The Royal Brigade of the Navy

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 Prince Regent John (later King John VI of Portugal) relocated themselves to the Portuguese South American territory during the Napoleonic Wars in Europe.

The baptism of fire: the conquest of Cayenne

In retaliation for the invasion of Portugal, prince regent, Dom João ordered the invasion of French Guiana, whose capital, Cayenne, was captured on January 14, 1809.

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 from Navy ships and helicopters. The Corps is an integral part of the Navy, encompassing about one third of its manpower. Ranks are naval instead of Army, with the exception of Privates, who are called Soldados (Soldiers).

In the case of Brazil this is a complex mission, since the country has a territory of about 8,5 million km² (3.28 million sq. miles), a coast of more than 7,400 km (4,600 mi) with many oceanic islands, and a navigable waterways network of approximately 50,000 km (31,000 mi). This last one includes the 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 Amazon rainforest, demands a training of the highest standards, agility and versatility. Therefore, there are units trained in demolition techniques, special operations, combat in forests, mountain and ice, and helicopter-transported operations.

Trained as a Fast Deployment Unit, recently, with the sending of Brazilian military observers, also integrating the Peacekeeping Forces of the United Nations, the Marines have made their presence in distinctive areas of conflict as El Salvador, Bosnia, Angola, Moçambique, Ruanda, Peru, Ecuador, East Timor and currently Haiti.

On March 30, 2014 security forces in Rio de Janeiro occupied since the dawn of that day, the set of Shantytown Tide in the North Zone of Rio. Region is being prepared to receive the Pacifying Police Unit (UPP), Brazilian Marine Corps will provide support with 21 armored vehicles and 500 men.

Fleet Marine Force

The Fleet Marine Force (Força de Fuzileiros da Esquadra (FFE), literally Squadron Riflemen Force) includes the expeditionary component of the corps and consists of the following units:

• 1st Amphibious Division (Divisão Anfíbia (DivAnf)) of brigade size with three marine infantry battalions (Batalhão de Fuzileiros Navais (BFN) as its main fighting force, along with the following:
  • Command and Control Battalion (Batalhão de Comando e Controle),
  • 1st "Riachuelo" Marine Infantry Battalion (BFN)
  • 2nd "Humaitá" Marine Infantry Battalion (BFN)
  • 3rd "Paissandu" Marine Infantry Battalion (BFN)
  • Marine Artillery Battalion (Batalhão de Artilharia de Fuzileiros Navais)
  • Marine Armoured Vehicle Battalion (Batalhão de Blindados)
  • Marine Tactical Air Control and Air Defence Battalion (Batalhão de Controle Aerotático e Defesa Antiaérea)
  • Governor's Island Marine Base (Base de Fuzileiros Navais da Ilha do Governador),
• Reinforcement Troop (Tropa de Reforço (TrRef)) located in Ilha das Flores in São Gonçalo (RJ), composed of the following:
  • Marine Engineer Battalion (Batalhão de Engenharia de Fuzileiros Navais),
  • Marine Logistic Battalion (Batalhão Logístico de Fuzileiros Navais),
  • Amphibious Vehicles Battalion (Batalhão de Viaturas Anfíbias),
  • Police Company (Companhia de Polícia)
  • Landing Support Company (Apoio ao Desembarque)
  • Isle of Flowers Marine Base (Base de Fuzileiros Navais da Ilha das Flores),

Amphibian operations with CLAnfs.

• • Landing Troop Command (Comando da Tropa de Desembarque (ComTrDbq)), located at Duque de Caxias (RJ) - provides the means to command, control and administer the Command of the Fleet Marine Force and to also local units
• Marine Special Operations Battalion "Tonelero" (Batalhão de Operações Especiais de Fuzileiros Navais (Batalhão Tonelero)) A unit similar to US Marine Corps Raiders, formed in 1957 and structured for high risk operations. Its mission is to destroy or damage prominent objectives in heavily defended areas, capture or rescue personnels or equipment, seize installations, obtain information, mislead and produce psychological effects.
• Rio Meriti Marine Base (Base de Fuzileiros Navais do Rio Meriti (BFNRM)), located in Duque de Caxias (RJ)
• ships detachments

Regional Forces

"Marine Groups" (Grupamentos de Fuzileiros Navais (GptFN) are subordinate to the Naval Districts (Distritos Navais), for the security of naval installations, as well as performing operations in support of the Naval District where they are assigned, while the 7th Marine Group is also tasked for public duties in the Brasilia area. They are located in the vicinity of the local Naval District headquarters. GptFNs are small-sized Marine battalions.

