Structure of the French Army

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French Army

Components Army Light Aviation 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 History of the French Army Timeline of the French Army Personnel List of senior officers Rank insignia Awards Croix de guerre Médaille militaire Légion d'honneur Awards

Contents 1 Structure of the French Army 2 CFAT 2.1 1re Brigade Mécanisée – 1st Mechanised Brigade in Chalons en Champagne 2.2 2e Brigade Blindée – 2nd Armoured Brigade in Orleans 2.3 3e Brigade Mécanisée – 3rd Mechanised Brigade in Limoges 2.4 6e Brigade Légère Blindée – 6th Light Armoured Brigade in Nimes 2.5 7ème Brigade Blindée – 7th Armoured Brigade in Besançon 2.6 9e Brigade Légère Blindée de Marine - 9th Light Armoured Marine Brigade in Nantes 2.7 11ème Brigade Parachutiste – 11th Parachute Brigade in Balma 2.8 27e Brigade d’infanterie de Montagne – 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade in Varces 2.9 4e Brigade Aéromobile – 4th Airmobile Brigade in Essey les Nancy 2.10 Brigade Franco-Allemande – Franco-German Brigade in Mühlheim 2.11 Brigade des forces spéciales – Army Special Forces Brigade in Pau 3 CFLT 3.1 Brigade de Transmissions – Signal Brigade in Lunéville 3.2 Brigade de Renseignement – Recon Brigade in Montigny 3.3 Brigade d’artillerie – Artillery Brigade in Haguenau 3.4 Brigade du Génie - Engineer Brigade in Strasbourg 3.5 1re Brigade Logistique – 1st Logistics Brigade in Montlhéry 3.6 2e Brigade Logistique – 2nd Logistics Brigade in Souge 4 Other units 4.1 Support units of the 5 regional headquarters 4.2 Support units of the 4 forward deployable headquarters (EMF) 5 Units permanently deployed overseas 5.1 Africa 5.2 French Guiana 5.3 Caribbean 5.4 Indian Ocean 5.5 Pacific Ocean 6 Training and Formation units 7 Signals and Electronic Warfare units 8 Commissary and Materials units 9 Miscellaneous

[edit] Structure of the French Army

[edit] CFAT

Main article: Commandement de la Force d'Action Terrestre

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

v • d • e Commandement de la force d'action terrestre 1st Mechanised Brigade — 2nd Armoured Brigade — 3rd Mechanised Brigade — 6th Armoured Brigade — 7th Armoured Brigade — 9th Light Armoured Marine Brigade — 11th Parachute Brigade — 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade — 4th Airmobile Brigade — Franco-German Brigade — Army Special Forces Brigade Corps de réaction rapide France French Army — Structure of the French Army

[edit] 1re Brigade Mécanisée – 1st Mechanised Brigade in Chalons en Champagne

Main article: 1st Mechanised Brigade (France)

• 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) mechanised 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-Mézières
• 1re Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (1re CCT) in Chalons en Champagne with 20 VAB

[edit] 2e Brigade Blindée – 2nd Armoured Brigade in Orleans

Main article: 2nd Armoured Brigade (France)

• Régiment de Marche du Tchad (RMT) mechanised Marine Infantry Regiment in Noyon equipped with AMX-10P and VAB
• 16e Bataillon de Chasseurs (16e BC) mechanised 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
• 6e-12e Régiment de Cuirassiers (6e-12e RC) armoured Regiment with 80 Leclerc, 57 VAB and 31 VBL. {2 Groupes d'escadrons à 40 chars Leclerc (6 escadrons de 13) Gp HQ 1 MBT. Sq HQ 1 MBT 3 Plt [4 MBT]}

[edit] 3e Brigade Mécanisée – 3rd Mechanised Brigade in Limoges

Main article: 3rd Mechanised Brigade (France)

• 1er-11e Régiment de Cuirassiers (1e-11e RC) armoured Regiment in Carpiagne with 80 Leclerc
• 92e Régiment d'Infanterie (92e RI) mechanised 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

[edit] 6e Brigade Légère Blindée – 6th Light Armoured Brigade in Nimes

Main article: 6th Armoured Brigade (France)

• 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er Régiment Etranger de Cavalerie, 1er REC) 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
• 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er Régiment Etranger de Génie, 1er REG) in Laudun
• 6e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (6e CCT) in Nimes equipped with VAB

[edit] 7ème Brigade Blindée – 7th Armoured Brigade in Besançon

Main article: 7th Armoured Brigade (France)

• 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) mechanised Infantry Regiment in Belfort equipped with AMX-10P, VAB and VBL
• 152e Régiment d'Infanterie (152e RI) mechanised 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

[edit] 9e Brigade Légère Blindée de Marine - 9th Light Armoured Marine Brigade in Nantes

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

• 1er Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (1er RIMa) Armoured Marine Infantry Regiment (light cavalry) in Angoulême 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

[edit] 11ème Brigade Parachutiste – 11th Parachute Brigade in Balma

Main article: 11th Parachute Brigade

• 1er régiment de chasseurs parachutistes (1er RCP) Parachutist Regiment in Pamiers.
• 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e Régiment Etranger de Parachutistes, 2e REP) in Calvi.
• 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (3e Régiment Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine, 3e RPIMa) in Carcassonne.
• 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (8e Régiment Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine, 8e RPIMa) in Castres.
• 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment (1er Régiment de Hussards Parachutistes, 1er RHP) in Tarbes.
• 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.

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

Main article: 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade (France)

• 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
• 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e Régiment Etranger de Génie, 2e REG) in St. Christol

[edit] 4e Brigade Aéromobile – 4th Airmobile Brigade in Essey les Nancy

Main article: 4th Airmobile Brigade (France)

• 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

[edit] Brigade Franco-Allemande – Franco-German Brigade in Mühlheim

Main article: Franco-German Brigade

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

[edit] Brigade des forces spéciales – Army Special Forces Brigade in Pau

Main article: Army 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:

• 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

[edit] CFLT

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

[edit] 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

[edit] 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, Quartier General d'Aboville, Chaumont equipped with CL 289 drones

[edit] 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

[edit] Brigade du Génie - Engineer 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
• 2e Régiment de Dragons - Défense Nucléaire Biologique et chimique NBC Defense Regiment in Draguignan

[edit] 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

[edit] 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

[edit] Other units

[edit] 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

[edit] 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

[edit] Units permanently deployed overseas

[edit] Africa

• 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

[edit] French Guiana

• 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (3e Régiment Etranger d'Infanterie, 3e REI), 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

[edit] Caribbean

• 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

[edit] Indian Ocean

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

[edit] 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
• Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine du Pacifique–Polynésie (RIMaP-P) Marine Infantry Regiment in Papeete, (Tahiti)

[edit] 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

[edit] 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

[edit] 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

[edit] Miscellaneous

• 1st Foreign Regiment (1er Régiment Etranger, 1er RE), 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
• French Gendarmerie an independent force, formerly part of the army, which now provides military police to the entire French military.