History Office

XVIII Airborne Corps and Joint Task Force South

PANAMANIAN DEFENSE FORCE ORDER OF BATTLE

OPERATION JUST CAUSE

Fuerzas de Defensa (F.F.D.D.)

• Fuerzas Armadas de Panama

Comandancia General de las Fuerzas de Defensa

• Comando General de la Comision de Defensa y Seguridad (COGECODESE)
• Comando Operacional de Fuerzas Expeciales (C.O.F.F.E.E.)

Jefatura del Estado Mayor General

Jefatura del Estado Mayor Conjunto

• Subjefatura de Estado Mayor de la Fuerza Terrestre
  • Batallon 2.000
  • Batallon Atlantico [being formed]
  • Batallon Cemaco
  • Compania de Apoyo de Servicio de Combate
  • Bateria de Apoyo de Combate, Primera Compania de Infanteria "Tigre"
  • Escuadron de Bacalleria
  • Segunda Compania de Infanteria "Puma"
  • Tercera Compania "Diablo Rojo"
  • Cuarta Compania "Urraca" [disbanded after October 1989 coup attempt]
  • Batallon de Policia Militar
    • Quinta Compania de Infanteria "Victoriano Lorenzo" [Pacific side]
    • Octava Compania de Policia Militar [Atlantic side]
  • Sexta Compania Expedicionario Mecanizada
  • Septima Compania de Infanteria "Macho de Monte"
• Subjefatura de Estado Mayor de la Fuerza Aerea
  • Escuadron de Rescate
  • Escuadron de Transporte
  • Transporte Aereo Militar
• Fuerza de Marina
  • Flota del Atlantico
  • Flota del Pacifico
  • Infanteria de Marina
• Fuerza de Policia
  • Direccion Nacional de Transito Terrestre (D.N.T.T.) [patrol roads]
  • Departamento Nacional de Investigaciones (D.E.N.I.)
  • Policia
    • Policia de Turismo
    • Policia Comunitaria
  • Guardia Nacional
    • Guardia Penitenciaria
    • Guardia Presidencial
    • Guardia Forestal
    • Guardia Portuaria
    • Guardia Ferroviaria [being formed]
    • Guardia Aduanera [being formed]
    • Guardia Costera Insular [being formed]

4 Military Regions (12 Military Zones)

• Primera Region Militar (Provinces of Panama, Panama Oste and Colon, plus the San Miguelito Special District)
  • 1st Military Zone (Province of Panama)
  • 2d Military Zone (Province of Colon)
    • Reaction Platoon: "Cazadores"
  • 10th Military Zone (Province of Panama Oste and Chorrera)
  • 11th Military Zone (San Miguelito Special District)
    • Reaction Force: 3 platoons
• Segunda Region Militar (Province of Darien and Comarca de San Blas)
  • 9th Military Zone (Province of Darien)
  • 12th Military Zone (Comarca de San Blas)
• Tercera Region Militar (Provinces of Veraguas, Cocle, Herrera, and Los Santos)
  • 3d Military Zone (Province of Veraguas)
    • Reaction Platoon: "Quibian"
  • 4th Military Zone (Province of Herrera)
  • 6th Military Zone (Province of Cocle)
    • Reaction Platoon: "Indio"
  • 7th Military Zone (Province of Los Santos)
    • Reaction Platoon: "Los Bravos de Canajagua"
• Cuarta Region Militar (Provinces of Chiriqui and Bocas del Toro)
  • 5th Military Zone (Province of Chiriqui)
  • 8th Military Zone (Province of Bocas del Toro)
  • Reaction Platoon: "Bucaneros"

UNIT: Batallon 2.000

• Headquarters: La Joya
• Initially Organized: 12 August 1984
• Motto: Lealtad-Coraje-Decision
• Mission: Assume defense of Canal in 2000

• Strength:
• Organization:
  • Compania de Maniobras "Aguila"
  • Compania de Maniobras "Furia"
  • Compania de Maniobras "Mecanizada"
  • Compania de Apoyo de Combate "Loyola"
  • OPCON:
  • Segunda Compania Aerotransportada "Puma" [see below]
  • Primera Compania de Infanteria "Tigre" (Compania de Apoyo de Combate) [see below]

UNIT: Segunda Batallon Paz

• Headquarters: District of Renacimiento
• Initially Organized: 16 August 1985
• Motto: Por la Paz al Frente
• Mission: Control of Northwestern Frontier
• Strength:
• Organization:
  • Compania de Comando
  • Compania A de Asalto Aereo "Fortuna"
  • Compania B de Asalto Aereo "Copal"

UNIT: Cuarta Batallon Cemaco

• Headquarters: La Palma
• Initially Organized: 24 January 1984
• Motto: La Selva es Nuestra Aliada
• Mission: Control of Southeastern Frontier
• Strength:
• Organization: As a comando with 3 platoons
  • Primera Compania de Montana

