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Portuguese Army 

Portuguese Army
Exército Português
Active 1143 — current
Country Portugal
Type Army
Size Three Brigades
Part of Portuguese Armed Forces
Patron Afonso I of Portugal
Motto Em perigos e guerras esforçados
In dangers and wars strengthened
Commanders
Army Chief of Staff General José Luís Pinto Ramalho[1]
Insignia
Portuguese Army Colours
Aircraft flown
Transport NH-90

Portuguese Army troops heading for Angola, during World War I.
Portuguese Army troops heading for Angola, during World War I.
Portuguese Army troops in the jungle, during the 1960's and 1970's Colonial Wars in Africa.
Portuguese Army troops in the jungle, during the 1960's and 1970's Colonial Wars in Africa.
Portuguese Army Chaimite armoured vehicles in Bosnia.
Portuguese Army Chaimite armoured vehicles in Bosnia.
The Operational Structure of the Portuguese Army.
The Operational Structure of the Portuguese Army.

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

Contents

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 occupiers in the 17th century and against French invaders in the 19th century.

Foreign campaigns

Since the 15th century, the land forces have also participated in Portuguese foreign and overseas campaigns — in Africa, Asia, America, Oceania and Europe. In the 20th century, the Portuguese Army participated in World War I on the side of the Allies in the European western front and Africa. The army participated in colonial wars from 1961 to 1974, in Angola, Goa, Mozambique, Portuguese Guinea and Timor. 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.

Peace missions

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

Order of battle

Central structure

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

  1. Army Staff[2];
  2. Functional Commands:
    • Training and Doctrine Command[3],
    • Logistical Command[4],
    • Personnel Command[5];
    • Operational Command[6];
  3. Operational Formations and Military Zones:
  4. Main Military Schools:

Base 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:
  5. Communications:
    • School of Communications[36] at Oporto,
    • Communications Regiment[37] at Lisbon
  6. Logistical Services:
  7. Mixed:

Equipment

The Portuguese Army is equipped with light firearms, heavy firearms, mortars, tanks, artillery, anti-air artillery, tactical vehicles, heavy vehicles, armoured vehicles, helicopters and other equipments.

Light Firearms

Heavy Firearms

Mortars

Tanks

Artillery

  • 105mm M119 Light Gun m/98
  • 105mm OTO Melara Mod 56 (discontinued, some may be used by the School of Artillery for no-live fire training, replaced by M119 Light Gun)
  • 105mm M101 (discontinued, some may be used by the School of Artillery for no-live fire training)
  • 155mm M114 (discontinued, some may be used by the School of Artillery for no-live fire training)
  • 155mm M109A5

Anti-Air Artillery

Tactical Vehicles

Heavy Vehicles

Armour

Helicopters

Others

See also

References

  • Jornal do Exército, official magazine

External links

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Portuguese Armed Forces
under the command of the Ministry of Defence
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