1989 Portuguese Armed Forces Structure

Portugal is one of the original signatories of the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 - the founding document for the creation of NATO. Previously, the country signed the Iberian Pact with Spain in 1939 for mutual defence support within the peninsula as a result of the support Salazar's regime has provided for Franco's Nationalists camp in the Spanish Civil War and the good relations between the two leaders. These two agreements have layed the foundations for Portugal's defence policy in the second half of the 20th century.

Portuguese Army
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 (FOPE)) included the operational units of the Army.

A 1st Corps was held as a corps HQ on paper, mobilised only for major exercises and for wartime operations planning. The two operational formations of the Portuguese Army were the 1st Independent Mixed Brigade, earmarked for reinforcement of NATO's Southern Flank in Italy according to the organisation's plans and a Special Forces Brigade. Additionally an airborne brigade of the Air Force and a marine brigade of the Navy were held at a higher readiness. The Army's Military Zone of the Azores and the Military Zone of Madeira held a special status, as their units were tasked with territorial defence of the respective zones and were not deployable outside of their respective areas of responsibilities. The rest of the Army, which constituted the bulk of its forces, included the Base Structure of the Army, covering mainland Portugal's territory in regiments organised in four Military Regions and centers and schools under central subordination of the Army HQ. The main function of these depot units was force generation.

1st Independent Mixed Brigade
1st Independent Mixed Brigade (1a Brigada Mista Independente (1a BMI))


 * 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
Special Forces Brigade (Brigada de Forças Especiais) (Lamego)


 * Commando Regiment (Regimento de Comandos) (Amadora)
 * Headquarters
 * 1º Commando Battalion
 * 2º Commando Battalion
 * 3º Commando Battalion (training unit)

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
 * Headquarters Team
 * Porto Infantry Regiment
 * Chaves Infantry Regiment
 * Vila Real Infantry Regiment
 * Braga Cavalry Regiment
 * Lancer Cavalry Squadron
 * Porto Artillery 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
 * Tomer Infantry Regiment
 * Averio Infantry Regiment
 * Leira 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 (Air Defense) Artillery Regiment
 * Coastal Artillery Regiment
 * Lisbon Engineer Regiment
 * Lisbon Lancer Regiment - Military Police Unit

Military Zones
Military Zones (Zonas Militares)

Madeira Military Zone

 * Headquarters - Funchal, Madeira
 * Headquarters Team
 * Funchal Garrison Regiment
 * Funchal Lancer Squadron

Azores Military Zone

 * Headquarters - Ponta Delgada, Azores
 * Headquarters Team
 * Angra do Heroismo Garrison Regiment
 * Ponta Delgada Garrison Regiment
 * Ponta Delgada Lancer Squadron

Air Force
The Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa (FAP)) was formed on July 1, 1952 through the amalgamation of the Army (Aeronáutica Militar) and Naval (Aviação Naval) aviation services.

Initially the FAP followed the army distinction between a base structure (Air Forces General Command - Comando Geral das Forças Aéreas) and operational structure (Operational Air Forces Command - Comando das Forças Aéreas Operacionais). Additionally there was also a Formation and Training Command (Comando de Instrução e Treino). In 1955 the FAP also formed an airborne troops arm with the Batalhão de Tropas Paraquedistas and Detection and Interception Control Group (Grupo de Detecção e Controlo da Intercepção) was formed to take over air defence operations. In 1956 the Air Force expanded considerably with the formation of Signals and Air Traffic Control Service (Serviço de Comunicações e Tráfego Aéreo), Recruitment and Instruction Service (Serviço de Recrutamento e Instrução), Medical Service (Serviço de Saúde), Materiel Service (Serviço de Material), Infrastructure Service (Serviço de Infra-estruturas) and Quartermaster and Accounting Service (Serviço de Intendência e Contabilidade). At the same time the country's territory (which formally included Portuguese Colonial Empire as overseas provinces) was divided in three Air Force Regions (Regiões Aéreas):


 * 1st Air Force Region (Região Aérea Nº 1 (RA1)) with HQ in Lisbon included mainland Portugal (called Portugal Continental) and three Air Force Zones (Azores, Madeira and Cape Verde)
 * 2nd Air Force Region (Região Aérea Nº 2 (RA2)) with HQ in Luanda included Angola, Guinea-Bissau and São Tomé and Príncipe
 * 3rd Air Force Region (Região Aérea Nº 3 (RA3)) with HQ in Lourenço Marques included Mozambique, Goa and East Timor

