dependence of the CFT are the CFT Headquarters (QGCFT), the military zones commands and their respective headquarters, the formations commands and their respective headquarters and the elements of the operational component of the system of forces.
Advisory bodies
The advisory bodies support the decisions of the CEME in special and important matters regarding the preparation, discipline and administration of the Army. These bodies are:
- Higher Council of the Army (CSE) – it is the highest advisory body of the CEME. Under the presidency of the CEME, it includes all the lieutenant-generals of the Army;
- Higher Council of Discipline of the Army (CSDE) – it is the advisory body of the CEME in disciplinary matters;
- Medical Board of Appeal of the Army (JMRE) – it has the mission of analyzing appeals regarding decisions taken by the competent entities and advising based in the opinions issued by other medical boards of the Army.
Inspection-General of the Army
The Inspection-General of the Army (Inspeção-Geral do Exército, IGE) is the inspection body of the Army. Its mission is to support the CEME in the exercise of the role of control and evaluation, through the activities of inspection and certification of forces. It is headed by the Inspector-General of the Army, who is a general officer in the reserve.
Base bodies
The base bodies are responsible for the training, the sustainment and the general support of the Army. They include units, establishments and bodies divided by the areas of obtainment and administration of human resources, of readying of forces, of logistical support, of teaching and training and of divulgation and preservation of the military culture.
Among the many different types of base bodies are the Military Academy, the School of the Arms and the regiments. The Military Academy is a public military university establishment with the primary mission of training the professional officers of the arms and services of the Army and of the
Elements of the operational component of the system of forces
The elements of the operational component of the system of forces are the Army's forces and means for the fulfillment of the missions of operational nature. These elements are:
- The Land Forces Command;
- The commands of the operational units– the formations are force echelons that include operational units, having a balanced organization of elements of command, maneuver and support that allow them to effectuate operational training and to conduct independent operations. The formation commands are commanded by brigadier-generals.
- The commands of military zone – they include all the Army's units, bodies and other establishments located in each of the autonomous regions of Portugal. They assure the preparation and the training of the forces under its command, being given to them missions and operational means. Each one is commanded by a brigadier-general.
- The general support and emergency military support forces – they are combat support and service support units that provide additional capabilities to the formations, military zones and operational units and the flexibility to respond to specific international commitments. They assure widely set of capacities that can be employed in supplementary support to civil authorities in missions of support to the development and welfare of the population, namely in the scope of a national articulated response to catastrophe and calamity situations.
System of forces of the Army
As a whole, the Army is part of the system of forces of the Portuguese Armed Forces. The system of forces of the Army itself includes a fix component and an operational component.
Fix component
The fix component of the system of forces of the Army is constituted by the base bodies, which guarantee the training, the sustainment and the general support of the Army. These are all non-deployable elements and include regiments, schools, centers and number of other types of bodies. An important part of these bodies is responsible to prepare and maintain the deployable operational units and other elements of the operational component of the system of forces.
Divided by area, the following list of base bodies was defined in July 2015:[11]
– General support units- Obtainment and administration of human resources:
- CPAE – Army Applied Psychology Center, Lisbon
- CRL – Lisbon Recruiting Center, Lisbon
- CRVNG – Vila Nova de Gaia Recruiting Center, Vila Nova de Gaia
- GCSA – Amadora Office of Classification and Selection, Amadora
- GCSVNG – Vila Nova de Gaia Office of Classification and Selection, Vila Nova de Gaia
- CRLisboa – Recruitment Center, Lisbon
- CRVila Nova de Gaia – Recruitment Center, Vila Nova de Gaia
- Public Service Offices in Aveiro (GAPAveiro), Braga (GAPBraga), Bragança (GAPBragança), Castelo Branco (GAPCastelo Branco), Chaves (GAPKeys), Coimbra (GAPCoimbra), Évora (GAPÉvora), Funchal (GAPFunchal), Guarda (GAPGuarda), Lamego (GAPLamego), Lisbon (GAPLisboa), Ponta Delgada (GAPPonta Delgada), Santarém (GAPSantarém), Tavira (GAPTavira) , Tomar (GAPTomar), Vila Real (GAPVila Real) and Viseu (GAPViseu).
