Brazilian Marine Corps
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Brazilian Marine Corps, Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais (CFN), is land combat branch of the Brazilian Navy.
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[edit] Mission
Deployed nationwide, along the coasts, in the marginal regions of Amazônia and in the Pantanal, in peacetime it provides for the security of Naval installations and aids isolated populations through civic action programs in the Naval Districts. Externally, it provides security for the embassies of Brazil in Algeria, in Paraguay, in Haiti and in Bolivia. It has participated of all the armed conflicts in the History of Brazil.
[edit] History
[edit] Antecedents: the Royal Brigade of the Navy
The CFN is originally the old Royal Brigade of the Navy, a unit of Marine Soldiers created in Portugal for License of D. Maria I (1777-1816), in 1797.
The Brazilian Marines trace their origin to 1808 when the troops of the Royal Brigade of the Navy (the Portuguese Marine Corps) arrived in Brazil (then a Portuguese colony) when Mary I of Portugal and her son and regent John VI fled Europe during the Napoleonic Wars.
[edit] The baptism of fire: the conquest of Cayenne
In retaliation for the invasion of Portugal, Prince Regent, Dom João commanded the invasion of French Guiana, whose capital, Cayenne, was captured on the 14th of January 1809.
[edit] Historical campaigns
Later, the unit was involved in diverse campaigns, in the War of the independence of Brazil, in the conflicts of the basin of the Silver, and in War of the Triple Alliance. In this last one, it was distinguished in action in the Battle of Riachuelo and in taking of Humaitá.
[edit] United Nations service
The CFN if has participated in the humanitarian actions promoted by UN in such diverse theaters of operation as Bosnia, Honduras, Moçambique, Ruanda, Angola, East Timor, and recently, in Haiti (MINUSTAH).
[edit] The Marines Corps today
[edit] Staff and mission
With about 15,000 men, all volunteers, professionals in combat on land, air and sea, its mission is to guarantee the projection of the naval power on land, by means of landings carried through with ships and staff of the Navy.
In the case of Brazil this is a complex mission, at this time whose territory equals about 8,5 million km², the coast of more than 7,400 km with many oceanic islands, and a navigable waterways network of approximately 50,000 km. This last one is Brazilian Amazon. To cover climates and natural landscapes so diversified as Pampas of Rio Grande Do Sul, pantanal of Mato Grosso do Sul, deserts of the Northeast region and Amazonian Rainforest, it demands a training of the highest standards, agility and versatility. In this way units trained in techniques consist of demolition, action special, action in the forests, the mountain and the ice, and heliborne actions.
Trained as “Force of Ready Job”, recently, with the sending of Brazilian military observers, also integrating the Peacekeeping Forces of the United Nations, the Marines have made their presence in so distinct areas of conflict as El Salvador, Bosnia, Angola, Moçambique, Ruanda, Peru, Equador, East Timor and, more recently, Haiti.
[edit] Methods
To fulfill its missions, the Marines are disembarked of the ships of the Navy of Brazil, want using landing boats, amphibious vehicles or helicopters. For this they count on the support of the navy and/or sea and air fire.
On land, it operates its normal ways, which include tanks, field artillery, antiaircraft artillery, combat engineering, communications and electronic warfare.
[edit] Training
To fulfill its missions, riflemen must pass a rigorous physical training program, normally with many races, calisthenics, nights without to sleep, swimming, holding their breath, practice shooting with diverse armaments, especially metal rings, rappeling and, in some cases, combat.
[edit] Motto
The motto of the Body of Marines is “Adsumus”, that in Latin it means: Here we are!
[edit] Main Equipment
The Brazilian Marine Corps have a modern arsenal, composed by:
- 17 SK 105
- 14 KH7-AARV (recovery)
- 13 [AAV-7A1(PI)
- 9 LVTP-7A1
- 2 LVTC-7A1 (command)
- 2 LVTR-7A1 (recovery)
- 24 M113A1
- 2 M125A1 (w/ 81mm mortar)
- 2 M577 (command)
- 1 XM806 E1 (armour medical vehycle)
- 1 M113 AIG (recovery}
- 8 Mowag Piranha III (8x8)
- 6 M114 155mm towed howitzer
- 18 L118 105mm towed howitzer
- 6 M101 105mm towed howitzer
- 6 K6A 120mm towed mortar
- 6 Bofors 40 mm gun AA
- 6 MANPADS Mistral launcher AA missile
- AT4 84mm rocket launcher
- FN MAG 7.62x51mm
- FN Minimi 5.56x45mm
- M16A2 5.56x45mm
- M4 carbine 5.56x45mm used by Recon. Battalion
- Beretta model 92F pistol 9x19mm
- Hale-Parker M85 sniper rifle 7.62x51mm
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official website (in Portuguese only)
