French army

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Military of France>French Military

Components French Air Force French Army French Navy Force de frappe Ranks Ranks in the French Army Ranks in the French Navy History of the French Military Military History of France La Grande Armée

The French Army (Armée de Terre) is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces. It employs 138,000 men and women.

The army is divided into the following armes:

• Marine troops, composed of:
• * Marine Infantry (Infanterie de Marine)
• * Marine Artillery (Artillerie de Marine)
• * Marine Armour (Chars de Marine)
• Foreign Legion (Légion étrangère)
• Armoured cavalry (arme blindée cavalerie)
• Artillery;
• Light aviation (ALAT, or aviation légère de l'armée de terre), such as combat helicopters;
• Engineers (génie militaire);
• Infantry, including:
• * Chasseurs alpins (mountain troops)
• Materiel
• Transport (train)
• Transmissions
• Commissary
• Health service of the Army

French soldiers of the IFOR in Mostar, 1995. A flak jacket is worn with the then-characteristic (and since widely exported) SPECTRA helmet. AMX 30 AuF1 armoured artillery in the background.

The new face of the French infantryman: the FELIN integrated combat suit

Units

CFAT

CFAT (Commandement de la Force d’Action Terrestre or Command of the Terrestrial Fighting Forces) commands the following 8 brigades interarmes ("interarm brigades"):

1re Brigade Mécanisée – 1st Mechanized Brigade in

Leclerc main battle tank

• 501e-503e Régiment de Chars de Combat (501e-503e RCC ) armoured Regiment in Mourmelon le Grand with 80 Leclerc
• 1er Régiment de Tirailleurs (1er RTir) mechanized Infantry Regiment in Epinal equipped with AMX-10P
• 1er Régiment d'Infanterie (1er RI) Infantry Regiment in Sarrebourg with 82 VAB
• 40e Régiment d'Artillerie (40e RA) self propelled Artillery Regiment in Suippes with 32 AMX 30 AuF1, 4 TRF1 self propelled 155 mm self propelled Guns, 4 CAESAR wheeled 155 mm Guns and 16 120 mm Mortars
• 3e Régiment du Génie (3e RG) Engineer Regiment in Charleville
• 1re Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (1re CCT) in Chalons en Champagne with 20 VAB

2e Brigade Blindée – 2nd Armoured Brigade in

155 mm motorised cannons

• Régiment de Marche du Tchad (RMT) mechanized Marine Infantry Regiment in Noyon equipped with AMX-10P and VAB
• 16e Bataillon de Chasseurs (16e BC) mechanized Infantry Battalion in Saarburg (Germany) equipped with AMX-10P
• 1er Régiment d'Artillerie de Marine (1er RAMa) self propelled Marine Artillery Regiment in Laon equipped with AMX 30 AuF1
• 13e Régiment du Génie (13e RG) Engineer Regiment in Le Valdahon
• 2e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (2e CCT) in Orleans with 22 VAB

3e Brigade Mécanisée – 3rd Mechanized Brigade in

Firing the Minimi

• 1er-11e Régiment de Cuirassiers (1e- 11e RC) armoured Regiment in Carpiagne with 80 Leclerc
• 92e Régiment d'Infanterie (92e RI) mechanized Infantry Regiment in Clermont-Ferrand with 65 AMX-10P and 29 VAB
• 126e Régiment d'Infanterie (126e RI) Infantry Regiment in Brive-la-Gaillarde equipped with VAB and VBL
• 68e Régiment d'Artillerie (68e RA) self propelled Artillery Regiment in La Valbonne with 32 AMX 30 AuF1 and 16 120 mm Mortars
• 31e Régiment du Génie (31e RG) Engineer Regiment in Castelsarrasin
• 3e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (3e CCT) in Limoges equipped with VAB

6e Brigade Légère Blindée – 6th light armoured Brigade in

Legionnaires in parade uniform

• 1er Régiment Etranger de Cavalerie (1er REC) Foreign Legion Cavalry Regiment in Orange with 48 AMX 10 RC
• 1er Régiment de Spahis Wheeled Armoured Regiment in Valence with 48 AMX 10 RC
• 2e Régiment Etranger d'Infanterie (2e REI) Foreign Legion Infantry Regiment in Nimes with 135 VAB
• 21e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (21e RIMa) Marine Infantry Regiment in Frejus equipped with VAB
• 3e Régiment d'Artillerie de Marine (3e RAMa) self propelled Marine Artillery Regiment in Monferrat equipped with AMX 30 AuF1 and 120 mm Mortars
• 1er Régiment Etranger de Génie (1er REG) Foreign Legion Engineer Regiment in Laudun
• 6e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (6e CCT) in Nimes equipped with VAB

