Structure of the French Army

The structure of the French Army comprises a number of separate organisations.

Land Forces Command[]

The CFT (Commandement des Forces Terrestres or Land Forces Command) commands the 8 brigades interarmes (combat brigades) as well as the support brigades.

French Army

Components

Army Light Aviation
Armoured Cavalry
Troupes de marine
French Foreign Legion
Chasseurs alpins
List of current regiments
Structure of the French Army
Administration
Chief of Staff of the French Army
Equipment
Modern Equipment
History
Military history of France
Personnel
List of senior officers of the French Army
Ranks in the French Army
Awards
Croix de guerre
Médaille militaire
Légion d'honneur
Awards

Deployable Commands[]

Corps de Réaction Rapide - a NATO corps sized deployable command in Lille
État-major de force n° 1 (EMF 1) - a division sized deployable command in Besançon
État-major de force n° 3 (EMF 3) - a division sized deployable command in Marseille

1st Mech Bde

2nd Armd Bde

3rd Mech Bde

6th Lt Armd Bde

7th Armd Bde

9th Marine Lt Armd Bde

11th Para Bde

27th Mtn Bde

Franco-
German
Bde

Combat brigades of the Armee de Terre 2011

1^re Brigade Mécanisée – 1st Mechanised Brigade[]

Main article: 1st Mechanised Brigade (France)

HQ based at Quartier Chanzyin, Châlons-en-Champagne.^[1]

1^re Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (1^re CCT) - Command and Signals Company in Châlons-en-Champagne with VAB
1^er Régiment d'Infanterie (1^er RI) - Infantry Regiment in Sarrebourg with VAB
1^er Régiment de Tirailleurs (1^er RTir) - Infantry Regiment in Épinal with VBCI
1^er Régiment de Spahis (1^er SPAHIS) - Wheeled Armoured Regiment in Valence with AMX 10 RC and ERC 90
1^er Régiment d'Artillerie de Marine (1^er RAMa) - Marine Artillery Regiment in Laon with 12x CAESAR self-propelled howitzers and 16x 120mm RTF1 mortars
3^e Régiment du Génie (3^e RG) - Engineer Regiment in Charleville-Mézières

2^e Brigade Blindée – 2nd Armored Brigade[]

Main article: 2nd Armoured Brigade (France)

Based in Illkirch-Graffenstaden

2^e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (2^e CCT) - Command and Signals Company in Illkirch-Graffenstaden with VAB
12^e Régiment de Cuirassiers (12^e RC) - Armoured Regiment in Olivet with 60 Leclerc
501^e Régiment de Chars de Combat (501^e RCC) - Armoured Regiment in Mourmelon-le-Grand with 60 Leclerc
Régiment de Marche du Tchad (RMT) - Marine Infantry Regiment in Meyenheim with VBCI
16^e Bataillon de Chasseurs (16^e BC) - Infantry Battalion in Bitche with VBCI
40^e Régiment d'Artillerie (40^e RA) Self-propelled Howitzer Regiment in Suippes with 32 GCT 155mm and 12 120mm mortars
13^e Régiment du Génie (13^e RG) - Engineer Regiment in Valdahon

3^e Brigade Mécanisée – 3rd Mechanised Brigade[]

Main article: 3rd Mechanised Brigade (France)

Based in Clermont-Ferrand

3^e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (3^e CCT) - Command and Signals Company in Clermont-Ferrand with VAB
1^er Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (1^er RIMa) - Marine Infantry Regiment (light cavalry) in Angoulême with AMX 10 RC and ERC 90
92^e Régiment d'Infanterie (92^e RI) - Infantry Regiment in Clermont-Ferrand with VBCI
126^e Régiment d'Infanterie (126^e RI) - Infantry Regiment in Brive-la-Gaillarde with VAB
68^e Régiment d'Artillerie d'Afrique (68^e RAA) - Artillery Regiment in Valbonne with 12x CAESAR self-propelled howitzers and 16x 120mm RTF1 mortars
31^e Régiment du Génie (31^e RG) - Engineer Regiment in Castelsarrasin

6^e Brigade Légère Blindée – 6th Light Armoured Brigade[]

Main article: 6th Light Armoured Brigade (France)