The Portuguese Air Force bases in the Portuguese Colonial War had a very rigid hierarchy:


 * Air Bases (Bases Aéreas (BA)) - the main operational air bases, central for an air force region or an air force zone
 * Base Airfields (Aeródromos-Base (AB)) - the secondary operational air bases, central for a sector of an air force region, subordinated to the region's main air base
 * Manoeuvre Airfields (Aeródromos de Manobra (AM)) - third line airfields, which would provide basing for air force units for a particular operation, temporarily detached from an air base or a base airfield
 * Transit Airfields (Aeródromos de Trânsito (AT)) - air transport bases supporting the Lisbon - Cabo Verde - Bissau - São Tomé - Luanda - Lourenço Marques air route
 * Diversion Airfields (Aeródromos de Recurso) - airfields used for emergency landings and air rescue operations
 * other airfields (outros aeródromos) - unclassified airfields without permanent air force activities. Normally these were minor grass airfields for light aviation, providing basing for air clubs. Private pilots formed Air Force Volunteer Formations (Formações Aéreas Voluntárias)

After the end of the Portuguese Colonial Wars and the country's withdrawal from Africa the structure of the airfields was simplified. Bases Aéreas (BA) are the air bases with permanent operational air force units. Aeródromos de Manobra (AM) are the forward operation locations with operational air force units based when needed. The only exception is the military section of Lisbon-Portela International Airport, which retained the Aeródromo de Trânsito (AT) designation in commemoration of its role as terminus of the colonial air route, despite the fact that its Dassault Falcon 20 and 50 aircraft had Montijo Air Base as their official home base. The 2nd and 3rd Air Force Regions were disbanded and the 1st Air Force Region became the Air Force Command (Comando Aéreo).

Air Force Command
 Comando Aéreo 

Base Aérea de Sintra - Base Aérea N.º 1 (BA1)


 * 12º Grupo Operacional
 * Esquadra 401 "Cientistas" - photographic survey, reconnaissance, and maritime patrol squadron flying CASA C-212 Aviocar
 * Esquadra 401 "Roncos" - basic flying training squadron flying Socata TB 30 Epsilon
 * Esquadra 102 "Panchos" - jet flying training squadron flying Cessna T-37C Tweet

Base Aérea da Ota - Base Aérea N.º 2 (BA2)


 * 21º Grupo Operacional
 * Esquadra 701 "Jakarés" - liaison squadron flying Reims-Cessna FTB-337G Skymaster
 * Centro de Instrução N.º 2 (CI2) - elementary flying training center flying De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk
 * Grupo de Instrução de Técnicos Especialistas (GITE) - Technical Specialists Instruction Group

Base Aérea de Tancos - Base Aérea nº3 (BA3)


 * 31º Grupo Operacional
 * Esquadra 502 "Elefantes" - multirole transport and maritime patrol squadron flying CASA C-212 Aviocar
 * Esquadra 552 "Zangões" - multirole helicopter squadron flying Aérospatiale Alouette III
 * Esquadra 111 - multi-engine transport and helicopter training squadron flying CASA C-212 Aviocar, Aérospatiale Alouette III and II

Base Aérea das Lajes - Base Aérea n.º 4 (BA4) / Comando Aéreo dos Açores


 * 41º Grupo Operacional
 * Esquadra 303 "Tigres" - fighter-bomber squadron flying Fiat G.91R/3 and T/3
 * Esquadra 503 "Golfinhos" - maritime patrol and SAR squadron flying CASA C-212 Aviocar
 * Esquadra 752 "Pumas" - No.752 Helicopter Squadron - SAR helicopter squadron flying Aérospatiale SA.330C/H/L/S1 Puma

Base Aérea de Monte Real - Base Aérea n.º 5 (BA5)


 * 51º Grupo Operacional
 * Esquadra 302 "Águias Reais" - fighter-bomber squadron flying LTV A/TA-7P Corsair II
 * Esquadra 304 "Magníficos" - fighter-bomber squadron flying LTV A/TA-7P Corsair II
 * Esquadra 103 "Caracóis" - advanced fighter training squadron flying Lockheed T/RT-33A Shooting Star and Northrop T-38A Talon (relocated to Base Aérea da Beja - Base Aérea n.º 11 (BA11) in 1987 as the German Luftwaffe began winding down its flying training activities off Beja)

Base Aérea de Montijo - Base Aérea n.º 6 (BA6)


