1º Batalhão de Forças Especiais

The 1º Batalhão de Forças Especiais (1º B F Esp) (English: 1st Special Forces Battalion), also named António Dias Cardoso Battalion, is a special forces unit of the Brazilian Army.

1st Special Forces Battalion
1º Batalhão de Forças Especiais
Coat of arms of the 1st SF Battalion
Active1983; 41 years ago (1983)
Country Brazil
Branch Brazilian Army
TypeSpecial Forces
SizeUnknown
Part of Brazilian Special Operations Brigade
Garrison/HQGoiânia
Nickname(s)"FE"
Motto(s)Qualquer missão, em qualquer lugar, a qualquer hora, de qualquer maneira.
(English: "Any mission, in any place, at any time, by any means.")
Engagements

History

edit
 
FEs and Comandos troops patrol Port-au-Prince during MINUSTAH.

The Battalion was initially formed in 1957 as a jungle rescue unit. However, in 1968 it was reorganized as a special forces unit. In 1983 the unit was expanded and placed under the parachute infantry brigade structure.[3]

In 1991, elements of the 1st BFEsp along with participated in Operation Traira, an action taken by the Brazilian Army in response to an attack made in February by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia against a semi-permanent army position in the Taraíra River. BFEsp soldiers killed seven FARC soldiers, imprisoned an unspecified amount and recovered military equipment stolen during the original February 1991 ambush.[4]

In November 1991, this operation was followed by operation Perro Loco, intended to dissuade FARC activity on the Brazilian side of the border. [4][5]

During MINUSTAH, a force of around 20 men from the 1st Special Forces Battalion and 1st Commando Actions Battalion made up the Destacamento de Operações de Paz (Peace Operations Detachment) or Dopaz, a special operations unit responsible for high-risk missions such as special reconnaissance and direct action against leaderships of Haitian gangs, as well as leading the UN raids on neighborhoods such as Bel Air, Cité Militaire and Cité Soleil from 2005 to 2007.[1] According to Brazilian SF General Sergio Schwingel, Dopaz's role in Haiti led to the UN creating a doctrine for the usage of special forces in peacekeeping operations worldwide.[1]

Role

edit
 
FE servicemen in 2018

The Battalion's mission is similar to that of the Green Beret units; however, because they have the CT mission, they have modified their organization to more closely follow Britain's Special Air Service and American's Delta Force. The SF Battalion falls within the Army's Special Operations Command and is located in Goiânia.[3]

The battalion is capable of conducting its missions independently from or in conjunction with conventional forces. Battalion troops are trained in jungle warfare at the Army's CIGS jungle warfare school and in amphibious, mountain warfare, airborne, airmobile and HAHO/HALO operations. They are also prepared for long-range reconnaissance in addition to their CT operations.[3]

Equipment

edit
Name Origin Type
Glock 17[6]   Austria Pistol
Glock 21[6]   Austria Pistol
Heckler & Koch USP[7]   Germany Pistol
IMBEL M1911A1[6]   Brazil Pistol
Taurus M975[7]   Brazil Pistol
Taurus Mod.21[7]   Brazil Pistol
Heckler & Koch VP70[8]   Germany Machine Pistol
IMBEL ParaFAL[6]   Brazil Battle Rifle
Heckler & Koch G3A3[8]   Germany Battle Rifle
IMBEL IA2   Brazil Assault Rifle
IMBEL MD97[7]   Brazil Assault Rifle
Heckler & Koch G36C[8]   Germany Assault rifle
Heckler & Koch HK33A2[8]   Germany Assault Rifle
Heckler & Koch HK417[9]   Germany Assault rifle
HK53A5[8]   Germany Assault Rifle
FAMAS F1 Commando[8]   France Assault Rifle
Colt M4   United States Assault rifle
Norinco Type 56[7]   China Assault Rifle
Franchi SPAS-15[8]   Italy Shotgun
Benelli M3 Super 90[8]   Italy Shotgun
Benelli M4 Super 90   Italy Shotgun
Mossberg 500 Cruiser[8]   United States Shotgun
Remington 870 MK1[8]   United States Shotgun
IMI Uzi[8]   Israel Submachine gun
IMI Micro Uzi[8]   Israel Submachine gun
Heckler & Koch MP5SD6[8]   Germany Submachine gun
Heckler & Koch MP5KA4[8]   Germany Submachine gun
Taurus M972[7]   Brazil Submachine gun
FN Minimi Para MK3[8]   Belgium Light machine gun
FN MAG[6]   Belgium General-purpose machine gun
HK21E[8]   Germany General-purpose machine Gun
Barrett M82A3[8]   United States Anti-materiel sniper rifle
PGM Ultima Ratio[7]   France Anti-materiel sniper rifle
Heckler & Koch PSG1[8]   Germany Sniper rifle
SIG Saue SSG 300[7]    Switzerland Sniper Rifle
M24 Sniper Weapon System[8]   United States Sniper rifle
M110 SASS[9]   United States Sniper rifle
M79 grenade launcher[8]   United States Grenade Launcher
AT4[6]   Sweden Rocket launcer
Carl Gustaf M3[6]   Sweden Recoilless rifle
60mm Commando Mortar[6]   France Mortar
L16 81mm mortar[6]   United Kingdom Mortar
Hydroar T1M1[10]   Brazil Flame-thrower

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Dopaz: conheça a tropa de elite que o Brasil levou para pacificar as favelas violentas do Haiti" (in Portuguese). g1. 20 September 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Militares entram na Rocinha para conter a guerra do tráfico" (in Portuguese). g1. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Brazilian Army's 1st Special Forces Battalion". SpecWarNet. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Foreign Military Studies Office Publications - Guerrilla in The Brazilian Amazon". 2017-06-28. Archived from the original on 2017-06-28. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  5. ^ "TOA GUERRILHA NA AMAZÔNIA: A Experiência do Rio Traíra - Parte 3". DefesaNet (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2012-03-16. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Military Power Review - Tropas de Elite - Batalhão de Forças Especiais do Brasil". www.militarypower.com.br. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "1º Batalhão de Forças Especiais | PDF | Comandos (soldados) | Forças especiais". Scribd (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-05-04.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "wiw_sa_brazil - worldinventory". 2016-06-02. Archived from the original on 2016-06-02. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
  9. ^ a b "Recent images of Rio's drug war -". The Firearm Blog. 2017-10-04. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  10. ^ Miller, David (2002). The illustrated directory of special forces. St Paul, MN: MBI. ISBN 0-7603-1419-5. OCLC 51555045.
edit