History Portuguese Paratroopers

1 history

1.1 parachute rifle battalion
1.2 parachute rifles regiment , overseas war
1.3 parachute troops corps
1.4 army integration
1.5 rapid reaction brigade

history
the parachute rifle battalion

the first female paratrooper nurses , instructor in 1961.

the first portuguese paratroopers group of 12 timorese soldiers trained in australia in 1942, participate in fight against japanese forces occupying portuguese timor. of them launched in rearguard of japanese forces.

after successful use of airborne forces in second world war germany , allies, other armed forces began examine possibility of forming parachute troops special missions. in 1955, portuguese defense minister approved request funds airborne paratroop training. 2 portuguese army captains went france take french parachute course @ École des troupes aéroportées.

after portuguese air force created independent service branch, decided paratroopers part of air force, german organizational structure during world war ii. parachute rifle battalion (batalhão de caçadores páraquedistas) or bcp formed in 1956. paratroopers issued unique green berets , camo uniforms, being first portuguese military unit wear these items of uniform. paratroopers jumped using venerable german tri-motored junkers ju 52 aircraft.

the bcp provisionally installed in carregueira military camp, near lisbon, moved tancos, still serves today main base of portuguese paratroopers.

the parachute rifles regiment , overseas war

in 1961, conflict erupted in african colonies, evolved series of guerrilla campaigns against portuguese rule. paratroopers required fight in africa. bcp enlarged become regiment, regimento de caçadores paraquedistas or rcp. included operational battalion (11th paratroopers rifles or bcp 11) , training battalion. time, men armed modern 7,62mm armalite ar-10 battle rifle, weapon not seen in western military forces. paratroopers liked accuracy , mobility of ar-10, supplies embargoed after initial deliveries completed in 1960, , paratroopers later issued collapsible-stock variant of m/961 (g3) rifle. fight various separatist guerrilla movements, additional paratroopers battalions created in portuguese african territories of angola, guinea , mozambique.

due portuguese air force control on airborne units, paratroopers rifles battalions (bcp) numbers reflected subordination several regional air force commands. so, 1st air region (north atlantic air command) commanded bcp 11 based in european portugal , bcp 12 based in portuguese guinea, 2nd air region (south atlantic air command) commanded bcp 21 based in angola , 3rd air region (indian ocean air command) commanded bcp 31 , bcp 32 both based in mozambique.

in war, portuguese paratroopers suffered following casualties:

bcp 12: 56 dead (3 officers, 6 sergeants , 47 soldiers).
bcp 21: 47 dead (5 officers, 9 sergeants , 33 soldiers)
bcp 31: 39 dead (2 officers, 6 sergeants , 31 soldiers)
bcp 32: 18 dead (2 sergeants , 16 soldiers)

a total of 160 portuguese paratroopers killed in action.

on april 25, 1974, military coup led left-wing members of portuguese army ended authoritarian government regime in portugal, , country moved towards democratic elections. shortly afterwards, peace negotiations various african colonies resulted in end african wars, followed independence of angola, mozambique, , guinea-bissau. military reforms instituted in portugal in 1975, resulting in reorganization of airborne forces.

the parachute troops corps

in 1975, parachute troops corps (corpo de tropas paraquedistas) or ctp created within portuguese air force, centralize control of parachute units, under command of general officer.

on 5 july 1975, ctp given organization consisting of dual structure: fixed , dynamic. so-called fixed structure include fix bases designed train , support parachute troops. within structure, following bases created:

no 1 parachute troops operational base (base operacional de tropas paraquedistas n.º 1) or botp 1, @ monsanto (lisbon)
no 2 parachute troops operational base or bopt 2, @ são jacinto (aveiro)
parachute troops school base (base escola de tropas paraquedistas) or betp @ tancos.

a third operational base (botp 3) located within beja airbase area planned, never activated. part of this, rcp disbanded , transformed in betp within ctp.

