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El Salvador Army - Order of Battle

By far the dominant service in size and importance, the Salvadoran Army in 1988 had a total strength of 43,000 members, including conscripts. For territorial control, it divided the country into six military zones and fourteen subordinate military regions.

The principal combat units consisted of twenty-two medium and fourteen light Antiterrorist Infantry Battalions (Batallones de Infanteria Antiterrorista—BIATs) organized into six infantry brigades, nine cadre infantry regiments (up to forty battalions), one mechanized cavalry regiment (two battalions), one artillery brigade (three battalions), one engineer battalion, six independent immediate-reaction counterinsurgency battalions (1,100 to 1,400 men), and seven detachments (destacamentos).

The army also had one paratrooper battalion and one antiaircraft artillery battalion that were under air force control. The usual service units — such as medical, military police, and ordnance—supported the combat forces. Each brigade also had a long-range reconnaissance patrol for small-unit reconnaissance and combat patrolling. Army equipment in the late 1980s included light tanks, armored personnel carriers, howitzers, mortars, and recoilless rifles.

Military Detachment Number Four (Destacamento Militar Numero Cuatro-DM4), which was responsible for security in Morazan Department, typified the army's command organization. In 1987 DM4 consisted of four battalions, each of which was organized into four companies. A company had four platoons — actually called sections {secciones) — of about thirty-four members each. Its zone of responsibility was divided among its four platoons, each of which contained two patrols (patrullas). The patrols operated independently, although two or more of the companies often cooperated in an operation.

As of 2014 El Salvador’s Army had approximately 15,000 personnel, including 4,000 conscripts. The army was organized into six military zones, each composed of one to three departments. Force structure was focused on 6 infantry brigades, each with two or three 680-man battalions. Each battalion contains four companies (three line and one combat support). The infantry brigade headquarters includes a headquarters company and a combat service support battalion.

The artillery brigade consisted of an air defense and two field artillery battalions. The mechanized cavalry regiment has 2 mechanized battalions (each with 2 APC squadrons) and an armored squadron. The Combat Engineer Command consists of 2 engineer battalions. Special operations units are under the Special Forces Command (Commando de Fuerzas Especiales) and include the parachute battalion, a naval commando company (control of this 12-man unit was removed from the Navy), an anti-terrorist commando company, and three company-sized long-range reconnaissance patrol units.

There was also a Special Security Brigade, consisting of 4 MP battalions and 2 frontier guard battalions and support units. Other units are the Presidential Battalion, the Logistical Support Command, and a signal battalion. Also, a tri-service (Army, Air Force, and Marine) Special Forces Command existed under the Army’s operational control. This command consisted of an army commando company, a marine commando company, an air force paratroop battalion (at 50 percent strength), one, or possibly two, long-range reconnaissance groups, also administratively part of the air force, and a small unit of naval combat swimmers.