Multinational Brigade South-East (Romania)

The Multinational Brigade South-East (MN BDE SE) is an infantry brigade of the Romanian Land Forces. Until April 2017 the brigade was named 2nd Infantry Brigade "Rovine", but has since become one of Romania's contributions to NATO. The "Rovine" was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq for peacekeeping missions.

Multinational Brigade South-East
Brigada Multinațională Sud-Est
Romanian, Polish, and Portuguese armored fighting vehicles at the Saber Guardian 2023 opening
Active	1883–2017 as the 2nd Infantry Brigade 2017–present
Country	Romania
Allegiance	NATO
Type	Brigade
Size	8 battalions + other supporting companies
Part of	Multinational Division Southeast
Garrison/HQ	Craiova
Motto(s)	SEMPER PRIMUS
Anniversaries	April 1st
Engagements	First World War Romanian Campaign Hungarian–Romanian War Second World War Iraq War War in Afghanistan

History

The brigade was formed on 1 April 1883.^[1][2] It participated in both World Wars.^[3] In 1916, the Brigade was composed of the 1st and the 31st Infantry Regiment, and was part of the 1st Infantry Division.^[4] It took part in the Romanian Campaign of World War I, and in the Hungarian–Romanian War of 1919.

In 1970, the 2nd Infantry Brigade Craiova was formed. It was named after the Battle of Rovine, which took place in 1395.^[5] Starting from 1995, the brigade began participating in international exercises. Troops from the brigade were also deployed in international missions in Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan.^[3] During the deployment to Angola, the 26th Infantry Battalion took the nickname "Red Scorpions". During the multinational deployments, the name of the unit was registered as such by an American commander, thus becoming the first Romanian unit with an official nickname. Following the 26th Battalion example, the other battalions of the brigade also received a "scorpion" nickname.^[6]

Multinational Brigade

Piranha V wheeled infantry fighting vehicles during the DACIA 21 LIVEX Exercise at Smârdan

During the 2016 Warsaw summit, NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg announced that a Romanian Army brigade was going to be transformed into a NATO Multinational Brigade. Following a meeting of the Romanian Supreme Council of National Defence in September 2016, the President of Romania announced that the 2nd Infantry Brigade was to take the role of the multinational brigade.^[7] The Multinational Brigade was declared fully operational by the Deputy Commander of the Allied Land Command in 2018 following the evaluation exercise Scorpions Fury 2018.^[8] The brigade is currently subordinated to the Headquarters Multinational Division Southeast from Bucharest.^[9]

On 10 August 2023, structures of the Multinational Brigade participated at the establishment ceremony of the newly created 24th Infantry Battalion. The new battalion, named after Ecaterina Teodoroiu, is to be subordinated to the brigade and has its headquarters in Târgu Jiu.^[10][11]

Organization

Organization in 2025

French Leclerc tank and Romanian Piranha V at the Cincu military camp

• Multinational Brigade South-East (HQ MN BDE-SE), in Craiova^[12]
  • 20th Infantry Battalion "Dolj" ("Black Scorpions"), in Craiova, with Piranha V wheeled infantry fighting vehicles^[13]
  • 22nd Infantry Battalion "Romanați" ("Green Scorpions"), in Caracal, with Piranha III armoured personnel carriers^[14]
    • Portuguese Contingent (Força Nacional Destacada - FND), in Caracal^[15][16]
  • 24th Infantry Battalion "Ecaterina Teodoroiu" ("Gray Scorpions"), in Târgu Jiu^[17]
  • 26th Infantry Battalion "Neagoe Basarab" ("Red Scorpions"), in Craiova, with Piranha V wheeled infantry fighting vehicles^[18]
    • Polish Motorized Company, in Craiova^[19]
  • 116th Logistic Battalion "Iancu Jianu" ("Golden Scorpions"), in Craiova^[18][20]
  • 205th Air Defense Battalion "General Gheorghe Pârvulescu" ("Blue Scorpions"), in Craiova, with Oerlikon GDF-003 anti-aircraft guns^[21][22]
  • 225th Support Battalion, in Craiova^[23]
  • 325th Artillery Battalion "Alutus" ("Fire Scorpions"), in Caracal^[24]
  • Army of North Macedonia Contingent, in Caracal^[25][26]