UNIT: Primera Compania de Infanteria de Combate y Apoyo de Fuego "Tigre"

• Headquarters: Cuartel de Tinajita (San Miguelito Special District)
• Initially Organized: 12 May 1959
• Motto: Mas sudor en el entrenamiento, menos sangre en la batallas
• Mission: Firepower
• Strength:
• Organization: OPCON to Batallon 2.000
  • Headquarters
  • 3 rifle platoons
  • 2 mortar sections
  • 1 antitank section

UNIT: Segunda Compania de Infanteria Aerotransportada "Puma"

• Headquarters: Aeropuerta "Belisario Porras" (Tocumen) with elements at Corregimientos Chepo and Canitas
• Initially Organized: 14 May 1959
• Motto: Lealtad, Disciplina y Superacion
• Mission: Infantry or paratroopers
• Strength:
• Organization: Commando OPCON to Batallon 2.000
  • Headquarters
  • 3 rifle platoons
  • 1 mortar section
  • 1 interior guard platoon

UNIT: Tercera Compania de Infanteria "Diablo Rojo"

• Headquarters: Chiriqui
• Initially Organized: 10 March 1969
• Motto: Lealtad sin Precio ni Duda
• Mission: Defense of 5th Military Zone
• Strength:
• Organization:
  • Headquarters
  • 3 platoons
  • 1 special unidad
  • 1 mortar section
  • 1 interior guard

UNIT: Cuarta Compania de Infanteria "Urraca"

• Headquarters: La Comandancia (El Chorrillo)
• Initially Organized: 14 February 1969
• Motto: Lealtad sin Precio ni Duda
• Mission: Security of La Comandancia
• Strength:
• Organization:
  • Headquarters
  • 3 infantry platoons
  • 1 platoon de armas de apoyo

UNIT: Sexta Compania Expedicionaria Mecanizada

• Headquarters: Base Militar "General de Division Omar Torrijos Herrera" (Rio Hato)
• Initially Organized: 14 June 1974
• Motto: Lealtad o Muerte
• Mission:
• Strength:
• Organization:
  • Headquarters
  • 3 mechanized infantry platoons
  • 1 platoon de apoyo de fuego
  • 1 antitank section
  • 1 mortar section

UNIT: Septima Compania de Infanteria "Macho de Monte"

• Headquarters: Base Militar "General de Division Omar Torrijos Herrera" (Rio Hato)
• Initially Organized: 7 April 1969
• Motto: Lealtad sin Precio ni Duda
• Mission:
• Strength:

• Organization:
  • Headquarters
  • 3 rifle platoons
  • 1 mortar section
  • 1 interior guard platoon
  • 4 special sections:
    • Comando
    • de Hombres Rana
    • de Explosivistas
    • de Pana-Jungla
  • 1 motorized section "Cocuyos Montaneros"

UNIT: Batallon de Policia Militar "Victoriano Lorenzo"

• Headquarters: Fort Amador
• Initially Organized: 14 January 1970
• Motto: Patria-Honor-Disciplina-Lealtad
• Mission:
• Strength:
• Organization:
  • Headquarters
    • Quinta Compania de Infanteria (Fort Amador)
    • Octava Compania de Infanteria (Fort Gulick)
    • Canine Compound (Avenida Juan Pablo II)
  • 4 platoons
  • 1 intelligence section
  • 1 canine section
  • Unidades de Transito, Enlace, Communicaciones y Transporte

UNIT: Escuadron de Caballeria "General Jose A. Remon C."

• Headquarters: La Comandancia
• Initially Organized: 6 March 1920
• Motto: Los Cien del Comando
• Mission: Security of La Comandancia and ceremonial demonstrations
• Strength:
• Organization:
  • Headquarters and Staff
  • Squadron of Equitation
  • El Haras "Mayor Felipe Camargo"
  • Special Service Platoon
  • Regular Platoon

UNIT: Departmento de Comunicaciones

• Headquarters:
• Initially Organized: 14 April 1948
• Motto:
• Mission:
• Strength:
• Organization:

UNIT: Servicio de Material de Guerra

• Headquarters:
• Initially Organized: 23 December 1953
• Motto:
• Mission:
• Strength:
• Organization:

UNIT: [Batallon de] Transporte y Mantenimiento

• Headquarters: Chorrillos
• Initially Organized: 10 October 1985
• Motto:
• Mission:
• Strength:
• Organization:
  • 1 transportation company
  • 1 maintenance company of "equipo liviano"
  • 1 maintenance company of "equipo pesado"
  • maintenance sections for Atlantic side, Pacific side, Rio Hato Military Base school [see below]

UNIT: Fuerza Aerea Panamena (F.A.P.)