the dynamic structure of ctp consist of operational parachute units, great majority of them being concentrated in new paratroopers light brigade (brigada ligeira de páraquedistas) or briparas. briparas organization included following units:

paratroopers battalion 11 (batalhão de paraquedistas n.º 11) or bp 11, @ botp 1 (monsanto)
paratroopers battalion 21 or bp 21, @ botp 2 (são jacinto)
paratroopers battalion 31 or bp 31, @ betp (tancos)
air-land operational group, @ betp (tancos)
service support operational group, @ botp 2 (são jacinto)
anti-tank company, @ botp 1 (monsanto)
signals company, @ botp 1 (monsanto)
heavy mortar company, @ botp 2 (são jacinto)

the ctp responsible changing paratroopers counter-guerrilla force conventional airborne force capable of fighting in possible nato vs warsaw pact war.

army integration

in 1993, further changes in organization of airborne forces took place when defense minister decided entire corps should leave portuguese air force , become part of portuguese army. meant army commandos regiment disbanded , commandos had taken parachute course part of new airborne brigade named brigada aerotransportada independente (independent airborne brigade) or bai.

the betp changed name again escola de tropas aerotransportadas (airborne troops school) or etat, parachute troops corps changed comando de tropas aerotransportadas (airborne troops command) , 3 paratrooper battalions changed airborne infantry battalions (biat). new army airborne brigade meant larger , more powerful previous air force paratroopers light brigade. part of strengthening, new brigade received 105 mm guns (replacing heavy mortars main artillery) , wheeled armored vehicles.

in territorial terms, botp 1 closed (still under air force) , botp 2 changed name são jacinto military area. units of brigade not @ tancos (airborne support battalion) or são jacinto (2nd biat) garrisoned @ army barracks (regiments) 15th infantry regiment @ tomar (1st biat), 3rd infantry regiment @ beja (3rd biat), 4th artillery regiment @ leiria (grupo de artilharia de campanha – field artillery battalion), 3rd cavalry regiment @ estremoz (esquadrão de reconhecimento aerotransportado – armoured recon squadron) , others.

the bai structure was:

1st airborne infantry battalion, @ 15th infantry regiment
2nd airborne infantry battalion, @ são jacinto military area
3rd airborne infantry battalion, @ 3rd infantry regiment
anti-tank company, @ são jacinto military area
air-land support battalion, @ etat
field artillery battalion, @ 4th artillery regiment
signals company, @ tancos military airfield
engineering company, @ engineering practical school
armored reconnaissance squadron, @ 3rd cavalry regiment
anti-aircraft artillery battery, @ 1st anti-aircraft artillery regiment
service support battalion, @ 15th infantry regiment

it envisaged bai staffed paratrooper qualified personnel, including combat support , service support units. however, due various difficulties, objective never achieved. moreover, never possible maintain 3rd biat continuously active, unit being inactive of time.

in november 2007, paratrooper killed in vehicle accident in afghanistan.

rapid reaction brigade

the last reorganization of army though, changed etat designation again etp – escola de tropas paraquedistas (school of parachute troops) bai being renamed , reorganized brr – brigada de reacção rápida . airborne troops command disbanded. currently, airborne forces under direct control of regular army commands, such land forces operational command (operational units) or instruction command (etp – paratrooper school).

the elite forces brigade no longer full deployable brigade, rather organizational structure controls special trained army units.

the 3rd airborne infantry battalion , anti-tank company disbanded , other 2 biat renamed paratrooper infantry battalions (biparas), são jacinto military area renamed 10th infantry regiment, airborne artillery group , services , support battalion transferred intervention brigade , no longer airborne capable , engineering company , anti-aircraft artillery battery reduced platoon size. new rapid reaction brigade joined remaining paratrooper units army special operations , reborn battalion-size army comandos unit. newly formed unit has joined brr: uale (army light aviation unit), waiting equipped nh-90 tth , still-to-be-chosen light utility helicopter, possibly eurocopter ec-135 or agustawestland aw109.

brr forces include:

15th infantry regiment: 1st bipara
10th infantry regiment: 2nd bipara
etp: aeroterrestrial battalion
commandos troop center: commando battalion
special operations troop center: special operations forces
army light aviation unit: army helicopter group, signals company
3rd cavalry regiment: recon squadron
engineering practical school: engineering platoon
1st anti-aircraft artillery regiment: air defence platoon




^ afonso, aniceto , gomes, carlos de matos, guerra colonial (2000), pp. 183-184