7ème Brigade Blindée – 7th Armoured Brigade in

• 1er-2e Régiment de Chasseurs armoured Regiment in Thierville sur Meuse with 80 Leclerc, 57 VAB and 31 VBL
• 35e Régiment d'Infanterie (35e RI) mechanized Infantry Regiment in Belfort equipped with AMX-10P, VAB and VBL
• 152e Régiment d'Infanterie (152e RI) mechanized Infantry Regiment in Colmar equipped with AMX-10P
• 8e Régiment d'Artillerie (8e RA) self propelled Artillery Regiment in Commercy equipped with AMX 30 AuF1 and 120 mm Mortars
• 19e Régiment du Génie (19e RG) Engineer Regiment in Besançon
• 7e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (7e CCT) in Besançon

9e Brigade Légère Blindée de Marine - 9th Light Armoured Marine Brigade in

• 1er Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (1er RIMa) Armoured Marine Infantry Regiment (light cavalry) in Angouleme with 48 AMX 10 RC, 30 VAB and 71 VBL
• Régiment d'Infanterie Chars de Marine (RICM) Armoured Marine Infantry Regiment (light cavalry) in Poitiers equipped with AMX 10 RC
• 2e régiment d'infanterie de marine (2e RIMa) Marine Infantry Regiment in Champagné equipped with VAB
• 3e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (3e RIMa) Marine Infantry Regiment in Vannes equipped with VAB
• 11e Régiment d'Artillerie de Marine (11e RAMa) Marine Artillery Regiment in St. Aubin du Cormier equipped with TRF1 155 mm Field Canons and 120 mm Mortars
• 6e Régiment du Génie (6e RG) Engineer Regiment in Angers

11ème Brigade Parachutiste – 11th Parachutist Brigade in Balma

8th RPIMa insignia

• 1er régiment de chasseurs parachutistes (1er RCP) Parachutist Regiment in Pamiers
• 2e Régiment Etranger de Parachutistes (2e REP) Foreign Legion Parachutist Regiment in Calvi
• 3e Régiment Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine (3e RPIMa) Marine Parachutist Regiment in Carcassonne
• 8e Régiment Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine (8e RPIMa) Marine Parachutist Regiment in Castres
• 1er Régiment de Hussards Parachutistes (1er RHP)Wheeled Armoured Antitank Parachutist Regiment in Tarbes equipped with ERC 90 Sagaie, VAB and VBL
• 35e Régiment d'Artillerie Parachutiste (35e RAP) Parachutist Artillery Regiment in Tarbes
• 17e Régiment du Génie Parachutiste (17e RGP) Parachutist Engineer Regiment in Montauban
• 1er Régiment du Train Parachutiste (1er RTP) Parachutist Transport Regiment in Toulouse

27e Brigade d’infanterie de Montagne – 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade in Varces

• 7e Bataillon de Chasseurs Alpins (7e BCA) Mountain Infantry Battalion in Bourg St. Maurice with 70 VAB and 12 véhicules de montagne blindés VMB
• 13e Bataillon de Chasseurs Alpins (11e BCA) Mountain Infantry Battalion in Barby equipped with VAB
• 27e Bataillon de Chasseurs Alpins (27e BCA) Mountain Infantry Battalion in Gran Gevrier equipped with VAB
• 4e Régiment de Chasseurs Wheeled Armoured Antitank Regiment in Gap with 36 ERC 90 Sagaie, 20 VAB, 72 VBL and 6 Gazelle helicopters
• 93e Régiment d'Artillerie de Montagne (93e RAM) Mountain Artillery Regiment in Varces with 24 TRF1 155 mm Field Canons and 24 120 mm Mortars
• 2e Régiment Etranger de Génie (2e REG) Foreign Legion Engineer Regiment in St. Christol

