Portuguese Armed Forces

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The armed forces of Portugal, commonly known as the Portuguese Armed Forces (Forças Armadas Portuguesas), encompasses a Navy, Army and an Air Force. The President of Portugal is the formal Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces, but in practice they answer to the Portuguese Government via the Minister of Defence.

History

The history of the Portuguese Armed Forces is directly connected to the history of Portugal.

File:Forças Armadas Portuguesas.gif
Portuguese Armed Forces Crest

Origins

The land and naval forces fought for Portuguese independence against the Leonese and the Moors in the 12th century, against the Castilian invaders in the 14th century, against the Spanish occupiers in the 17th century and against French invaders in the 19th century.

World War I

Portuguese forces in trenches at the Lys, 1918.

More than a year after the war in Europe broke out, the government of Portugal orders the arrest of German ships anchored in Portuguese ports following a British request, leading to a war declaration by Germany. An army corps with the name Portuguese Expeditionary Corps (Corpo Expedicionário Português, CEP) is formed at Tancos, made of 30,000 soldiers, under command of general Norton de Matos. It is decided to include CEP into the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the first men arrive in France by February 1917. Also an artillery Portuguese corps is sent to man French batteries which they start operating by March 1918.

The CEP would see major action at Battle of La Lys, as it became known in Portugal, or Operation Georgette, or Battle of Estaires to the British. The Portuguese 2nd division is overhelmed by the superior numbers of the German army and the unit is almost completely lost. The war would end in the same year with the allied victory. Portuguese troops also fought in Africa, due to the colonies of Angola and Mozambique bordering German territories.

Recent History

Since 2003, the military service is optional. Portugal has military involved in several peacekeeping missions abroad, like INTERFET and UNTAET in East-Timor, MINURSO in Western Sahara, EUFOR in Bosnia and KFOR in Kosovo.

The last government spent large amounts of money in the modernization of the Armed Forces, in an action that created much controversy, the main one was the acquisition of 2 new submarines.

Rank

Class Navy
(Marinha, Armada) 		Army/Air Force
(Exército/Força Aérea)
Honorific Almirante da Armada Marechal
General Officers
(Oficiais Generais) 		Almirante General
Vice-Almirante Tenente-General
Contra-Almirante Major-General
Comodoro Brigadeiro-General
Senior Officers
(Oficiais Superiores) 		Capitão-de-Mar-e-Guerra Coronel
Capitão-de-Fragata Tenente-Coronel
Capitão-Tenente Major
Junior Officers *
(Oficiais Subalternos) 		Primeiro-Tenente Capitão
Segundo-Tenente Tenente
Guarda-Marinha / Subtenente Alferes
Aspirante
NCO
(Sargentos) 		Sargento-Mor
Sargento-Chefe
Sargento-Ajudante
Primeiro-Sargento
Segundo-Sargento
Primeiro-Subsargento Furriel
Segundo-Subsargento Segundo-Furriel
Enlisted personnel
(Praças) 		Cabo Cabo-Adjunto
Primeiro-Marinheiro Primeiro-Cabo
Segundo-Marinheiro Segundo-Cabo
Grumete Soldado **

* Army Captains (Capitães) are the sole members of their own class.

** The Private (Soldado) rank exists only in the Army.

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See also

External links

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