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Paratroopers Brigade "Almogávares" VI | |
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Brigada "Almogávares" VI de Paracaidistas | |
Active | 17 October 1953 - present |
Country | Spain |
Branch | Army |
Type | Airborne Forces |
Size | 3,000 |
Garrison/HQ |
Madrid Murcia |
Nickname(s) | Paracas |
Motto(s) | ¡Desperta Ferro! ( Awake iron!) ¡Triunfar o Morir! (Succeed or die!) Per crucem ad lucem (Through the cross to light) |
Anniversaries | October 17 |
Engagements |
Rif War Ifni War Yugoslav Wars Afghanistan War Iraq War Lebanon War Bosnian War Kosovo War Military intervention against ISIL |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Tomás Pallás Sierra |
Insignia | |
Coat of Arms as Light Infantry Brigade (Until 2016) |
The Paratroopers Brigade "Almogávares" VI ( Spanish: Brigada "Almogávares" VI de Paracaidistas - BOP PAC VI) [1] [2] is an Multipurpose Organic Brigade ( Spanish: Brigada Orgánica Polivalente - BOP) of the Spanish Army assigned to the Division "San Marcial". The brigade is named after the Almogavars, a class of light infantry soldier originating in the Crown of Aragon in the latter phase of the Reconquista. The brigade was called the Paratroopers Light Infantry Brigade "Almogávares" VI Spanish: Brigada de Infantería Ligera Paracaidista "Almogávares" VI until 2015.
Raised in 1953 as one of the most elite units of the Army, the brigade's battalions were named Bandera (Flag/lit. "banner" - an archaic 16th century term) as Spanish Legion personnel formed part of the brigade's first units. The unit's first combat jump took place on 25 November 1957 when 75 troopers landed in Tiliun from five Junkers Ju 52 transports during the Ifni War with Morocco. [3] Formed as just a single battalion, it became a fully fledged brigade in 1965 with Brigadier General Julio Coloma Gallegos as its first commander. [4]
The BRIPAC is a unit with a high degree of professionalism, morale and training, ready to deploy at any time and place. [5]
Originally the brigade comprised the following units:
During the Spanish Army's 2015 reform, the brigade was remodelled as a multipurpose brigade with the same structure and equipment as brigades "Rey Alfonso XIII" II of the Legion, "Galicia" VII, and "Canarias" XVI, with only the Bandera "Roger de Flor" I/4 unit retaining sole paratrooper status.
Training prepares its members to perform the following types of missions:
BRIPAC Casualties | |
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Type | Count |
KIA | 47 [n 1] |
In accidents | 71 |
Deceased on active duty | 65 [1] |
Total | 183 |