4e Brigade Aéromobile – 4th Airmobile Brigade in Essey les Nancy

Gazelle from 1st combat helicopter regiment

• 1er Régiment d'Hélicoptères de Combat (1er RHC) Combat Helicopter Regiment in Phalsbourg with 22 Gazelle, 20 Puma and 14 Cougar
• 3e Régiment d'Hélicoptères de Combat (3e RHC) Combat Helicopter Regiment in Etain with 37 Gazelle, 16 Puma
• 5e Régiment d'Hélicoptères de Combat (5e RHC) Combat Helicopter Regiment in Pau with 52 various Gazelle and Puma helicopters
• 6e Régiment d'Hélicoptères de Combat (6e RHC) Combat Helicopter Regiment in Margny les Compiegne equipped with Puma and various Gazelle helicopters
• 4e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (4e CCT) in Essey les Nancy

French contribution:

• 3e Régiment de Hussards Wheeled Armoured Regiment in Immendingen (Germany) equipped with AMX 10 RC and VBL
• 110e Régiment d'Infanterie (110e RI) Infantry Regiment in Donaueschingen equipped with VAB and VBL

Brigade des forces spéciales – The Special Forces Brigade is commanded directly by CEMA (Chef d’état-major des Armées- Army General Staff) and consists of the following units:

• 13e Régiment de Dragons Parachutistes (13ème RDP) Special Forces Recon Regiment in Dieuze
• 1er Régiment Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine (1er RPIMa) Marine Parachutist Special Forces Regiment in Bayonne
• Détachement ALAT des Opérations Spéciales (DAOS) Special operations detachment of the light Army Aviation in Pau

CFLT

CFLT (Commandement de la Force logistique Terrestre or Command of the Terrestrial Logistical Forces) commands the following support brigades of the French Army:

Brigade de Transmissions – Signal Brigade in

troops from the 18th signal regiment

• 43e Régiment d'Infanterie (43e RI) Infantry Regiment in Lille
• 18e Régiment de Transmissions (18e RT) Signal Regiment Bretteville-sur-Odon
• 28e Régiment de Transmissions (28e RT) Signal Regiment Issoire
• 40e Régiment de Transmissions (40e RT) Signal Regiment Thionville
• 42e Régiment de Transmissions (42e RT) Signal Regiment Laval
• 48e Régiment de Transmissions (48e RT) Signal Regiment Agen - see [link]
• 53e Régiment de Transmissions (53e RT) Signal Regiment Lunéville

Brigade de Renseignement – Recon Brigade in

• 2e Régiment de Hussards (2e RH) Surveillance Regiment in Sourdun equipped with VBL
• 44e Régiment de Transmissions (44e RT) Electronic Warfare Regiment in Mutzig
• 54e Régiment de Transmissions (54e RT) Electronic Warfare Regiment in Haguenau
• 61e Régiment d'artillerie (61e RA) Aerial Surveillance Regiment in Chaumont equipped with CL 289 drones

Brigade d’artillerie –

• 1er Régiment d'Artillerie (1er RA) Rocket Artillery Regiment in Belfort equipped with the Multiple Launch Rocket System MLRS
• 12e Régiment d'Artillerie (12e RA) Rocket Artillery Regiment in Haguenau with 24 MLRS
• 54e Régiment d'Artillerie (54e RA) Air Defense Regiment in Hyeres equipped with the Roland short-range surface-to-air missile system and Mistral Air Defense missiles
• 57e Régiment d'Artillerie (57e RA) Air Defense Regiment in Bitche equipped with the Roland system and Mistral missiles
• 402e Régiment d'Artillerie (402e RA) Air Defense Regiment in Chalons en Champagne equipped with Hawk surface-to-air missiles and Mistral missiles

Brigade du Génie - Engineering Brigade in

right

• 1er régiment du Génie (1er RG) Engineer Regiment in Illkirch Graffenstaden
• 2e Régiment du Génie (2e RG) Engineer Regiment in Metz
• 5e Régiment du Génie (5e RG) Engineer Regiment in Versailles
• Groupe de Défense Nucléaire Biologique et chimique (GDNBC) NBC Defense Group in Draguignan

