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The Mechanized Brigade (Portuguese : Brigada Mecanizada) or BrigMec is a mechanized infantry brigade in service with the Portuguese Army. [1]
The 3rd Infantry Division (3ª Divisão de Infantaria or Divisão Nun´Álvares) was created and assigned to NATO in 1953.
The Nun Alvares Division adopted an almost totally U.S. organization (and equipment), including around 20,000 men, with three infantry regiments (each reinforced with a squadron of tanks), a divisional tank battalion, three field artillery battalions and anti-aircraft, engineering, signal and logistical units. To serve as a training base for the division, the large Santa Margarida Military Camp was built. As the Nun'Álvares Division started to be mainly maintained by the 3rd Military Region (headquartered in Tomar), from 1955, it began to be officially designated as the 3rd Division.
In 1960 the "Nun Alvares" Division's organization was changed from three tactical groupings, based on infantry regiments, to three LANDCENT-type infantry brigades. In 1961 the 3rd Division organized its last large maneuvers. From 1961, the Portuguese Army's effort focused primarily on the Overseas War, with the division entering a decline.
In 1968–1976, studies were carried out to update Portugal's ground contribution to NATO for a force of different characteristics from the 3rd Division. This took form with the 1st Independent Composite Brigade (1ª Brigada Mista Independente, 1ª BMI), established in 1976. After the end of the Cold War, the brigade was redesignated the Independent Mechanized Brigade (Brigada Mecanizada Independente), which then became the Mechanized Brigade in 2006.
The Mechanized Brigade differs from the army's other two brigades as its units aren't provided by regiments. All units of the Mechanized Brigade are part of the Mechanized Brigade at all times and are all based at the Santa Margarida Camp. The following units are part of the Mechanized Brigade: [5]
| Armored Vehicles | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Origin | Number | Image | Notes |
| Main battle tanks | ||||
| Leopard 2 A6 |  Germany | 34 |  | Initially 37 units acquired in 2008, together with 1 unit for training and 1 unit in version 2 A4 for parts supply. [7] [8] In March 2023, 3 units were transferred to Ukraine in order to support the defensive effort against the Russian invasion. [9] |
| Armored tracked vehicles | ||||
| M113A1/A2 |  United States | 210 |  | 255 M113A1/A2 APC received (208 in service). [10] 45 units sent to Ukraine as military aid. [11]
|
| M901A1 ITV | United States | 4 |  | Initially 25 units would be received from the United States, but hydraulic problems were found in 21 units, so only 4 units were received in 1993 with 900 missiles. [12] [13] |
| M113 BGM-71 TOW | United States | 17 |  | M113A2 equipped with anti-tank guided missile TOW 2. [14] |
| M577 | United States | 49 |  | 68 M577A2 received (43 in service as command vehicles and 3 in service as ambulance vehicles). [15] [16] 2 units sent to Ukraine as military aid. [17]
|
| M106A2 mortar carrier | United States | 18 |  | 3 M106 and 15 M106A2, equipped with 107mm M30 mortar. [18] [19] |
| M125A1/A2 mortar carrier | United States | 15 |  | 3 M125A1 and 12 M125A2, equipped with 81mm M29 mortar. [20] [21] |
| Self-propelled artillery | ||||
| M109A5 | United States | 18 |  | Self-propelled howitzer. In process of overhaul (little modernization and repair) [22] |
| M109A2 | United States | 6 |  | The Portuguese Army currently has 6 M109A2 stored at the military base of Santa Margarida. These M109A2 are part of the war reserves of the Portuguese Army and can be prepared to enter the active service. [23] |
| Armoured recovery vehicles | ||||
| M88A1/A1G Recovery Vehicle | United States | 8 |  | 6 M88A1 and 2 M88A2G are in service since 1978. [24] |
| M578 light recovery vehicle | United States | 29 |  | 21 in service since 1995 and 8 in service since 1997. [25] |
| Armoured Engineering vehicles | ||||
| Carro Blindado Lança Pontes M60 AVLB m/1981 | United States | 4 |  | 4 are in service since 1981, operated by Engineer Company, (Companhia de Engenharia Combate Pesado or CEngCombPes). [26] |
| Armoured Training vehicles | ||||
| Leopard 2 Driver Training Tank | Germany | 1 |  | One unit in service since 2008, used for training Leopard 2 A6 new drivers. [27] [28] |
| Special vehicles | ||||
| M548 | United States | 24 |  | Used by the Mechanized Brigade to carry ammunition to the M109A5. [29] [30] |
| Armoured infantry mobility vehicles | ||||
| HMMWV M1025A2 | United States |  | Some units used by the Engineer Company (Companhia de Engenharia Combate Pesado or CEngCombPes) | |
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