French Army

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French soldiers of the IFOR in Mostar, 1995.
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French soldiers of the IFOR in Mostar, 1995.

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

Contents

CFAT

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


Leclerc main battle tank
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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 155mm Field Canons, 4 CAESAR wheeled 155mm Canons and 16 120mm 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


155 mm motorised cannons
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155 mm motorised cannons
  • 2e Brigade Blindée – 2nd Armoured Brigade in Orleans
    • 2e Régiment de Dragons (2e RD) armoured Regiment in Fontevraud with 40 Leclerc and 25 VAB
    • 6-12e Régiment de Cuirassiers (6e-12e RC) armoured Regiment in Olivet with 80 Leclerc and 51 VAB
    • 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


Firing the Minimi
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Firing the Minimi
  • 3e Brigade Mécanisée – 3rd Mechanized Brigade in Limoges


Legionnaires in parade uniform
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Legionnaires in parade uniform
  • 6e Brigade Légère Blindée – 6th light armoured Brigade in Nimes
    • 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 120mm 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 Besançon
    • 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 120mm 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 Nantes
    • 1er Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (1er RIMa) Marine Infantry Regiment in Angouleme with 48 AMX 10 RC, 30 VAB and 71 VBL
    • Régiment d'Infanterie Chars de Marine (RICM) Armoured Marine Infantry Regiment 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 155mm Field Canons and 120mm Mortars
    • 6e Régiment du Génie (6e RG) Engineer Regiment in Angers


8th RPIMa insignia
8th RPIMa insignia
  • 11ème Brigade Parachutiste – 11th Parachutist Brigade in Balma
    • 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 (2e 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 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


Gazelle from 1st combat helicopter regiment
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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)

Special Forces Brigade


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

Brigade des forces spéciales – Special Forces Brigade in Pau
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:


troops from the 18th signal regiment
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troops from the 18th signal regiment
Brigade de Transmissions – Signal Brigade in Lunéville
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 [1]
53e Régiment de Transmissions (53e RT) Signal Regiment Lunéville


Brigade de Renseignement – Recon Brigade in Montigny
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 – Artillery Brigade in Haguenau
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


6ème régiment du matériel
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6ème régiment du matériel
Brigade du Génie - Engineering Brigade in Strasbourg
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


Armoured medical transportation vehicle
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Armoured medical transportation vehicle
1re Brigade Logistique – 1st Logistics Brigade in Montlhéry
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
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


permanently overseas deployed Units
Africa
5e Régiment Interarmes d’Outre-Mer (5e RIAOM) Mixed Army Regiment in Djibouti equipped with AMX 10 RC
13e Demi Brigade de Légion Etrangère (13e DBLE) Foreign Legion regiment sized Brigade 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
French Guiana
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
in the Caribbean
41e Bataillon d’Infanterie de Marine (41e BIMa) Marine Infantry Battalion based on Guadeloupe
33e Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine (33e RIMa) Marine Infantry Regiment based on Martinique
Indian Ocean
2e Régiment Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine (3e RPIMa) Marine Parachutist Regiment in Saint-Pierre on (Reunion)
Détachement de Légion Etrangère de Mayotte (DLEM) Foreign Legion detachment on Mayotte with 240 men
Pacific Ocean
Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine du Pacifique Nouvelle Calédonie (RIMaP-NC) Marine Infantry Regiment in Nouméa on New Caledonia with 6 ERC 90 Sagaie
Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine du Pacifique–Polynésie (RIMaP-P) Marine Infantry Regiment in Papeete on (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 Danjou
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
installations of the 5th logistical group of the commissary
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installations of the 5th logistical group of the commissary
Commissary and Materials units
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


the rest
Paris fire brigade truck
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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
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

Equipment

Weapons

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


See also

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