4th Artillery Regiment (Portugal)

The 4th Artillery Regiment (RA4), (Regimento de Artilharia nº4) OTE  is a body based Fixed Component of Force System of the Portuguese Army, stationed in Leiria. Presently, the RA4 is dependent on the Rapid Reaction Brigade, whose charges towards Operating System Component Forces.

History

 * 1917 - The current RA4 was created in Castelo Branco  as Field Howitzers Regiment (Regimento de Obuses de Campanha) (ROC) through the integration of the old field howitzer battalions of 5th Artillery Regiment from Viana do Castelo and 6th Artillery Regiment from Porto.
 * 1926 - The ROC was transferred to Leiria, passing its name to 4th Artillery Regiment (RA4).
 * 1927 - It was renamed 4th Light Artillery Regiment (RAL4).
 * 1955 - The regiment received the task of organizing the Command division artillery and two of the three groups of field artillery of the 3rd Division of the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps, Portuguese terrestrial contribution to NATO.
 * 1961 - With the beginning of the Portuguese Colonial War, the unit organizes and sends to Angola three companies of caçadores type, but to act as infantry composed of military gunners from the 101st, 119th and 178th artillery company.
 * 1963 - The RAL4, while retaining the same name, becomes a center of education for military secretariat, especially for personal use in the overseas colonies in Africa.
 * 1975 - The unit shall be designated as "Artillery Regiment of Leiria (RAL)". Since 1977, the RAL receives the task of organizing the Field Artillery Group (GAC) of the new 1st Independent Mixed Brigade. For it is equipped with self-propelled howitzers of 155 mm M109 and M101 towed 105 mm.
 * 1993 - The unit adopted the present name of "4th Artillery Regiment" being responsible for the organization and maintenance of the GAC first Independent Airborne Brigade equipped with M101 howitzers and later with howitzers M119 Light Gun.
 * 2005 - As part of the reorganization of the device the Portuguese Army, the Rapid Reaction Brigade (ex-Airborne Brigade) ceased to have organic field artillery, and its GAC transferred to Intervention Brigade (BrigInt). Following this reorganization, given the expiry of the old group BrigInt, GAC's RA4 was the sole operating unit towed field artillery of the Portuguese Army.
 * 2009 - The 15th Artillery Regiment is raised and a new GAC, which is attributed to BrigInt. The GAC's AR4 back to be integrated into the Rapid Reaction Brigade.

Infantry Equipment
Pistol
 * SIG P228

Assault Rifle
 * Heckler & Koch G3A3

Mortar
 * mGrW 82

Anti-Tank Weapon
 * Carl Gustav recoilless rifle

Artillery

 * L118 light gun
 * M119 howitzer
 * M109 howitzer

Tactical Vechiles

 * Land Rover Defender'90 TDI 4x4

Transport Vechile

 * Iveco Truck

Awards and Decorations

 * 2 Decorations of Officer of the Military Order of the Tower and Sword of Valour, Loyalty and Merit
 * 3 1st Class Honours War Cross
 * Gold Distinguished Service Medal
 * Gold Medal of the City