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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 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

The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre (English: Land Army), is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces and its largest. As of 2008, the army employs 133,947 regular soldiers and 24,000 civilians^[1]. Giving it a total of 157,947 active troops. All soldiers are now considered professionals, following the suspension of conscription voted in parliament in 1997 and effective as of 2001. Just like the Armée de l'Air, the Marine Nationale and the Gendarmerie Nationale it is placed under the responsibility of the French government. The current Chief of Staff of the French Army (CEMAT) is general Elrick Irastorza.

During the professionalisation process, numbers dropped from the 1996 236,000 (132,000 conscripts) to around 140,000.^[2] By June 1999, the Army's strength had dropped to 186,000, including around 70,000 conscripts. 38 of 129 regiments were planned to be stood down from 1997-99. The previous structure's nine 'small' divisions and sundry separate combat and combat support brigades were replaced by nine combat and four combat support brigades.

During the Cold War, the French Army, though not part of NATO's military command structure, actively planned for the defence of Western Europe.^[3] II Corps (France) was stationed in South Germany, and effectively formed a reserve for NATO's Central Army Group. In the 1980s, III Corps headquarters was moved to Lille and planning started for its use in support of NATO's Northern Army Group. The Rapid Action Force of five light divisions was also intended as a NATO reinforcement force.

Organisation

The army is divided into different Corps or armes. These units retain both symbolic and non symbolic and administrative values.

• Troupes de Marine composed of:
  • Marine Infantry (Infanterie de Marine, including parachute regiments such as 1er RPIMa and light cavalry such as RICM)
  • Marine Artillery (Artillerie de Marine)
• Foreign Legion (Légion étrangère)
• Armoured Cavalry (Arme Blindée Cavalerie)
• Artillery;
• Army Light Aviation (Aviation Légère de l'Armée de Terre - ALAT), including combat helicopters;
• Military engineers (Génie Militaire);
• Infantry,
  • including specialist mountain infantry (Chasseurs Alpins)
• Maintenance (Matériel)
• Logistics (Train)
• Signals (Transmissions)
• Commissary

The operational organisation of the Army combines units from various Corps in 17 Brigades.

Equipment

Infantry armour and combat system

Name	Origin	Type	Notes
SPECTRA helmet	France	Protection helmet	Using SPECTRA fiber from Honeywell
FÉLIN	France	Infantry combat system	31,455 units to be delivered.

Standard issue weapons

Standard Issue Weapons	Origin	Type	Diameter	Notes
Pistols
PAMAS	Italy/ France	Standard service pistol	9mm	Modified version of the Beretta 92, also called Beretta 92F.
Rifles
FAMAS F1	France	Standard service rifle	5.56mm	Older version of the FAMAS. The FAMAS can also fire rifle grenades such as the AC58 or the APAV40.
FAMAS G1	France	Standard service rifle	5.56mm	Enhanced version of the FAMAS F1.
FAMAS G2	France	Standard service rifle	5.56mm	Enhanced version of the FAMAS F1.
FAMAS FELIN	France	Standard service rifle	5.56mm	Version designed to be used with the FELIN.
PAPOP	France	Future rifle	5.56mm	To be deployed along with FELIN infantry, combines a rifle and a 35mm grenade launcher.
Colt Canada C7 rifle	Canada	Special forces rifle	5.56mm	Used by the French Special Forces.
Sniper rifles
FR F2	France	Standard sniper rifle	7.62mm	Most used sniper rifle by the French Army.
PGM Hecate II	France	Heavy sniper rifle	12.7mm	Largest sniper rifle of the French Army.
Infantry mortars
LLR 81mm	France	Mortar	81mm	Exists in different versions.
LGI Mle F1	France	Mortar grenade launcher	See note	Can fire either 51mm explosive grenades, 51mm smoke grenades or 47mm flash grenades.
Infantry machine guns
FN Minimi	Belgium	Machine gun	5.56mm	Light machine gun.
Browning M2	United States	Machine gun	12.7mm	Heavy machine gun.
Vehicle machine guns
AA-52 machine gun	France	Machine gun	7.5mm	Vehicle mounted machine gun.
FN MAG	Belgium	Machine gun	7.62mm	Helicopter mounted machine gun.

Portable missiles

Name	Origin	Type	Notes
Antitank missiles
FGM-148 Javelin	United States	Heavy antitank missile	France ordered 76 launchers and 380 missiles to complement its antitank missiles.
MILAN	France/ Germany	Standard antitank missile	Exists in different versions, can also be mounted on vehicles.
ERYX	France	Short range antitank missile	Has limited anti-helicopter capabilities.
AT4	Sweden	Light antitank missile	Light 84mm missiles, named "Anti Blindé Léger" in France.
Surface to air missiles
Mistral missile	France	Surface to air missile	Can be mounted on vehicles too.