Based in Nîmes

6^e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (6^e CCT) - Command and Signals Company in Nîmes with VAB
1^er Régiment Etranger de Cavalerie (1^er REC) Foreign Legion - Cavalry Regiment in Orange with AMX 10 RC and ERC 90
2^e Régiment Etranger d'Infanterie (2^e REI) - Foreign Legion Infantry Regiment in Nîmes with VBCI
21^e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (21^e RIMa) - Marine Infantry Regiment in Fréjus with VAB
3^e Régiment d'Artillerie de Marine (3^e RAMa) - Marine Artillery Regiment in Canjuers with TRF1 howitzers, CAESAR self-propelled howitzers and RTF1 mortars
1^er Régiment Étranger de Génie (1^er REG) - Foreign Legion Engineer Regiment in Laudun

7^e Brigade Blindée – 7th Armoured Brigade[]

Main article: 7th Armoured Brigade (France)

Based in Besançon

7^e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (7^e CCT) - Command and Signals Company in Besançon with VAB
1^er Régiment de Chasseurs (1^er RCh) - Armoured Regiment in Verdun with 52 Leclerc
4^e Régiment de Dragons (4^e RD) - Armoured Regiment in Carpiagne with 52 Leclerc
35^e Régiment d'Infanterie (35^e RI) - Infantry Regiment in Belfort with VBCI
152^e Régiment d'Infanterie (152^e RI) - Infantry Regiment in Colmar with VBCI
1^er Régiment d'Artillerie (1^er RA) - Rocket Artillery Regiment in Bourogne with MLRS
8^e Régiment d'Artillerie (8^e RA) - Artillery Regiment in Commercy with 120mm RTF1 mortars
54^e Régiment d'Artillerie (54^e RA) - Air-defense Regiment in Belfort with Mistral
19^e Régiment du Génie (19^e RG) Engineer Regiment in Besançon

9^e Brigade Légère Blindée de Marine - 9th Light Armoured Marine Brigade[]

Main article: 9th Light Armoured Marine Brigade (France)

Based in Poitiers

9^e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (9^e CCT) - Command and Signals Company in Poitiers with VAB
Régiment d'Infanterie Chars de Marine (RICM) - Armoured Marine Infantry Regiment (light cavalry) in Poitiers with AMX 10 RC and ERC 90
2^e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (2^e RIMa) - Marine Infantry Regiment in Le Mans with VBCI
3^e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (3^e RIMa) - Marine Infantry Regiment in Vannes with VAB
11^e Régiment d'Artillerie de Marine (11^e RAMa) - Marine Artillery Regiment in Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier with TRF1 howitzers, CAESAR self-propelled howitzers and RTF1 mortars
6^e Régiment du Génie (6^e RG) - Engineer Regiment in Angers

11^e Brigade Parachutiste – 11th Parachute Brigade[]

File:8th RPIMa.jpg

8th RPIMa insignia

Main article: 11th Parachute Brigade

Based in Balma

11^e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions Parachutiste (11^e CCTP) - Command and Signals Company in Balma
1^er Régiment de Hussards Parachutistes (1^er RHP) - Parachute Hussar Regiment in Tarbes with ERC 90
1^er Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes (1^er RCP) Parachute Chasseur Regiment in Pamiers
2^e Régiment Etranger de Parachutistes (2^e REP) French Foreign Legion - Parachute Regiment in Calvi
3^e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (3^e RPIMa) - Marine Parachute Regiment in Carcassonne
8^e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (8^e RPIMa) - Marine Parachute Regiment in Castres
35^e Régiment d'Artillerie Parachutiste (35^e RAP) - Parachute Artillery Regiment in Tarbes with TRF1 howitzers, CAESAR self-propelled howitzers and RTF1 mortars
17^e Régiment du Génie Parachutiste (17^e RGP) - Parachute Engineer Regiment in Montauban
1^er Régiment du Train Parachutiste (1^er RTP) - Parachute Supply Regiment in Toulouse

27^e Brigade d’infanterie de Montagne – 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade[]

Main article: 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade (France)

