The Agrupamento Mike, which was covered on a previous report (check the article here), is presently completing its mission in Kosovo in the role of the KFOR Tactical Reserve Manoueuvre Batalion. A new battalion of the Brigada de Intervenção (Intervention Brigade, the medium brigade of the Portuguese Army) will replace it by March.
A small number of troops from the special operations are part of the 290 men Portuguese battalion [click to enlarge].
The north region of Mirandela was the scenario chosen for the military exercise Pristina 091. During a week, the 290 men of the battalion have trained several situations which they might find once in Kosovo, such as crowd riot control. One of the news of this edition of the Pristina exercises was the participation of a small group of Pandur II armoured vehicles which are being received by the Portuguese Army. So far, there are 11 vehicles in service with the infantry regiment of Vila Real, all of them in the Infantry Carrier Vehicle variant.
A total of 81 vehicles have participated in the Pristina 091, including five Pandur II armoured vehicles [click to enlarge].
The Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) variant of the Pandur II armoured vehicle. This combat variant is armed with a 12,7mm caliber machine gun. Other versions, such as the Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) armed with a Steyr SP 30 turret with a 30mm canon, are part of the Portuguese purchase [click to enlarge].
A full report of the exercise was published, this week, by the Brazilian defence website Defesa Net:
http://www.defesanet.com.br/nato/pt_pristina09.htm#
Pedro Monteiro
A small number of troops from the special operations are part of the 290 men Portuguese battalion [click to enlarge].The north region of Mirandela was the scenario chosen for the military exercise Pristina 091. During a week, the 290 men of the battalion have trained several situations which they might find once in Kosovo, such as crowd riot control. One of the news of this edition of the Pristina exercises was the participation of a small group of Pandur II armoured vehicles which are being received by the Portuguese Army. So far, there are 11 vehicles in service with the infantry regiment of Vila Real, all of them in the Infantry Carrier Vehicle variant.
A total of 81 vehicles have participated in the Pristina 091, including five Pandur II armoured vehicles [click to enlarge].
The Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) variant of the Pandur II armoured vehicle. This combat variant is armed with a 12,7mm caliber machine gun. Other versions, such as the Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) armed with a Steyr SP 30 turret with a 30mm canon, are part of the Portuguese purchase [click to enlarge].A full report of the exercise was published, this week, by the Brazilian defence website Defesa Net:
http://www.defesanet.com.br/nato/pt_pristina09.htm#
Pedro Monteiro
