The Portuguese forces was under the command of General António Augusto dos Santos , a man with strong faith in new counter @-@ insurgency theories . Augusto dos Santos supported a collaboration with Rhodesia to create African Scout units and other special forces teams , with Rhodesian forces even conducting their own independent operations during the conflict . Due to Portuguese policy of retaining up @-@ to @-@ date equipment for the metropole while shipping obsolete equipment to the colonies , the Portuguese soldiers fighting in the opening stages of the conflict was equipped with World War II radios and the old Mauser rifle . As the fighting progressed , the need for more modern equipment was rapidly recognised , and the Heckler & Koch G3 and FN FAL rifles was adopted as the standard battlefield weapon , along with the AR @-@ 10 for paratroopers . The MG42 and , then in 1968 , the HK21 was the Portuguese general purpose machine guns , with 60 , 81 and 120 mm mortars , howitzers and the AML @-@ 60 , Panhard EBR , Fox and Chaimite armoured cars frequently deployed for fire support .