Portal:Military history of France/Selected unit/6

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The Chasseurs Alpins (Alpine Hunters or Alpine Chasers) are the mountain infantry and an elite unit of the French Army. They are trained to operate in mountainous terrain and in urban warfare.

Training includes climbing, cross-country skiing, plus winter and summer mountain leadership and mountain guiding skills. Traditional training included mountain survival skills such as to build an igloo shelter and to sleep in by temperatures around 0°C. Modern troops may be transported in all-terrain VMBs VACs or untracked VAB personnel carriers. Personal weaponry includes the FAMAS assault rifle, Minimi machine gun, FRF-2 sniper rifle, PGM Hecate II heavy sniper rifle, and LGI light mortar, while group weapons included the M2 machine gun, LLR 81mm mortar, and vehicle-mounted 20mm autocannon, plus AT4, ERYX and MILAN anti-tank missiles.

The Chasseurs are easily recognised by their wide beret (when not in battle uniform), named tarte (= pie). The British Army adopted the wearing of the beret in the 1920s after having seen similar berets worn by the 70th Chasseurs Alpins, which have now been disbanded. (More...)