1re Brigade Logistique – 1st Logistics Brigade in

Armoured medical transportation vehicle

6ème régiment du matériel

• 121e Régiment du Train (121e RT) Transport Regiment in Linas-Montlhéry
• 511e Régiment du Train (511e RT) Transport Regiment in Auxonne
• 516e Régiment du Train (516e RT) Transport Regiment in Toul
• 1er Régiment du Matériel (1er RMAT) Material Regiment in Metz
• 6e Régiment du Matériel (6e RMAT) Material Regiment in Phalsbourg
• 8e Régiment du Matériel (8e RMAT) Material Regiment in Mourmelon
• 9e Régiment du Matériel (9e RMAT) Material Regiment in [[]]
• 601e Régiment de Circulation Routière (601e RCR) Transport Support Regiment in Arras

2e Brigade Logistique – 2nd Logistics Brigade in Souge

• 503e Régiment du Train (503e RT) Transport Regiment in Martignas
• 515e Régiment du Train (515e RT) Transport Regiment in Brie (Charente)
• 517e Régiment du Train (517e RT) Transport Regiment in La Martinerie
• 2e Régiment du Matériel (2e RMAT) Material Regiment in Bruz
• 3e Régiment du Matériel (3e RMAT) Material Regiment in Muret
• 4e Régiment du Matériel (4e RMAT) Material Regiment in Nimes
• 7e Régiment du Matériel Alpin (7e RMAT) Mountain Material Regiment in Lyon
• 3e Régiment médical (3e RMED) Field Hospital Regiment in La Valbonne

Other units

Support units of the 5 regional headquarters

• 526e Bataillon du Train (526e BT) Transport Battalion supports the region Île-de-France headquarter in Saint-Germain-en-Laye
• 4e Groupe d'escadrons de Hussards Armoured Group supports the North-East region headquarter in Metz
• 22e Bataillon d'Infanterie (22e BI) Infantry Battalion supports the South-East region headquarter in Lyon
• 57e Bataillon d'Infanterie (57e BI) Infantry Battalion supports the South-West region headquarter in Bordeaux
• 16e Groupe d'Artillerie (16e GA) Artillery Group supports the Nord-West region headquarter in Rennes

Support units of the 4 forward deployable headquarters (EMF)

• 7e Bataillon du Train (7e BT) Transport Battalion supports EMF 1 in Besançon
• 22e Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine (22e BIMa) Marine Infantry Battalion supports EMF 2 in Nantes
• 72e Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine (72e BIMa) Marine Infantry Battalion supports EMF 3 in Marseille
• 15e Bataillon du Train (15e BT) Transport Battalion supports EMF4 in Limoges

Units permanently deployed overseas

• 5e Régiment Interarmes d’Outre-Mer (5e RIAOM) Mixed Marine Regiment in Djibouti equipped with AMX 10 RC
• 13e Demi Brigade de Légion Etrangère (13e DBLE) Foreign Legion regiment in Djibouti with ERC 90 Sagaie and VAB
• 6e Bataillon d’Infanterie de Marine (6e BIMa) Marine Infantry Battalion based in Gabon equipped with ERC 90 Sagaie
• 23e Bataillon d’Infanterie de Marine (23e BIMa) Marine Infantry Battalion in Dakar (Sénégal) equipped with ERC 90 Sagaie
• 43e Bataillon d’Infanterie de Marine (43e BIMa) Marine Infantry Battalion based in Côte d’Ivoire equipped with ERC 90 Sagaie and VAB

• 3e Régiment Etranger d'Infanterie (3e REI) Foreign Legion Infantry Regiment, tasked with the protection of the European Guiana Space Centre in Kourou
• 9e Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine (9e RIMa) Marine Infantry Regiment in Cayenne

• 41e Bataillon d’Infanterie de Marine (41e BIMa) Marine Infantry Battalion based in Guadeloupe
• 33e Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine (33e RIMa) Marine Infantry Regiment based in Martinique

• 2e Régiment Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine (3e RPIMa) Marine Parachutist Regiment in Saint-Pierre, Réunion
• Détachement de Légion Etrangère de Mayotte (DLEM) Foreign Legion detachment in Mayotte with 240 men

• Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine du Pacifique Nouvelle Calédonie (RIMaP-NC) Marine Infantry Regiment in Nouméa, New Caledonia with 6 ERC 90 Sagaie
• Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine du Pacifique–Polynésie (RIMaP-P) Marine Infantry Regiment in Papeete, (Tahiti)

