PORTUGAL

 

Population
Defence Budget 2010
GDP 2009
Land area
Capital
Life expectancy
Population growth rate
10.6 million
Euros 1.9 billion (US$2.3 billion)
Euros 162 billion (US$198 billion)
91,500 sq kms (35,192 sq miles)
Lisbon (Population 1.9 million)
76 years
0.1 per cent
 
 
Total Armed Forces  
Army

Navy
Air Force
 

24,500 (with about 20,000 ready reserves and another 150,000 said to be available)
10,000 (including about 1,400 Marines)
7,000
(Conscription has recently ended)

 
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE  

Contact Details



 

 

Ministry of Defence
Avenida Ilha da Madeira 14
P-1400 Lisbon
Portugal

Tel:  +351 21301 0001
Fax: +351 21302 0284
 


 

ARMY ORGANISATION

 

Army Strength: approximately 24,500 (with about 20,000 ready reserves and another 150,000 said to be available).
 

In general terms and available for immediate operations are:

1 x Light Infantry Brigade
1 x Mechanised Infantry Brigade
1 x Rapid Reaction/Airborne Brigade

 


 

PORTUGUESE ARMY OUTLINE STRUCTURE

 

Portuguese Army Outline Structure

Notes:
(1) The Mechanised Infantry Brigade (1st Independent Mixed Brigade) is earmarked for operations in support of the NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC). This brigade has 2 x Mechanised Infantry Battalions, 1 x Armoured Reconnaissance Squadron, 1 x Artillery Battery, 1 x Tank Squadron+, 1 x Air Defence Battery, 1 x Engineer Company and 1 x Command and Service Support Battalion. The Light Infantry Brigade has a similar structure but without armoured units.
(2) The Rapid Reaction/Airborne Brigade also has a NATO role. Based around 2 x Parachute Battalions it has air defence, anti-tank, artillery, engineer, reconnaissance and support elements.
(3) There are three Territorial Defence (Reserve) Brigades available on mobilisation.


EU Arrangements

Portugal is committed to taking part in the EU Multinational Battlegroup being formed with Greece, Italy and Spain. This Battlegroup should be operational by the end of 2007 and will be at between five and seven days notice to move.

Portugal is also part of EUROFOR (European Rapid Operational Force), an Italian led formation with its headquarters in Florence. Other nations contributing forces are France and Spain.
 


 

MAJOR ARMY EQUIPMENT

 

Main Battle Tanks (MBT) 90 x M-60A3/A4 (possible 40 active)
  37 x Leopard 2A6 (from the Netherlands)
  86 x M-48 (majority in store)
Reconnaissance (Recce) 15 x V-150 Chaimite (Wheeled)
  20 x ULTRAV M-11 (Wheeled)
  25 x VBL (Wheeled)

Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC)

200 x M-113 (Tracked - estimate available)

  40 x M-557 (Tracked - M-113 variant)
  240 x Pandur II (Wheeled)
  70 x V-200 Chaimite (Wheeled)
Self Propelled Artillery (SP Arty) 20 x 155 mm M-109A2/A5
Towed Artillery 21 x 105 mm L-119
  50 x 105 mm M-101
  24 x 105 mm M-56 (possibly in store)
  24 x 155 mm M-114
Mortars (Mor) 150 x 81 mm (estimate in service)
  80 x 120 mm (estimate in service)
Anti-Tank (Atk) 75 x Milan ATGW (possibly 6 x SP)
  60 x TOW ATGW (possibly 20 x SP)
  150 x 84 mm Carl Gustav RL
Low Level Air Defence (LLAD) 12 x Stinger SAM
  35 x Chaparral SAM (possibly 12 in service)
  25 x 20 mm Guns
  50 x 40 mm L/60 Guns (possibly in store)

 


 

NAVAL ORGANISATION


Navy
Strength: approximately 10,000 including about 1,400 marines

Principal Units:

 

1 x Submarines
5 x Frigates
7 x Offshore Patrol Craft

 


 

PORTUGUESE NAVY OUTLINE STRUCTURE

 

Portuguese Navy Outline Structure

Notes:
(1)The Territorial Command has the responsibility for the Azores, Maderia, South Continental and North Continental.
(2) There are naval bases at Funchal, Lisbon, Porto, Portimao and Ponta Delgada.

 


 

MARINES


The Portuguese Marine Corps (Fuzileiros Navais – FM) has the following outline structure :

 

The Portuguese Marine Corps (Fuzileiros Navais – FM) Outline Structure


The total strength of the FM is in the region of 1,400 personnel. Equipment includes 20 x Pandur APC and 120 mm Mortars.

 



European Union Arrangements

Portugal is a contributor to the European Maritime Force (EUROMARFOR) together with France, Italy and Spain.
 


 

MAJOR NAVAL EQUIPMENT

 

Tactical Submarines (SSK) 1 x Albacora (Daphne Class)
  2 x  Type 209 (on order from Germany)
Frigates (FF) 3 x Vasco Da Gama (Meko 200)
  1 x Commandante Joao Belo
  2 x Karel Doorman (from Netherlands)

Patrol Vessels (PV)

3 x Baptista de Andrade (offshore)

  4 x Jao Coutinho (offshore)
  1 x Viana de Andrade (offshore with helicopter)
  4 x Cacine (coastal)
  5 x Argus (inshore)
  4 x Centauro (inshore)
  1 x Albatross (inshore)
Miscellaneous 5 x Survey Vessels
  1 x Small Tanker
  1 x Landing Ship
Naval Aviation 5 x Super Lynx (utility & ASW)

 


 

AIR FORCE ORGANISATION

Air Force Strength: approximately 7,000 (plus about 2,000 reserves)


PORTUGUESE AIR FORCE OUTLINE STRUCTURE

Portugeuse Air Force Outline Structure

Notes:
(1) Sintra Air Base provides survey, mapping, EEZ patrol and general support using mainly C-212 types.
(2) Lajes Air Base uses C-212-100 aircraft and SA-330 to provide transport and SAR.
(3) Monte Real Air Base employs F-16 aircraft in the attack and air defence roles.
(4) Montijo Air Base used Orion aircraft for maritime patrol, C-130 Hercules and Falcon aircraft for transport and SA 330 and EH 101 helicopters for both transport and S&R.
(5) Training is conducted at Beja Air Base using Alpha Jets, Epsilon and Allouette III helicopters.
 


 

MAJOR AIR FORCE EQUIPMENT

 

Fighters (Ftr) 21 x F-16A/B (19 more in store)
Reconnaissance (Recce) 2 x CASA 212-300
Transport (Tpt) 24 x CASA 212A/B (being replaced by 12 x C-295M)
  6 x C-130H Hercules
  3 x Falcon 50
Maritime Reconnaissance (MR) 6 x P-3P Orion
Training (Trg) 30 x Alpha Jet (many in store)
  15 x TB-30 Epsilon
Helicopters (Hel) 12 x EH 101 (support & SAR)
  16 x SA-316 Alouette III (utility)
  5 x SA-330 (utility)
Air launched missiles (ALM) AGM-65 Maverick (ARM)
  AGM-88 Harpoon (ASM)
  AIM-120 AMRAAM (AAM)
  AIM-9 Sidewinder (AAM)
  AIM-7 Sparrow (AAM)
Air Defence 6 x I Hawk (SAM – probably in store)

 

CURRENT UNIT DEPLOYMENTS
(over platoon strength – 30 personnel. These are approximate figures)

NATO (ISAF) Afghanistan    150
NATO (KFOR) Kosovo   275
EUFOR Bosnia     50
UNIFIL Lebanon 150