 * 61º Grupo Operacional
 * Esquadra 301 "Jaguares" - fighter-bomber squadron flying Fiat G.91R/3 and T/3
 * Esquadra 501 "Bisontes" - tactical transport squadron flying Lockheed C-130H Hercules
 * Esquadra 504 "Linces" - VIP and liaison transport squadron flying Dassault Falcon 20 and 50 from Lisbon-Portela IAP
 * Esquadra 551 - SAR helicopter squadron flying Aérospatiale Alouette III, disbanded in 1986 and absorbed into Esquadra 552
 * Esquadra 751 "Pumas" - tactical transport and SAR helicopter squadron flying Aérospatiale SA.330C/H/L/S1 Puma
 * Esquadra 601 "Lobos" - maritime patrol and ASW squadron flying Lockheed P-3P Orion

Parachute Troops Corps
The modern history of Portuguese paratroops started in 1955 when a selected group of the Portuguese military attended the 22º Curso Básico de Paracaidismo at the Murcia–Alcantarilla Air Base in Spain. After their return to Portugal a Ranger Paratroops Battalion (Batalhão de Caçadores Paraquedistas (BCP)) was formed in 1956 at Tancos Air Base under the Air Force. In 1961 the battalion was expanded to a regiment. During the Guerra do Ultramar the regiment was the depot formation for four ranger paratroops battalions: the BCP 31 and BCP 32 in Mozambique, the BCP 21 in Angola and the BCP 12 in Guinea-Bissau. After the end of the colonial wars and Portugal's withdrawal from Africa a Parachute Troops Corps (Corpo de Tropas Paraquedistas) was formed (again a component of the Air Force). In 1991 the government decided to transfer the paratroops from the Air Force to the Army. On January 1, 1994 the Air Force's Parachute Troops Command became the Army's Airmobile Troops Command (Comando de Tropas Aerotransportadas), also absorbing the disbanded Commando Regiment. As of 2018 the Rapid Reaction Brigade is the successor of the Parachute Troops Corps. The Portuguese land forces traditionally have distinctive fixed and mobilization structure. The fixed structure is composed of depot units (regiments, bases and schools), which are tasked with troops training, armament and infrastructure overhaul. The depot units form operational units, which are subordinated to brigades and divisions during exercises and wartime. As of 1989 the Corps had the following structure:

Fixed structure:


 * Parachute Troops Corps Command (Comando do Corpo de Tropas Paraquedistas)
 * 1. Parachute Troops Operational Base (Base Operacional de Tropas Paraquedistas n.º 1 (BOTP 1)), at Monsanto (Lisbon)
 * 2. Parachute Troops Operational Base (Base Operacional de Tropas Paraquedistas n.º 2 (BOTP 2)), at São Jacinto (Aveiro)
 * Parachute Troops School Base (Base Escola de Tropas Paraquedistas (BETP)) at Tancos Air Base

Operational structure:

Light Paratroops Brigade (Brigada Ligeira de Paraquedistas (Briparas))


 * Command and Headquarters (Comando e Estado-Maior), at BOTP 1 (Monsanto)
 * Signals Company (Companhia de Comunicações), at BOTP 1 (Monsanto)
 * 11. Paratroops Battalion (Batalhão de Paraquedistas N.º 11 (BP11)), at BOTP 1 (Monsanto)
 * 21. Paratroops Battalion (Batalhão de Paraquedistas N.º 21 (BP21)), at BOTP 2 (São Jacinto)
 * 31. Paratroops Battalion (Batalhão de Paraquedistas N.º 31 (BP31)), at BETP (Tancos)
 * Parachute Force Reconnaissance Company (Destacamento Aeroterrestre), at BETP (Tancos)
 * Parachute Heavy Mortar Company (Companhia de Morteiros Pesados), at BOTP 2 (São Jacinto)
 * Parachute Anti-Tank Company (Companhia Anticarro), at BOTP 1 (Monsanto)
 * Support and Service Operational Group (Grupo Operacional de Apoio e Serviços), at BOTP 2 (São Jacinto)

Oceangoing Forces
The combat and combat support vessels of the Navy were organised in War Squadron (Esquadra de Guerra) based at the Lisbon Alfeite Naval Base.