Training and Formation units

• 1er Régiment de Chasseurs d'Afrique (1er RCA) Armoured Training Regiment in Draguignan
• 4e Régiment Etranger (4e RE) Foreign Legion Training Regiment in Castelnaudary
• 17e Groupe d'Artillerie (17e GA) Air Defense Artillery Training Battalion in Landes
• 132e bataillon cynophile de l'armée de terre (132e BCAT) Dog Training Battalion in Suippes

Signals and Electronic Warfare units

• 8e Régiment de Transmissions (8e RT) Signal Regiment responsible for the communication needs of the ministry of Defence and the general staff in Paris
• 41e Régiment de Transmissions (41e RT) satellite communications Regiment in Senlis
• 43e Bataillon de Transmissions (43e BT) Signal Battalion responsible for the Army IT needs; based in Orleans
• 785e Composante Guerre Electronique (785e CGE) Electronic Warfare Centre in Orleans

Commissary and Materials units

installations of the 5th logistical group of the commissary

• 5e bataillon du matériel (5e BMAT) Material Battalion in Draguignan
• 1er Groupe Logistique du Commissariat (1er GLCAT) Support Centre in Bretigny sur Orge
• 2e Groupe Logistique du Commissariat (2e GLCAT) Support Centre in Rennes
• 3e Groupe Logistique du Commissariat (3e GLCAT) Support Centre in Marseille
• 4e Groupe Logistique du Commissariat (4e GLCAT) Support Centre in Toulouse
• 5e Groupe Logistique du Commissariat (5e GLCAT) Support Centre in Nancy
• 11e Base de Soutien du Matériel (11e BSMAT) Materials base in Montauban
• 12e Base de Soutien du Matériel (12e BSMAT) Materials base in Salbris
• 13e Base de Soutien du Matériel (13e BSMAT) Materials base in Clermont-Ferrand
• 15e Base de Soutien du Matériel (15e BSMAT) Materials base in Phalsbourg
• 17e Base de Soutien du Matériel (17e BSMAT) Materials base in Versailles

Miscellaneous

Paris fire brigade truck

• 1er Régiment Etranger (1er RE) Foreign Legion Regiment supports the Foreign Legion General staff in Aubagne
• 1er Régiment Médical (1er RMED) Field Hospital Regiment inSt. Germain
• 25e Régiment du Génie de l'Air (25e RGA) Air Engineer Regiment in Istres tasked with construction and maintenance of forward airbases
• 519e Régiment du Train (519e RT) Transport Regiment in La Rochelle tasked with Amphibious operations support, 1 squadron is equipped with LARC 15
• 28e Groupe Géographique (28e GG) cartography Battalion in Joigny
• Brigade de Sapeurs-Pompiers de Paris (BSPP) fire brigade for the city of Paris and surrounding suburbs, part of the Engineer Corps

Equipment

Weapons

• SIG P220 - 9 mm - pistol
• GIAT BM92-G1 (PAMAS-G1) - 9 mm - pistol
• FAMAS - 5.56 mm assault rifle
• Minimi - 5.56 mm light machine gun replacing the AA-52 ( 7.62 mm) and the Browning M2
• FRF2 - 7.62 mm - sniper rifle
• PGM Hecate II - heavy sniper rifle
• 81 mm mortar
• AT4, ERYX and MILAN - anti-tank missiles (now Milan II)
• SPECTRA helmet

Combat vehicles

• Leclerc - Main Battle Tanks (406)
• AMX 10 RC - Light Tank
• ERC-90 Sagaie - reconnaissance combat vehicle (192)
• AMX-10P - tracked armoured personnel carrier (1050)
• VAB - armoured personnel carrier (3820)
• Panhard AML245 series-60/90 - light armoured car (155)
• VBL - light armoured vehicle (899)

Artillery

• AMX 30 AuF1 - 155 mm (272)
• MRLS - multiple rocket launcher (41)
• HM-2 155 mm towed howitzer (103)
• BF-50 155 mm towed howitzer (113)
• F3 self-propelled howitzer (55)
• RTF1 120 mm Mortar (361)
• M-51 120 mm Mortar

Helicopters

• Tigre - attack (80)
• NH-90 - tactical transport(11)
• Fennec light utility replacing the Alouette Astazou, Alouette II and Alouette III
• Super Puma and Cougar replacing the Puma
• Gazelle (267)

See also

• Military of France
• Ranks in the French Army
• [Commons]

External links

• [Uniform insignia of Armée de Terre]
• [Insignia of French units stationed in West Berlin during the Cold War]

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