Three of the GptFNs have been expanded into Batalhoes de Operacoes Ribeirinhas (Riverine Operations Battalions) or BtlOpRibs consisting of a Command and Services Company, 3 Marine Companies, and a Combat Support Company.

Amphibious operation in river.

• GptFN at Rio de Janeiro, RJ (1st DN)
• GptFN at Salvador, Bahia (2nd DN)
• GptFN at Natal, Rio Grande do Norte (3rd DN)
• 2nd BtlOpRib at Belém, Pará (4th DN)
• GptFN at Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul (5th DN)
• 3rd BtlOpRib at Ladário, Mato Grosso do Sul (6th DN)
• GptFN at Brasília, Distrito Federal (7th DN)
• GptFN at São Paulo, São Paulo (8tht DN) (in formation^[2])
• 1st BtlOpRib, Manaus, Amazonas (9th DN)

Central Band of the Marine Corps

The Central Band of the Brazilian Marine Corps is the concert band unit of the CFN. Also known by its other name, the Symphonic Band of the CFN, it is the premier band of the CFN and is the senior most concert band in the armed forces. Their performances are marked by a balanced mix of popular and classical, as well as instrumental and sung songs. It is composed of two officers (the Director of Music and Bandmaster) and 118 military musicians who are NCOs. The band was created in the 1970s and belongs to the Band Company of the Naval Battalion, located at São José Fortress on Cobras Island, Rio de Janeiro.^[3]

Pipes, Drum and Bugle Corps

The Pipes, Drum and Bugle Corps is the official marching band of the CFN and one of the only field bands in service in the Brazilian Navy. Although it is based in Rio de Janeiro, it has taken part in all parades held in the federal capital of Brasilia, since 1960. It is notable for its use of the bagpipe, bugles, marching percussion, and the Turkish crescent in its ranks. The BMPDC has been deployed to many countries in its 100-year history, such as the United Kingdom to take part in the Coronation of Elizabeth II and France in 2005 for the Bastille Day military parade. It has also taken part in many domestic events such as the 2011 Military World Games and the 2016 Summer Olympics. The pipe portion of the BMPDC has been trained by pipe units and institutions in the United Kingdom such as the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming.

Ranks

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers								Officer cadet
Brazilian Navy[4]
	Almirante		Almirante de esquadra		Vice-almirante		Contra-almirante				Capitão de mar e guerra		Capitão de fragata		Capitão de corveta		Capitão-tenente		Primeiro-tenente			Segundo-tenente

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Brazilian Marine Corps
	Suboficial fuzileiro naval										Primeiro-sargento fuzileiro naval						Segundo-sargento fuzileiro naval			Terceiro-sargento fuzileiro naval			Cabo fuzileiro naval						Soldado fuzileiro naval

Light tank

Equipment	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes	Photo
SK-105 Kürassier	Austria	Light tank	SK 105A2S 4KH7FA	16 1	To be replaced by 2032 with 8×8 armoured fighting vehicles, a tracked vehicle, or a mixed fleet of both. [5] Only around half of the acquired tanks remain in service.

Infantry fighting vehicles

Equipment	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes	Photo
AAV-7A1	United States	Armoured personnel carrier/Assault Amphibious	AAV-7A1 LVTP-7A1 LVTC-7A1 LVTR-7A1	21 22 3 3	To be replaced [6]
M113	United States	Armored personnel carrier	M113A1 M125A1 M577A1 XM806E1 M113A1G	24 2 2 1 1
Mowag Piranha 8x8	Switzerland	Armoured personnel carrier/reconnaissance	Piranha IIIC	30
Oshkosh L-ATV	United States	Light tactical vehicle	JLTV	8	12 on order, deliveries from 2022