Submarines


 * Albacora class: S163 "Albacora", S164 "Barracuda", S166 "Delfim" (II)

Major surface combatants


 * João Belo class frigates: F480 "Comandante João Belo", F481 "Comandante Hermenegildo Capelo", F482 "Comandante Roberto Ivens", F483 "Comandante Sacadura Cabral"
 * (3 Vasco da Gama class frigates on order in 1989, started entering service in 1991)
 * João Coutinho class corvettes: F471 "António Enes", F475 "João Coutinho", F476 "Jacinto Cândido", F477 "General Pereira d'Eça", F484 "Augusto Castilho", F485 "Honório Barreto"
 * Baptista de Andrade class corvettes (improved João Coutinho class): F486 "Baptista de Andrade", F487 "João Roby", F488 "Afonso Cerqueira", F489 "Oliveira e Carmo"

Patrol vessels


 * Albatroz class patrol boats: P 1012 "Albatroz", P 1163 "Açor", P 1164 "Andorinha", P 1165 "Águia", P 1166 "Condor", P 1167 "Cisne"
 * Cacine class patrol boats: P1140 "Cacine", P1141 "Cunene", P1142 "Mandovi", P1143 "Rovuma", P1144 "Cuanza", P1145 "Geba", P1146 "Zaire", P1147 "Zambeze", P1160 "Limpopo", P1161 "Save"
 * Classe Dom Aleixo class patrol boats: P1148 "Dom Aleixo", P1149 "Dom Jeremias" (A5202 of the Instituto Hidrográfico from 1977 to 1989)

Combat support vessels


 * São Roque class coastal minesweepers: M401 "São Roque", M402 "Ribeira Grande", M403 "Lagoa", M404 "Rosário"
 * Bombarda class large landing craft: LDG201 "Bombarda", LDG202 "Alabarda", LDG203 "Bacamarte"

Support vessels


 * Replenishment oiler A5206 "São Gabriel"
 * Logistical support ship A523 "Sam Braz"
 * Buoy tender and rescue ship A521 "Schultz Xavier"
 * Hydrographic ship A527 "Almeida Carvalho"
 * Hydrographic boats Andrómeda class: A5203 "Andrómeda", A5205 "Auriga"

Training vessels


 * Sail ship A520 "Sagres"
 * Sail ship UAM201 "Creoula"
 * Sail sloop A5204 "Polar"
 * Sail boat "Zarco"
 * Albatroz class patrol boat: UAM630 "Condor" for training purposes

Marines
Until 1974 there was no unified command of the Portuguese Marines (called Naval Riflemen (Fuzileiros Navais)). The amphibious component of the marines consisted of Special Riflemen Detachments (Destacamentos de Fuzileiros Especiais (DFE)) and the local defence component consisted of Naval Riflemen Companies (Companhias de Fuzileiros Navais (CFN)). These units were directly subordinated to the local naval districts and zones and at the height of the Guerra do Ultramar as many as 14 000 marines participated in counter-partisan operations in the Portuguese African provinces. After the Carnation Revolution and Portugal's withdrawal from Africa a Riflemen Corps Command (Comando do Corpo de Fuzileiros (CCF)) was formed on June 24, 1974 to streamline the Portuguese marines' force structure.

Marine Regiment (Terço da Armada)


 * Headquarters (Estado-Maior)
 * 1. Riflemen Battalion - Naval Police (Batalhão de Fuzileiros n.º 1 - Polícia Naval (BF1-PN))
 * 2. Riflemen Battalion (Batalhão de Fuzileiros n.º 2 (BF2))
 * 3. Riflemen Battalion (Batalhão de Fuzileiros n.º 3 (BF3)) (disbanded on October 15, 1990)
 * Fire Support Company (Companhia de Apoio de Fogos)
 * Tactical Transport Support Company (Companhia de Apoio de Transportes Tácticos)
 * Landing Craft Unit (Unidade de Meios de Desembarque)

Light Landing Battalion (Batalhão Ligeiro de Desembarque (BLD)) (a task force, formed for major exercises and for amphibious operations during wartime)

Special Operations Detachment (Destacamento de Ações Especiais (DAE))

Marine School (Escola de Fuzileiros (EF))

Marine Base (Base de Fuzileiros (BF))

Naval Aviation
Since the amalgamation of the Army Aviation and Naval Aviation into the newly created Air Force in 1952 the Portuguese Navy did not have its own integral aviation component. The naval shipborne Helicopters Squadron (Esquadrilha de Helicópteros) flying five Westland Sea Lynx Mk.95 off Montijo Air Base and off the decks of the newly acquired Vasco da Gama-class frigates was created in 1993 after the end of the Cold War.