• Headquarters: Tocumen
• Initially Organized: 17 January 1969
• Motto: Desde el Aire, Orden Paz y Lealtad
• Mission:
• Strength:
• Organization:
  • Base "Teniente Coronel Jorge Jurado" [Curundu]
  • Base Aerea de Paitilla [Paitilla]
  • Base Aerea de Santiago [Santiago]
  • Base Aerea Subteniente Vincente Vargas [David]

UNIT: Fuerza de Marina Nacional

• Headquarters: El Comando de la Marina (Fort Amador)
• Initially Organized: 17 January 1969
• Motto: Con Bien Viento y Buena Mar
• Mission:
• Strength:
• Organization:
  • Pacific Base: Muella 17 de Puerto de Balboa
  • Atlantic Base: La Base Naval de Coco Solo
  • Apostadero: Puerto Mutis
  • Lesser Bases:
    • Puerto Pedregal
    • Colon Island (Province of Bocas del Toro)
    • Punta Cocos

UNIT: Comando Operacional de Fuerzas Especiales (C.O.F.F.E.E.)

• Headquarters: Buildings 8 and 47, Fort Amador
• Initially Organized: 5 November 1985
• Motto:
• Mission: Unified command of special operations forces and schools
• Strength:
• Organization:
  • Headquarters
  • Three Schools [see below]
  • Unidad Especial de Seguridad Antiterror (U.E.S.A.T.)
    • Location: Flamenco Island
    • Initially Organized: 6 June 1980
    • Motto: Fuerza Para la Paz
    • Strength:
    • Organization:
  • Unidad de Comandos
    • Location: Fort Espinar
    • Initially Organized: 7 May 1986
    • Motto: Por la Paz, Vencero o Morir
    • Strength:
    • Organization:
      • Headquarters
      • Tactical Group A
      • Tactical Group B
  • Centros de Instruccion y Adiestramiento (Panamanian Defense Force School System)

Instituto Militar "General Tomas Herrera"

• Location: Rio Hato
• Founded: 7 May 1974
• Curriculum: Techical subjects

Escuela de Suboficiales "General Benjamin Ruiz"

• Location: Rio Hato
• Founded: 13 March 1986
• Curriculum: Basic combat training

Centro de Adiestramiento "General Jose Domingo Espinar"

• Location: Fort Espinar
• Founded: 26 November 1984
• Curriculum: Health, police, military intelligence, and transportation training

Escuela de Supervivencia "Panajungla"

• Location: Soposo area, Province of Bocas del Toro
• Founded: 16 June 1977
• Curriculum: Jungle survival and jungle warfare

Centro de Adiestramiento "Cimarron"

• Location: La Joya
• Founded: 14 February 1969
• Curriculum: Basic combat training; infantry training; parachute training

Las Fuerzas Especiales dentro de la Institucion Comando Operacional de Fuerzas Especiales (C.O.F.F.E.E.)

• Location: Buildings 8 and 47, Fort Amador
• Founded: 8 November 1985
• Organization:
  • Headquarters
  • Operational Elements [see above]
  • Escuela de Comandos y Operaciones Especiales (E.C.O.E.)
    • Location: Playa Hermosa, Coiba Island
    • Founded: 7 March 1986
    • Curriculum: Special operations
• Escuela de Explosivos, Demolicion y Sabotaje (E.E.D.S.)
  • Location: Cerro Tigre
  • Founded: 15 July 1980
  • Curriculum: Explosives, demolition and sabotage
• Escuela de Hombres Rana (E.H.R.)
  • Location: Perico Island
  • Founded: 19 September 1970
  • Curriculum: Underwater demolition

Escuela de Formacion Feminina "Rufina Alfaro"

• Location: Gamboa
• Founded: 19 April 1985
• Curriculum:

Fuerza de Policia

• Headquarters:
• Initially Organized: 19 March 1913

Direccion Nacional de Transito Terrestre (D.N.T.T.) [patrol roads]

• Headquarters:
• Initially Organized: 29 September 1983
• Patrulla de Caminos ("Transitos")
  • Initially Organized: 20 March 1964

Departamento Nacional de Investigaciones (D.E.N.I.)

• Headquarters: Ancon
• Initially Organized: 28 May 1960

Policia

• Policia de Turismo
• Policia Comunitaria

Guardia Nacional

• Guardia Penitenciaria
  • Headquarters: Carcel Modelo
  • Initially Organized: 25 October 1925
• Guardia Presidencial
  • Headquarters: Palacio Presidencial
  • Initially Organized: 25 June 1941
• Guardia Forestal
  • Headquarters: Gamboa
  • Initially Organized: 12 March 1979
• Guardia Portuaria (Fuerza de Policia Portuaria)
  • Headquarters:
  • Initially Organized: 4 October 1984
• Guardia Ferroviaria [being formed]
• Guardia Aduanera [being formed]
• Guardia Costera Insular [being formed]