Portuguese Army Commandos - Operational Units

Operational Units

Served in Angola (1963–1975)

• Commando Companies (CCmds): 1st, 6th, 8th, 11th, 14th, 19th, 20th, 22nd, 24th, 25th, 30th, 31st, 33rd, 36th, 37th, 2041st, 2042nd, 2044th, 2046th, 2047th, 4042nd and 112th/74 – mobilized in Angola and Portugal.

Served in Portuguese Guinea (1964–1974)

• Commando Groups: "Camaleões", "Fantasmas" and "Panteras";
• Guinea Commando Company (CCmdsGuiné), including Commando groups: "Apaches", "Centuriões", "Diabólicos", "Vampiros" and "Grusinos";
• Commando Companies (CCmds): 3rd, 5th, 16th, 26th, 27th, 35th, 38th and 4041st – mobilized in Angola and Portugal;
• African Commando Companies (CCmdsAfricanos): 1st, 2nd and 3rd – mobilized in Guinea and composed entirely of blacks;
• Guinea Commando Battalion (BCmdsGuiné) – created in 1972 to centralize the command and the support to all commando companies operating in the Portuguese Guinea.

Served in Mozambique (1964–1975)

• Commando Companies (CCmds): 2nd, 4th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 17th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, 28th, 29th, 34th, 2040th, 2043rd, 2045th and 4040th – mobilized in Angola and Portugal;
• Mozambique Commando Companies (CCmdsMoç): 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th – mobilized in Mozambique and composed of blacks and whites;
• Mozambique Commando Battalion (BCmdsMoç) – created in 1969 to centralize the command and the support to all commando companies operating in Mozambique.

Served in Portugal (1974–1993):

• Commando Battalion 11 (BCmds11), including commando companies (CCmds): 111, 112, 113 and 114. BCmds11 was formed with 2041st, 2042nd, 4041st and 112nd/74 CCmds, after coming back from Angola and Guinea, changing their numbers. CCmds 113 was later deactivated;
• Commando Battalion 12 (BCmds12), including CCmds: 121, 122 and 123 (heavy weapons). CCmds 123 was deactivated in 1982; CCmds 131 was created later, also of heavy weapons. In this battalion was also integrated the Commando Company REDES (Raids and Destructions);
• Commando Company 131 (heavy weapons), created in 1982 as the initial company of the future Commando Battalion 13, which was never activated. It was latter deactivated;
• Commando Regiment Headquarters and Support Battalion (BCS/RCmds), including: Headquarters and Services, Specialities Training, Maintenance and Transport and Resupply companies;
• Commando Regiment Training Battalion (BInstrução/RCmds), including Training companies: 1st and 2nd.

Serving currently in Portugal (as of 2009)

• Commando companies (CCmds): 1st CCmds "Morcegos", 2nd CCmds "Escorpiões" and 3rd CCmds "Cobras".