Based in Varces

27^e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions de Montagne (27^e CCTM) - Command and Signals Company in Varces
4^e Régiment de Chasseurs (4^e RCh) - Wheeled Armoured Regiment in Gap with 36 ERC 90, 16 VBL and 6 Gazelle helicopters
7^e Bataillon de Chasseurs Alpins (7^e BCA) - Mountain Infantry Battalion in Bourg-Saint-Maurice with VAB and VHM
13^e Bataillon de Chasseurs Alpins (11^e BCA) - Mountain Infantry Battalion in Chambéry with VAB and VHM
27^e Bataillon de Chasseurs Alpins (27^e BCA) - Mountain Infantry Battalion in Annecy with VAB and VHM
93^e Régiment d'Artillerie de Montagne (93^e RAM) - Mountain Artillery Regiment in Varces with CAESAR self-propelled howitzers and RTF1 mortars
2^e Régiment Etranger de Génie (2^e REG) in Saint-Christol

Brigade de Renseignement – Reconnaissance Brigade[]

Based in Haguenau

2^e Régiment de Hussards (2^e RH) - Reconnaissance Regiment in Haguenau with VBL
44^e Régiment de Transmissions (44^e RT) - Signals Intelligence Regiment in Mutzig
54^e Régiment de Transmissions (54^e RT) - Tactical Electronic Warfare Regiment in Haguenau
61^e Régiment d'artillerie (61^e RA) - Aerial Surveillance Regiment at Quartier General d'Aboville, Chaumont with CL-289 drones
28^e Groupe Géographique (28^e GG) - Topography Unit in Haguenau

Brigade de Transmissions – Signal Brigade[]

in Douai

28^e Régiment de Transmissions (28^e RT) - Signal Regiment Issoire
40^e Régiment de Transmissions (40^e RT) - Signal Regiment Thionville
41^e Régiment de Transmissions (41^e RT) - Signal Regiment Douai
48^e Régiment de Transmissions (48^e RT) - Signal Regiment Agen
53^e Régiment de Transmissions (53^e RT) - Signal Regiment Lunéville

Brigade Logistique – Logistics Brigade[]

Based in Montlhéry

121^e Régiment du Train (121^e RT) - Logistic Regiment in Montlhéry
503^e Régiment du Train (503^e RT) - Logistic Regiment in Nîmes
511^e Régiment du Train (511^e RT) - Logistic Regiment in Auxonne
515^e Régiment du Train (515^e RT) - Logistic Regiment in Angoulême
516^e Régiment du Train (516^e RT) - Logistic Regiment in Toul
519^e Groupe de Transit Maritime (519^e GTM) - Sea Transport Group in Toulon
Régiment de soutien du combattant - Combat Logistic Regiment in Toulouse
Régiment Médical (RMED) - Field Hospital Regiment in Valbonne

Brigade Franco-Allemande – Franco-German Brigade[]

Main article: Franco-German Brigade

Based in Müllheim

French contribution:

3^e Régiment de Hussards (3^e RH) - Wheeled Armoured Regiment in Metz (France) with AMX 10 RC and VBL
110^e Régiment d'Infanterie (110^e RI) - Infantry Regiment in Donaueschingen with VAB and VBL

Combat support units[]

1^er Régiment d'Hélicoptères de Combat (1^er RHC) - Combat Helicopter Regiment in Phalsbourg with 42 Gazelle, 20 Puma and 14 Cougar helicopters
3^e Régiment d'Hélicoptères de Combat (3^e RHC) - Combat Helicopter Regiment in Étain with 37 Gazelle, 16 Puma helicopters
5^e Régiment d'Hélicoptères de Combat (5^e RHC) - Combat Helicopter Regiment in Pau with 52 Gazelle helicopters
2^e Régiment de Dragons - Défense Nucléaire Biologique et chimique (2 RD-NBC) NBC-defense Regiment in Fontevraud-l'Abbaye
132^e bataillon cynophile de l'armée de terre (132^e BCAT) - Dog Battalion in Suippes

Logistics Units[]

2^e Régiment du Matériel (2^e RMAT) - Material Regiment in Bruz
3^e Régiment du Matériel (3^e RMAT) - Material Regiment in Muret
4^e Régiment du Matériel (4^e RMAT) - Material Regiment in Nimes
6^e Régiment du Matériel (6^e RMAT) Material Regiment in Besançon
7^e Régiment du Matériel (7^e RMAT) - Material Regiment in Lyon
8^e Régiment du Matériel (8^e RMAT) - Material Regiment in Mourmelon
5^e Base de Soutien du Matériel (5^e BSMAT) - Materials Base in Draguignan
12^e Base de Soutien du Matériel (12^e BSMAT) - Materials Base in Salbris
13^e Base de Soutien du Matériel (13^e BSMAT) - Materials Base in Clermont-Ferrand

COS[]

Main article: Commandement des Opérations Spéciales

The Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (Special Operations Command, COS) is the command, which coordinates the use of the French special forces of all military branches (Army, Navy, Air Force and Gendarmerie). The Special Forces units of the French Army are united in the Brigade des Forces Spéciales Terre (Army Special Forces Brigade, BFST).