Tracked armoured vehicles

Name	Origin	Type	Number	Notes
Main battle tanks
AMX-56 Leclerc	France	Main Battle Tank	406	Different batches presently used, 82 early models could be retired.
AMX-30 B2	France	Main battle tank	17	Now used to train recruits.
Recovery vehicles
Leclerc MARS	France	Recovery vehicle	20	Recovery vehicle variant of the Leclerc MBT.
Infantry fighting vehicles
AMX-10P	France	Infantry fighting vehicle	1,050	Tracked infantry fighting vehicle, to be replaced by the VBCI.
Bandvagn 206	Sweden	Tracked articulated all-terrain carrier	150	Bought from Sweden to be used in Afghanistan, include a 12.7mm machine gun.

Wheeled armoured vehicles

Name	Origin	Type	Number	Notes
Tank destroyers
Engin blindé roues canon	France	Wheeled tank destroyer	???	To replace the AMX-10RC and the ERC-90 from 2015 onward.[4] See also the Vextra 105 prototype.
AMX 10 RC	France	Wheeled tank destroyer	256	Replacement by the EBRC expected to start in 2015.
ERC 90 Sagaie	France	Mobile wheeled armoured vehicle	192	Replacement by the EBRC expected to start in 2015.
Infantry fighting vehicles
Véhicule blindé de combat d'infanterie	France	Wheeled infantry fighting vehicle	146	Also known as VBCI, will replace the AMX-10P. 298 have been ordered out of a requirement of 700 vehicles.
Transport vehicles
Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé	France	Armoured personnal carrier	4,000	Most used personnal carrier of the French army.
Petit Véhicule Protégé	France	Light personnal carrier	1,500 by 2015	Light 4 wheeled carrier.
Véhicule Blindé Léger	France	4x4 all terrain vehicle.	1,100	4x4 vehicle, will be replaced by the PVP.
Aravis	France	Armoured carrier.	15	Armoured personnal carrier for engineering forces.
Sherpa 3	France	Light tactical military truck	33	Successor to the Sherpa 2.
Mine protected vehicles
Buffalo (MPCV)	United States/ South Africa	Mine protected vehicle	5	Bought for operations in Afghanistan.

Artillery

Name	Origin	Type	Number	Notes
Self propelled howitzers
AMX 30 AuF1	France	Tracked self-propelled artillery	174	Based on the AMX-30 chassis.
CAESAR	France	Wheeled self propelled artillery	72 ordered	Wheeled artillery.
Towed artillery
TRF1	France	Towed artillery	84	Towed 155mm cannon.
RTF1	France	Towed mortar	361	Towed 120mm mortar.
Multiple rocket launchers
M270 MLRS	United States	Multiple rocket launcher	41	Some have been retired but 41 units are still operational.

Helicopters

Helicopter	Origin	Type	Number	Notes
Attack helicopters
Eurocopter Tiger	France/ Germany	Attack helicopter	80 units ordered	40 Tiger HAP delivered, 18 Tiger HAD delivered late 2008.
Transport helicopters
NH-90	France/ Germany/ Italy/ Netherlands	Transport helicopter	34	34 for the French Army Light Aviation, with an option for 34 more helicopters.
EC 725 Super Cougar	France	Long range tactical transport helicopter	8	Used by the French Army Light Aviation.
AS 532 Cougar	France	Multipurpose helicopter	28	Also exists in a Combat Search and Rescue version.
Puma	France	Transport/utility helicopter	107	Exists in many different versions.
Light helicopters
Gazelle	France	Light helicopter	278[5]	Used in different variants.
Fennec	France	Light helicopter	18	Training helicopter.

Planes

Name	Origin	Type	Number	Notes
SOCATA TBM 700	France	Transport plane	12	Used by VIPs.
Pilatus PC-6	Switzerland	Training plane	6	Used for training purpose.

Principles and values

French Military

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

The principles and values of the French Army are formulated in the Code of the French Soldier:

See also

• Military of France
• Ranks in the French Army

References

External links

• (French) Official website
• French Military Reform: Lessons for America's Army?, George A. Bloch (includes explanations of the structure of command)

Vehicles of the French Army Armoured cavalry AMX-30 - ERC 90 Sagaie - AMX 10 RC - Leclerc - AMX-10P - AuF1 - VAB - VBL - VBCI Artillery, transport and combat engineering AuF1 - MLRS - TRF1 - Caesar - Peugeot P4 - ACMAT - SYRANO - EBG - EFA - DNG French Army Light Aviation Alouette III - Gazelle - Puma - Super Puma- Tiger - Fennec - Cougar - NH90