HEADQUARTERS BATTALION

The Chief of the Headquarters Battalion of the Marine Corps Brigade welcomes you to this website where you will learn of the most significant aspects of our organization and activities which are many and wide-ranging. This means that our unit groups together all sorts of profiles, from technical and specialized soldiers in communication assets, to brave and courageous marines ready for combat in any scenario.

The battalion is stationed within the main headquarters of the ‘Tercio de Armada’ Marine Corps Brigade in San Fernando (Cádiz).

The Headquarters Battalion is one of the seven battalions that make up the MC Brigade. Its personnel are tasked with missions related to Command and Control, Intelligence and Reconnaissance issues.

The battalion is composed of a Staff and four Companies:

• Headquarters Company.
• Reconnaissance and Target Acquisition Company (TAR).
• Intelligence and Surveillance Company.
• Communications and Information Systems Company (CIS).

Staff

The Staff supports the Battalion Commanding Officer in the planning and execution of the assigned tasks. It also provides to the Brigade the necessary ISTAR elements: Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance.

Headquarters Company

It comprises all the necessary elements to protect and support the Command post of the Brigade whenever it is deployed. It also deals with all the issues related to maintenance. It is structured into:

• Staff.
• Military police platoon.
• Services platoon.

Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Company (TAR)

The TAR Company was set up in 2012 when the former Reconnaissance Unit integrated into the Headquarters Battalion. Its mission is to carry out reconnaissance tasks for the benefit of the Brigade like:

• Observation and reconnaissance.
• Target acquisition and fire control.
• Mobility, including insertion/extraction by means of specific techniques like parachuting or diving.

Its structure is:

• Staff.
• Two motorized platoons.
• One infantry platoon.

Intelligence and Surveillance Company (IS)

This company is equipped with the adequate personnel and material to gather information in the battlefield, and provide intelligence to the Staff and other units of the Brigade. It has also electro-optical and other electronic warfare elements (HUMINT).

The company is made up of:

• Staff.
• Electronic warfare platoon.
• Intelligence gathering platoon with HUMINT sensors and equipment.
• Integration and dissemination platoon.

Communications and Information Systems Company (CIS)

The CIS Company is tasked with the installation, operation, administration and management of the communications and information systems of the Brigade, both ashore and at sea, so as to permit the best performance of all the military units involved.

This company is made up of the following elements:

• Staff.
• Information Systems platoon.
• Satellites platoon.
• Radio platoon.

The battalion has two main missions. One the one hand, provide the means to exercise the Command and Control of the MC Brigade, like communication and information systems, logistic and mobility elements and protection. On the other, conduct reconnaissance and surveillance missions to gather intelligence and information for the Brigade or any other designated operational organization.

The wide variety of tasks carried out by the Battalion demands a continuous level of activity which warrants the personnel to be constantly trained and in readiness, and the material in perfect condition. Accordingly, our daily routine starts with physical training so as to be fit and ready.

After this, several activities are carried out both in the barracks and in the surrounding areas, focused on constantly improving the technical preparation of the four companies, training in the different techniques and procedures in order to be able to face all types of situations, either the most probable or the most dangerous. These activities include: climbing practices, rapid descent from helicopters (fast-rope), firing sessions, navigation with inflatable boats and practice with all types of communications systems, including satellite terminals, etc.

All our activities require the use of different vehicles, weapons and equipment, which leads us to devote part of our time to maintenance tasks, so important when technically sophisticated systems are used.

To successfully carry out our missions the Battalion has a wide variety of material, weapons and vehicles.

The standard vehicle used is the ‘Hummer’ in its different configurations: armored with grenade launchers and heavy machine-guns, shelter-equipped for communication teams, cargo and personnel transport. In addition, there are also multiple trucks and 4x4 vehicles for transport, CIS and UNIMOG multi-purpose missions.

As regard armament, the BCG employs an ample array of weaponries: FN P9 pistols, HK G-36 rifles, light and heavy MINIMI machine guns of different caliber, BARRET and ACCURACY precision rifles and grenade launchers.

The battalion is adequately equipped with modern combat materiel including the following systems:

• Night vision goggles, and IR illuminators.
• Different CIS equipment: VHF, HF, UHF, satellite, LAN networks, crypto communications, etc.
• GPS systems.
• Thermal cameras for surveillance.
• Movement sensors.
• Crafts and tactical high mobility vehicles.

The battalion participates in most Brigade operations and exercises. Among them:

• ADELFIBEX-type basic amphibious training exercises and advanced exercises like MARFIBEX and GRUFLEX where an amphibious force integrates into a Landing Force.
• FIMEX-type exercises with other MC units like the Special Operations Force.
• Sniper exercises.
• Specialized exercises organized by the Spanish Army.
• COMEX-type communications exercises.
• Many international exercises like LOYAL MARINER, BOLD ALLIGATOR, LISA AZUL, etc.i>
• Collaboration with the Aircraft Flotilla and Spanish Air Force for parachuting, fast-rope and cargo launching drills.

As regards operations, the Battalion has participated in the most recent missions:

• ALTHEA in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
• MAR CARIBE in Haiti.
• LIBRE HIDALGO in Lebanon.
• Afghanistan.

El Batallón de Cuartel General se constituyó en julio de 2012 mediante la integración en una única unidad de la antigua Unidad de Cuartel General (UCG), cuyo comandante era el Jefe de Estado Mayor del Tercio de Armada y que estaba constituida por las compañías de Comunicaciones y de Cuartel General, y la Unidad de Reconocimiento (URECON), heredera de la Unidad de Operaciones Especiales (UOE). Estas dos unidades contaban con un largo historial que se remonta a la creación del Tercio de Armada.