- Readying of forces:
- RI1 – 1st Infantry Regiment, Tavira(detachment)
- RI10 – 10th Infantry Regiment, Aveiro
- RI13 – 13th Infantry Regiment, Vila Real
- RI14 – 14th Infantry Regiment, Viseu
- RI15 – 15th Infantry Regiment, Tomar
- RI19 – 19th Infantry Regiment, Chaves
- RAAA1 – 1st Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment, Queluz
- RA4 – 4th Artillery Regiment, Leiria
- RA5 – 5th Artillery Regiment, Vendas Novas
- RL2 – 2nd Lancers Regiment, Lisbon
- RC3 – 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Estremoz
- RC6 – 6th Cavalry Regiment, Braga
- RE1 – 1st Engineers Regiment, Tancos
- RE3 – 3rd Engineers Regiment, Espinho
- RT – Communications Regiment, Porto
- RCmds – Commando Regiment, Belas
- RPara – Parachute Regiment, Tancos
- RG1 – 1st Garrison Regiment, Angra do Heroismo
- RG2 – 2nd Garrison Regiment, Ponta Delgada
- RG3 – 3rd Garrison Regiment, Funchal
- RAME – Emergency Military Support Regiment, Abrantes
- CTOE – Special Operations Troops Centre, Lamego
- CMSM – Santa Maria Military Camp, Santa Margarida da Coutada
- CSMIE – Army Intelligence and Military Security Center, Lisbon
- RI1 – 1st Infantry Regiment,
- Logistical support
- CIGeoE – Army Geospatial Intelligence Center, Lisbon
- RMan – Maintenance Regiment, Entroncamento
- RTransp – Transportation Regiment, Lisbon
- UAGME – Army Materiel General Support Unit, Alcochete
- DA – Procurement Management, Lisbon
- DIE – Infrastructure Department, Lisbon
- Teaching and training
- AM – Military Academy, Lisbon
- CM – Military College, Lisbon
- IPE – Army Pupils Institute, Lisbon
- EA – School of the Arms, Mafra
- ES – School of the Services, Póvoa de Varzim
- ESE – Army Sergeants School, Caldas da Rainha
- Medical support
- CSMTSM – Military Health Centers of Tancos / Santa Margarida
- CSMC – Coimbra Military Health Center
- UMMV – Military Unit of Veterinary Medicine
- UMLDBQ – Military Laboratory Unit for Biological and Chemical Defense
- UNS II Évora – Military Health Unit, Évora
- UNS II Amadora – Military Health Unit, Amadora
- UNS II Funchal – Military Health Unit, Funchal
- UNS II Açores – Military Health Unit, Azores
- Dissemination and preservation of military culture
- JE – Army Journal, Lisbon
- BIBLEX – Army Library, Lisbon
- ARQGEX – Army General Archives, Lisbon
- AHM – Military Historical Archives, Lisbon
- MML – Lisbon Military Museum, Lisbon
- MMP – Oporto Military Museum, Oporto
- MMB – Bragança Military Museum, Bragança
- MME – Elvas Military Museum, Elvas
- MMB – Buçaco Military Museum, Buçaco
- MMA – Azores Military Museum, Angra do Heroismo
- MMM – Madeira Military Museum, Funchal
- BE – Army Band, Amadora
- FANFEX – Army Fanfare, Amadora
- Other units
- EPM – Military Prison Establishment, Tomar
- CPAE – Army Applied Psychology Center
- Recently disbanded bodies:
- CME – Military Center of Electronics, Paço de Arcos
- IO – Instituto de Odivelas, Odivelas
- UALE – Army Light Aviation Unit, Tancos
- ESSM – Military Health Service School, Lisbon
Operational component
The operational component of the system of forces include the Army's elements dedicated to the fulfillment of the missions of operational nature. These elements include the operational command bodies, the formations commands and the deployable operational units. These elements are prepared, trained, supported and administratively maintained by the regiments and other bodies of the fix component of the system of forces.
The elements of the operational component are:
- The Land Forces Command (CFT);
- The commands of the formations and operational units. The existing formation commands are:
- M113 APC), an anti-aircraft artillery battery (MIM-72 Chaparral), the Heavy Combat Engineers Company, a signal company and a service support battalion. This formation has an exceptional administrative organization, which is characterized by its operational units being separate and not part of regiments as usual and being all concentrated in the same location (the Santa Margarida Military Camp);
- Portuguese Pandur wheeled armored vehicles. Its operational units include the Armored Car Group (Commando V-150 and Pandur II), the 1st Wheeled Mechanized Infantry Battalion (Pandur II), the 2nd Wheeled Mechanized Infantry Battalion (Pandur II), a field artillery group (M114 155 mm howitzer), an anti-aircraft artillery battery (FIM-92 Stinger), an engineers company, a signal company and a service support battalion. Its operational units are barracked in several regiments and other base units across the country (in Braga, Chaves, Coimbra, Espinho, Porto, Queluz, Vila Real, Viseu and Vendas Novas) with most of these being administratively under the control of the brigade;
- L118 Light Gun), a reconnaissance squadron (Panhard VBL), an anti-aircraft battery (FIM-92 Stinger), the Air-Land Operational Battalion, an engineers company, a signal company and a support unit. Its operational units are barracked in several regiments and other base units across the country (in São Jacinto, Lamego, Leiria, Tomar, Tancos, Beja, Queluz and Estremoz), with most of these being administratively under the control of the brigade.
