
BEOH official seal
The '''Brigada Especial Operativa Halcón''' ('BEOH'; Hawk Special Operations Brigade) is a
special operations division of the
Buenos Aires Police in
Argentina.
Argentina did not possess a viable
counter-terrorist capability until 1978, when it hosted the
football World Cup. At that time, the
federal government 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''.
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.
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. 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.
''Brigada Halcón'' members use foreign weapons and gear, as well as locally manufactured protective gear and uniforms. Weapons include the
GLOCK 17 and the
Franchi SPAS-12 shotgun. For sniping purposes the
Heckler & Koch G3 GS/1 is commonly used.
See also
★
Grupo Alacrán
★
Grupo Albatros
★
Grupo Especial de Operaciones Federales
★
Compañía de Tropas de Operaciones Especiales
★
Policía Federal Argentina