Brigade des Forces Spéciales Terre - Army Special Forces Brigade[]

Based in Pau

1^er Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (1^er RPIMa) Special Forces Regiment in Bayonne
13^e Régiment de Dragons Parachutistes (13^e RDP) Long Range Reconnaissance Regiment in Martignas-sur-Jalle.
4^e Régiment d'Hélicoptères des Forces Spéciales (4^e RHFS) Special Operations Army Aviation Regiment in Pau

Other Army units[]

Training and Formation units[]

1^er Régiment de Chasseurs d'Afrique (1^er RCA) - Armoured Training Regiment in Canjuers
4^e Régiment Etranger (4^e RE) Foreign Legion - Training Regiment in Castelnaudary
17^e Groupe d'Artillerie (17^e GA) - Air Defense Artillery Training Battalion in Landes

Signals and Electronic Warfare units[]

785^e Composante Guerre Electronique (785^e CGE) - Electronic Warfare Centre in Orléans

Support units of the 5 regional headquarters[]

All this is now under the direction of the "Bases de Défense", an organization common to the Army, Navy and Airforce.

Army units permanently deployed overseas[]

Africa and Middle East[]

5^e Régiment Interarmes d’Outre-Mer (5^e RIAOM) - Mixed Marine Regiment in Djibouti equipped with AMX 10 RC
13^e Demi Brigade de Légion Etrangère (13^e DBLE) - Foreign Legion regiment in the United Arab Emirates with ERC 90 Sagaie and VAB
6^e Bataillon d’Infanterie de Marine (6^e BIMa) - Marine Infantry Battalion based in Gabon equipped with ERC 90 Sagaie

French Guiana[]

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

Indian Ocean[]

2^e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (2^e RPIMa) - Marine Airbourne Infantry Regiment in Saint-Pierre, Réunion
Détachement de Légion Etrangère de Mayotte (DLEM) - Foreign Legion detachment in Mayotte with 240 men

Pacific Ocean[]

Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine du Pacifique Nouvelle Calédonie (RIMaP-NC) - Marine Infantry Regiment in Nouméa, New Caledonia with 6 ERC 90 Sagaie

Miscellaneous[]

1^er Régiment Etranger (1^er RE) - administration unit of the Foreign Legion in Aubagne
25^e Régiment du Génie de l'Air (25^e RGA) - Air Engineer Regiment in Istres tasked with construction and maintenance of forward airbases
Brigade de Sapeurs-Pompiers de Paris (BSPP) - fire brigade for the city of Paris and surrounding suburbs, part of the Engineer Corps

Future[]

The Future French Army will have "Two brigades will be able to input First and combat coercion against an opponent with means heavy. Three other multi-role brigades will be equipped primarily trained for crisis management. Finally, two light brigades will be able to intervene in specific environments and difficult or very quickly, Completion or prepositioned within modules dedicated emergency forces. The continued digitization effort and operational readiness ensure appropriate consistency between these three components and their ability mutually reinforcing. These forces will have particular about 200 heavy tanks, 250 tanks median, 2700 multirole armored vehicles and combat, 140 reconnaissance helicopters and attack helicopters 115 maneuver and thirty tactical drones."^[2]

References[]

↑ "1^re brigade mécanisée". French government. http://www.defense.gouv.fr/terre/presentation/organisation-des-forces/brigades/1re-brigade-mecanisee. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
↑ http://www.defense.gouv.fr/content/download/206200/2286715/file/Livre%20blanc%20-Dossier%20th%C3%A9matique.pdf

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Structure of the French Army and the edit history here.

[1bm-1] "1^re brigade mécanisée". French government. http://www.defense.gouv.fr/terre/presentation/organisation-des-forces/brigades/1re-brigade-mecanisee. Retrieved 2012-02-17.

[2] ttp://www.defense.gouv.fr/content/download/206200/2286715/file/Livre%20blanc%20-Dossier%20th%C3%A9matique.pdf

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