- The commands of military zone. The existing commands of this type are:
- Rheinmetall Rh 202and FIM-92 Stinger). Its operational units are barracked in two garrison regiments (in Angra do Heroísmo and Ponta Delgada), administratively under the control of the Military Zone;
- Madeira Military Zone (ZMM) – its operational force is the Madeira Military Zone Forces (FZMM), which includes an infantry battalion and an anti-aircraft battery (Rheinmetall Rh 202 and FIM-92 Stinger). Its operational units are barracked in a garrison regiment (in Funchal), administratively under the control of the Military Zone;
- The general support and emergency military support forces. The operational units of these forces include an anti-aircraft artillery group, two geospatial support unit. These operational units are barracked in several regiments and other base units across the country (Queluz, Lisbon, Espinho, Tancos, Porto, Póvoa de Varzim, Vendas Novas and Abrantes).
Uniform and insignia
Uniform
The Portuguese Army types of uniforms are the following:
- Dress uniform(grande uniforme);
- Mess dressuniform (uniforme de jaqueta);
- Ceremonial uniform for the Army Band;
- Nº 1 Uniform – Service dress uniform;
- Nº 2 Uniform – Barrack dress uniform;
- Nº 3 Uniform – Combat dress uniform;
- Physical education uniform;
- Special uniforms.
Rank insignia
- Officers
NATO code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF(D) | Student officer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portuguese Army[12] |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marechal do Exército | General | Tenente-general | Major-general | Brigadeiro-general | Coronel-tirocinado [a] |
Coronel | Tenente-coronel | Major | Capitão | Tenente | Alferes |
- Enlisted
NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portuguese Army[12] |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sargento-mor | Sargento-chefe | Sargento-ajudante | Primeiro-sargento | Segundo-sargento | Furriel | Segundo-furriel | Cabo de secção | Cabo-adjunto | Primeiro-cabo
|
Segundo-cabo | Soldado |
Equipment
-
Leopard 2A6 main battle tank of the Mechanized Brigade
-
self-propelled howitzer of the Mechanized Brigade
-
Portuguese Pandur II of the Intervention Brigade
-
M113A2 of the Portuguese Mechanized Brigade
-
URO VAMTAC ST5, is new light armored vehicle of the Portuguese Army.
-
TOW is an anti-tank guided missile used by the Portuguese Army.
-
FIM-92 Stinger is the only man-portable air-defense system operated by the Portuguese Army.
-
FN SCAR STD is the service rifle of the Portuguese Army since 2019
-
L118 light gun towed howitzer of the Rapid Reaction Brigade
See also
- Military history of Portugal
- Portuguese Military Academy
- Army Special Operations
- Portuguese Paratroopers
- Parachute Troops School
- Rapid Reaction Brigade
- Ordenanças
Notes
- ^ Colonel who has completed the General Officer training course. Between 1929 and 1937, the Coronel-tirocinado was called Brigadeiro.
References
- ^ "O Comandante". Archived from the original on 7 November 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ^ a b ""Reflexão Crítica sobre as Origens Históricas do Exército Português", Revista Militar nº 2596, maio de 2018". Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- ^ Ribeiro, António Silva. Organização Superior de Defesa Nacional. Lisbon: Prefácio, 2004.
- ^ "Dos Combatentes do Ultramar". Archived from the original on 6 April 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2009.
- ^ Thomas & Volstad 1987, p. 31.
- ^ "UMA MANHÃ NOS "COMANDOS" | Operacional". www.operacional.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ^ a b Thomas & Volstad 1987, p. 32.
- ^ "Quartel-General da Zona Militar da Madeira". Portuguese Army. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ "Quartel-General da Zona Militar dos Açores". Portuguese Army. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ "Decreto-lei n.º 186/2014 de 29 de dezembro (Lei Orgânica do Exécito)" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 July 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
- ^ "Decreto Regulamentar n.º 11/2015 de 31 de julho (Aprova a orgânica do Exército)". Archived from the original on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
- ^ a b "POSTOS E DISTINTIVOS EXÉRCITO". antigo.mdn.gov.pt (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 1 March 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- Jornal do Exército, official magazine
- http://www.defencetalk.com/portuguese-army-once-more-wants-the-ec635t1-helicopter-2586/
External links
- Exército Português Archived 1 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine, official website