Brigada Especial Operativa Halcón

Hawk Special Operation Brigade Brigada Especial Operativa Halcón
Abbreviation	BEOH
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Argentine
General nature	Local civilian police
Specialist jurisdiction	Counter terrorism, special weapons operations. Protection of internationally protected persons, other very important persons, and/or of state property of significance.
Operational structure
Parent agency	Buenos Aires Provincial Police

The Brigada Especial Operativa Halcón (BEOH; Hawk Special Operations Brigade) is a special operations division of the Buenos Aires Provincial Police in Argentina.

History

Argentina did not possess a viable counter-terrorist capability until 1978, when it hosted the football World Cup.

At that time, the military dictatorship ruling Argentina accepted the possibility that such a widely televised event was a likely forum for a terrorist incident.

The result was the formation of a special counter-terrorist team, the Brigada Halcón.

This special operations group was involved in the "Ramallo massacre", when operatives from the Brigada Halcón shot dead one alleged bank robber and his two hostages.

Formation

Today, the unit is made up of seventy-five commandos, subdivided into fifteen-man tactical teams.

Each team has two snipers, one medic, one negotiator, an explosive ordnance disposal expert, a communications specialist, an intelligence specialist, and eight tactical assaulters.

While many current members are veterans of the Argentine Army, the Brigada Halcón is under the operational control of the federal police, under the direct command of the Buenos Aires Police Department.

Training

Initial training is divided into three two-month stages. Skills such as combat shooting, heliborne insertion, HALO/HAHO parachuting, explosives, sniping, intelligence gathering, martial arts, and offensive driving are covered in this period. The unit also handles VIP protection and is also responsible for hijacked aircraft throughout the nation.

Equipment

Brigada Halcón members use foreign weapons and gear, as well as locally manufactured protective gear and uniforms.

Weapon	Origin	Type
Bersa Thunder 9	Argentina	Semi-automatic pistol
Glock 17	Austria
SPAS-12	Italy	Shotgun
Heckler & Koch MP5	Germany	Submachine gun
SIG Sauer SIG516	United States	Carbine
Heckler & Koch PSG1	Germany	Sniper rifle

See also

• Grupo Alacrán
• Grupo Albatros
• Grupo Especial de Operaciones Federales
• Compañía de Tropas de Operaciones Especiales
• Policía Federal Argentina