The Dragão 08 is the main military exercise of the Brigada de Intervenção (Intervention Brigade, the medium brigade of the Portuguese Army). The last edition has included the participation of Spanish troops from the BRILAT as part of the Sagitário 08 - which took place along with the Dragão 08.
In short, the
Dragão 08 has comprised to phases: the first one, in April, was basicly a command post exercise (CPX, check the article in
Defesa Net); the second one, was a field training exercise (FTX). The FTX has involved 1.135 men and 160 tactical vehicles, inclunding 27 armoured vehicles (12 V-150 with a 90mm gun; 13 Chaimite V-200 personnel carriers; 2 Chaimite V-600 armed with a 81mm mortar). The field manoeuvres took place in the mountainous region of Vila Pouca de Aguiar, north of Portugal.
The
Dragão 08 has allowed to the
Brigada de Intervenção the trainning of a crisis response response, as well as joint operations with foreing troops.
In the last ten years, the brigade mobilized more than 4.000 men and 11 units in several peacekeeping missions. This was the case of the missions in Bósnia, Kosovo and East Timor. Currently, it has an unit of military engineers deployed in Liban and is preparing a combat unit for a mission in Kosovo.
A V-150 armoured vehicle, armed with a 90mm gun, during field manoeuvres. The Brigada de Intervenção also operates the Chaimite armoured vehicle in both troop carrier (V-200) and mortar carrier (V-600) variants [click to enlarge]. 
An image of the stressful and demanding command post exercise which simulated the defence against a conventional threat [click to enlarge].
A Spanish soldier from the BRILAT. Around 100 Spanish troops (infantry) have been involved with the second phase of the Dragão 08 [click to enlarge].
The most recent number of the Viriatos, the magazine of the 14th Infantry Regiment of Viseu, presents on its front cover one of the photos from the Jannuary field report which I have made with this combat unit equipped with the newly received Pandur II armoured vehicle.
Bartolomeu Dias multi-purpose frigate (F333) has arrived to the Portuguese capital this Thursday, April 30th, after months of sea trials and crew trainning (Photo: Portuguese Navy).
A small number of troops from the special operations are part of the 290 men Portuguese battalion [click to enlarge].
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].
You can check the full article on the following adress:
You can check the full article on the following adress:
A V-150 armoured vehicle, armed with a 90mm gun, during field manoeuvres. The Brigada de Intervenção also operates the Chaimite armoured vehicle in both troop carrier (V-200) and mortar carrier (V-600) variants [click to enlarge]. 
