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| Portuguese Commandos | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | Portuguese Commandos |
| Native name | Comandos |
| Dates | 1962–present |
| Country | Portugal |
| Branch | Portuguese Army |
| Type | Special forces |
| Role | Special operations, counterinsurgency, reconnaissance |
| Garrison | Serra da Estrela (training); Lisbon; Porto |
| Motto | "Boinas Verdes" (Green Berets) |
Portuguese Commandos are an elite airborne and amphibious special operations force formed in Portugal during the early 1960s for counterinsurgency in overseas provinces. Influenced by British Commandos, French Foreign Legion doctrine and United States Army Special Forces methods, they became a distinct formation within the Portuguese Army that saw action in the Portuguese Colonial War, later adapting to NATO interoperability and United Nations missions. Their evolution reflects ties to institutions such as the Ministry of National Defence (Portugal), the Estado Novo (Portugal), and post-1974 democratic defence reforms.
Commandos were created in 1962 amid escalating conflicts in Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau during the Portuguese Colonial War. Early training cadres consulted veterans from the Royal Marines, Special Air Service, and instructors with experience from the Algerian War and the Korean War. They participated in operations such as counter-guerrilla campaigns in Lumbar River areas, manhunts during the Operation Green Sea era, and cross-border actions tied to the South African Border War. After the Carnation Revolution of 1974 and the Alvor Agreement, units were repatriated and reformed, later deploying to Bosnia and Herzegovina under United Nations Protection Force, to East Timor with International Force East Timor, and to Afghanistan alongside International Security Assistance Force contingents.
Commandos are organized within the Portuguese Army as a brigade-level commando force element, initially operating as battalions and later consolidated into companies and platoons optimized for rapid deployment. Command relationships have included attachments to the Rapid Reaction Brigade (Portugal), coordination with the Portuguese Marine Corps, and interoperability frameworks with NATO through structures such as the Multinational Land Force and Eurocorps. Command hierarchies draw on staff from the Academia Militar (Portugal), with support from logistics units in bases at Estremoz and training areas in Serra da Estrela.
Selection follows a rigorous pipeline influenced by Special Air Service selection, requiring endurance marches across the Peneda-Gerês National Park and amphibious exercises off Algarve coasts. The course integrates instruction from the GNR, airborne training at Tancos Air Base, jungle warfare methods derived from Mozambique campaigns, and mountain warfare techniques in Serra da Estrela. Cadres receive advanced training in close-quarters battle from instructors with NATO experience, sniper training linked to doctrines from the Bundeswehr and French Army, and demolitions lessons aligned with U.S. Marine Corps explosive ordnance techniques.
Standard small arms have included the Heckler & Koch G3, later replaced by the Heckler & Koch G36 and the FN SCAR, with sidearms such as the SIG Sauer P226 and Glock pistols. Support weapons have featured the FN MAG machine gun, the Mk 19 grenade launcher, and anti-armor systems like the RPG-7 and the MILAN (missile). Mobility and insertion platforms have involved Puma and EH101 helicopters, light vehicles such as the URO VAMTAC, and maritime craft linked to operations with the Portuguese Navy's patrol vessels and Lanchas rápidas.
During the Portuguese Colonial War, commandos conducted reconnaissance, ambushes, and village security in theaters including Luanda, Beira, and the Bissau hinterlands. Post-1974 deployments encompassed peacekeeping in East Timor, stabilization in Mozambique during the Rome General Peace Accords aftermath, and expeditionary operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo under United Nations and NATO mandates. More recently, detachments served in Afghanistan with ISAF, in counter-piracy patrols off the Gulf of Aden alongside European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), and in multinational exercises such as Trident Juncture and Steadfast Jazz.
Commandos are distinguished by the green beret, influenced by the United States Army Special Forces and nicknamed "Boinas Verdes". Unit insignia combines elements from Portugal's heraldic traditions found in the Coat of arms of Portugal and symbols used by historical formations like the Portuguese Legion. Ceremonial practices draw from the Military Order of Saint James of the Sword legacy and include commemorations at monuments in Lisbon and regimental museums linked to the Museu Militar de Lisboa. Traditions emphasize esprit de corps akin to that of the French Commandos Marine, the British Royal Marines, and admired units such as the Givati Brigade and the U.S. Navy SEALs.
Noteworthy units and figures include early commanders who gained prominence during the Angolan War of Independence, officers later active in politics after the Carnation Revolution, and veterans cited in works on counterinsurgency alongside scholars from the Instituto de Estudos Estratégicos e Internacionais. Units such as the original commando battalions, the commando company integrated into the Rapid Reaction Brigade, and specialized reconnaissance elements that trained with the SAS and French Army Special Forces Command are frequently cited in military histories and studies on Portuguese interventions.
Category:Military units and formations of Portugal Category:Special forces