Viriatos: Magazine of the 14th Infantry Regiment of Viseu

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.

For more information and photos concerning to this unit of the Portuguese Army, check the report published by April in Defesa Net.

Pedro Monteiro

Inside the Tridente submarine

The October issue of Fuerzas Militares del Mundo brings a report onboard of the Tridente, the newly-received U-209PN submarine of Portuguese Navy.
This report includes interviews to some members of the 33-men crew as well as exclusive inside photos showing, for example, the torpedo room, kitchen or crew accomodations. Besides this, it provides details on the equipments and weapon systems of the new class of submarines which has replaced the former French-built Daphné submarines.

MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTED IN: Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Chile, Peru and USA.

Pedro Monteiro

Tridente: The new Portuguese submarine

On the September 8th, the new Tridente submarine from the Portuguese Navy was publicly presented during a ceremony which took place in the naval base of Alfeite, near Lisbon. The modern conventional submarine from the U-209PN model shares, in the reality, many common characteristics with the more recent U-214 project. The two new submarines ordered by Portugal in 2004 replace the French-built Albacora class, based on the Daphné model. The deliver of the second submarine, named Arpão, is scheduled for 2011.

A detailed report focusing the ceremony and this new class of submarines will be soon published by the Spanish magazine Fuerzas Militares del Mundo. Meanwhile, the Portuguese magazine Revista de Marinha has published a short report here.

Pedro Monteiro

Apolo 010 at Santarém

Around 1,200 troops from the Brigada de Reacção Rápida (BRR, the Army light brigade), Spanish paratroops and elements from the command staff from the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) have been involved in the yearly exercise Apolo. Along with the troops in the ground, several aircraft have participated in the exercise, namely the C-295M and C-130H transport aircrafts and Alouette III and EH-101 Merlin transport helicopters.

The exercise has occurred between June 14th and 21th in the region of Santarém.

Portuguese troops from the Comandos, an elite light infantry unit. Part of the Brigada de Reacção Rápida, the light rapid reaction force of the Portuguese Army, they have been recently deployed in Afghanistan.

Spanish paratroops during the military ceremmony which occurred in the city of Santarém.

Pedro Monteiro

Photographic report on Navy Day 2010

Following the May report at Portimão, when the commemorations of the Navy Day took place this year, the Portuguese magazine Revista de Marinha published a short report, presenting part of the photos of the report and text by António da Cruz Cordeiro.

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Navy Day of 2010

The 2010 celebrations of the Navy Day brought to the south of the country, more precisely to the city of Portmão, ships from the main classes serving in the Portuguese Navy. Among them were for, example, the newly received frigate D. Francisco de Almeida, one of the two former Dutch Karel Doorman frigates acquired by Portugal, the Vasco da Gama frigate or the Bérrio, the fleet support tanker received in the 1990s after serving in the Royal Navy as Blue Rover.

The Minister of Defence, Augusto Santos Silva, has attended May 23th military ceremony and, during his speech, Mr. Santos Silva underlined the importance of a modern and operational fleet for defending the strategic interests of the country. The modernization plan will cost 2 billion Euros, comprising, for example, the two new frigates of the Bartolomeu Dias class, the Portuguese-built Viana do Castelo offshore patrol vessels, the two Tridente submarines or a Landing Platform Dock ship which - essential for supporting amphibious operations and the deployment of military forces in foreign scenarios. According to Mr. Santos Silva, the delivery of the first Tridente submarine and the first Viana do Castelo vessel is expected for this year.

Another highlight of the event was an impressive demonstration by the ships and navy units visiting Portimão which included an amphibious landing demonstration by the marines. Some of the three deployed Super Lynx Mk 95 helicopters were armed with the recently-received 12,7mm FN Herstal M3M machine guns.

A photographic report was made for the Portuguese magazine Revista de Marinha, which can be partially seen here.

Pedro Monteiro