Artillery

Equipment	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes	Photo
ASTROS	Brazil	Multiple Launch Rocket System	AV-LMU AV-RMD AV-PCC AV-MET AV-OFVE	6 3 1 1 1	Known as ASTROS FN to Marine Corps
M114	United States	Howitzer	M114A1	6	155mm. Study in progress for replacement by the M777 howitzer.
L118 light gun	United Kingdom	Howitzer	L118	18	105mm.
Soltam K6	Israel	Mortar	K-6A3	6	120mm
M29 mortar	United States	Mortar	M29 A1	100	81mm
Brandt	France	Mortar	Brandt	?	60mm
Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70	Sweden	Autocannon AA	Bofors 40 mm	6	40mm. Using the radar Bandvagn 206

Anti-aircraft missiles

Equipment	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes	Photo
Mistral	France	Anti-aircraft missiles	Surface-to-air missile	24 systems	Using the radar Bandvagn 206
RBS 70	Sweden	Anti-aircraft missiles	Man-portable air-defense system	12 systems	Using the radar Saber M-60

Radar

Equipment	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes	Photo
Saber Radar	Brazil	Saber M-60	Air defense radar	1
Bandvagn 206 with Giraffe radar 50AT	Sweden	BV-206D tractor	Air defense radar	1

Vehicles

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes	Photo
Agrale Marruá	Light Utility Vehicle	450	Brazil
Land Rover Defender	Light Utility Vehicle	257	United Kingdom
Land Rover Wolf	Light Utility Vehicle	100	United Kingdom
Land Rover Discovery	Administrative Vehicle	60	United Kingdom
Toyota Bandeirante	Light Utility Vehicle	270	Brazil
Unimog 4x4 and 6x6	Truck	248	Germany
Unimog 5000 4x4	Truck	6	Germany	90 on order
MBB 1720 4x4	Truck	200	Brazil
MBB 1725/42 4x4	Truck	122	Brazil
MBB LAK1418 4x4	Truck	120	Brazil
M35 Reo 6x6	Medium Truck	56	United States

Unmanned aerial vehicle

Name	Type	Quantity	Origin	Notes	Photo
Carcara UAV	UAV	40	Brazil
Carcara II	UAV	2	Brazil
Horus FT-100	UAV	2	Brazil
Aeromot K1AM	target drone	?	Brazil/ United Kingdom
Meggitt Banshee	target drone	?	United Kingdom
Mavic	UAV	+20	China

Pistols

Origin	Model	Caliber	Type	Image
Austria	Glock 17	9×19mm (Used by SOF)	Semi-automatic pistol
Brazil	Taurus PT-92	9×19mm (Standard issue)	Semi-automatic pistol
Brazil	Taurus PT24/7	9×19mm (Used by SOF)	Semi-automatic pistol

Submachine guns

Origin	Model	Caliber	Type	Image
Italy/ Brazil	Beretta M12	9×19mm (Standard isse) (Known as MT-12)	Submachine gun
Germany	MP5	9×19mm (Used by SOF)	Submachine gun
Israel	Mini-Uzi	9×19mm (Used by SOF)	Machine pistol

Rifles

Origin	Model	Caliber	Type	Image
United States	M16A2/A4	5.56×45mm	Assault rifle
United States	M4	5.56×45mm	Carbine
United Kingdom	Parker Hale M85	7.62×51mm	Sniper rifle
France	PGM Hécate II	12.7×99mm	Anti-material rifle

Machine guns

Origin	Model	Caliber	Type	Image
United States	M2 Browning machine gun	12.7×99mm	Heavy machine gun
Belgium/ Brazil	FN MAG M971	7.62×51mm	General-purpose machine gun
Belgium	FN Minimi	5.56×45mm	Light machine gun

Grenade launchers

Origin	Model	Caliber	Type	Image
United States	Mk19	40 mm	Automatic grenade launcher
United States	M203 grenade launcher	40×46mm	Grenade launcher

Anti-armor

Origin	Model	Caliber	Type	Image
Sweden	AT4	84mm (To be replaced by the national ALAC)	Anti-tank recoilless gun
Brazil	ALAC (Arma Leve Anticarro)	84mm (Going into mass production in 2012. Replacing the AT4)	Anti-tank weapon
Sweden	BILL	130mm	Anti-tank missile
Brazil	MSS-1.2	130mm	Anti-tank missile