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:[4]
Field Artillery Group, (Grupo de Artilharia de Campanha or GAC) with M109A5 155 mm self-propelled howitzers
Reconnaissance Squadron, (Esquadrão de Reconhecimento or ERec) with Leopard 2 A6 and M901 ITV tank destroyers
Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battery, (Bateria de Artilharia Anti-Aérea or BtrAAA) with MIM-72A3 Chaparral surface-to-air missiles
Engineer Company, (Companhia de Engenharia Combate Pesado or CEngCombPes) with M60 AVLB
Signal Company, (Companhia de Transmissões or CTms)
Combat Service Support Battalion, (Batalhão de Apoio de Serviços or BApSvc)
Equipment
References
^"Notícia". www.exercito.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-09-29.
^ a b c d e f g"Missões no Exterior". UNIDADES DO EXÉRCITO PORTUGUÊS (in European Portuguese). 2015-10-28. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
^"118 militares portugueses partem para o Afeganistão". SIC Notícias (in Portuguese). 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
^http://www.exercito.pt/sites/BrigMec/Paginas/Organizacao.aspx Official Site of the Mechanized Brigade
^"Brigada Mecanizada". Exército Português. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
^"Um Dia No Grupo de Carros de Combate". Operacional (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-03-08.
^The Military Balance 2024. International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2024. p. 128. ISBN 9781032780047.
^Donn, Natasha (2023-03-08). "Portugal's three Leopard tanks in Germany heading to Ukraine". Portugal Resident. Retrieved 2023-03-08.
^Kotowicz, Ana. "Raio X às Forças Armadas". Observador (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-05-15.
^"PORTUGAL- MILITARY SUPPORT TO UKRAINE" (PDF).
^The Military Balance 2024. International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2024. p. 128. ISBN 9781032780047.
^Transfers of major weapons: Deals with deliveries or orders made for 1960 to 2020. SIPRI Arms Transfers Database.
^The Military Balance 2024. International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2024. p. 128. ISBN 9781032780047.
^The Military Balance 2024. International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2024. p. 128. ISBN 9781032780047.
^Transfers of major weapons: Deals with deliveries or orders made for 1960 to 2020. SIPRI Arms Transfers Database.
^"Portugal Defense to give 5 M113 and M577 armored vehicles to Ukraine army". www.armyrecognition.com. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
^Future, Artillery (2019). Global Market Report 2019. p. 21.
^The Military Balance 2024. International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2024. p. 128. ISBN 9781032780047.
^Future, Artillery (2019). Global Market Report 2019. p. 21.
^The Military Balance 2024. International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2024. p. 128. ISBN 9781032780047.
^Defence 360° 😷, Victor Barreira / (2020-02-13). "The Portuguese Army Material General Support Unit (UAGME) will carry out the overhaul of an initial six BAE Systems M109A5 self-propelled howitzers. A total of 18 M109A5s are fielded by the Field Artillery Group of the Mechanized Brigade (BrigMec).pic.twitter.com/Hwl7UL17kQ". @Defence360. Retrieved 2020-05-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^The Military Balance 2022. International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2022. pp. 370–371.
^The Military Balance 2024. International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2024. p. 128. ISBN 9781032780047.
^The Military Balance 2024. International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2024. p. 128. ISBN 9781032780047.
^The Military Balance 2024. International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2024. p. 128. ISBN 9781032780047.
^"Um Dia No Grupo de Carros de Combate". Operacional (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-04-26.
^The Military Balance 2024. International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2024. p. 128. ISBN 9781032780047.
^"Exército Prepara-Se Para Grandes Exercícios Multinacionais". Operacional (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-04-12.
^Monteiro, Pedro (2011). Vehicles of the Modern Portuguese Army Nº7022. Germany: Tankograd - Mission & Manoeuveres.
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