Two Army captains went to France to take the French parachute course at the École de Troupes Aeroportèes.

Troops were required to fight in Africa, and the BCP became the RCP - the Regimento de Caçadores Pára-quedistas (Paratrooper Hunter, or Ranger Regiment).

By this time, the men were armed with the modern 7.62 mm ArmaLite AR-10 infantry rifle, a weapon previously not seen in Western military forces.

[1] As time went on, more airborne units were created in Angola, Mozambique, and other areas outside Portugal to fight the various separatist guerrilla movements.

The following battalions of the regiment were assigned to the following Air Force regions: A total of 160 Portuguese paratroopers were KIA.

On April 25, 1974, a military coup led by members of the Portuguese Armed Forces ended the authoritarian government regime in Portugal, and the country moved towards fully democratic elections.

On July 5, 1975, the BETP (Base Escola de Tropas Pára-Quedistas or Parachute Troops Base School) was established on the basis of the RCP, which was disbanded and integrated into the CTP (Corpo de Tropas Paraquedistas, Parachute Troops Corps or PTC) of the Portuguese Air Force.

The last reorganization of the Army changed ETP's name to the present Regimento de Paraquedistas (Paratroopers' Regiment), RPára.

The 3rd Airborne Infantry Battalion and Anti-Tank Company were disbanded and the other two BIAT were renamed Paratrooper Infantry Battalions (BIParas), the São Jacinto Military Area was renamed 10th Infantry Regiment, the Airborne Artillery Group and the Services and Support Battalion were transferred to the Intervention Brigade and their no longer Airborne capable and the Engineering Company and the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battery were reduced to platoon size.