French Army

French Army
Active	- present
Country	France
Allegiance	Republic of France
Type	Army
Size	Active; 123,100 Regulars and 18,350 Part-time Reservists Personnel[1]
Nickname	La grande muette "The great mute one"
Commanders
Current commander	General Elrick Irastorza

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 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars and 18,350 part-time reservists ^[2], making the French army the 2nd largest in the European Union after the British Army and the 4th largest in NATO after the Armies of the USA, Turkey and UK. 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 Chief of Staff of the French Army (CEMAT) is general Elrick Irastorza.

Aerospatiale AS 330B Puma helicopter at RIAT 2010.

The French Army switched from multi-brigade divisions to smaller divisions of about four to five battalions/regiments each in 1977. During the late 1990s, during the professionalisation process, numbers dropped from the 1996 236,000 (132,000 conscripts) to around 140,000.^[3] 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. The Rapid Action Force, a corps of five small rapid-intervention divisions formed in 1983, was also disbanded, though several of its divisions were re-subordinated.

During the Cold War, the French Army, though not part of NATO's military command structure, planned for the defence of Western Europe.^[4] 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

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 Personnel List of senior officers of the French Army Ranks in the French Army Awards Croix de guerre Médaille militaire Légion d'honneur Awards

The army is divided into Corps or armes.

• 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[5], built by CGF GALLET.
FÉLIN	France	Infantry combat system	Fantassin à Équipement et Liaisons Intégrés, designed by Safran, 31,455 units to be delivered.[6]
SCORPION	France	Program similar to the FCS	Synergie du COntact Renforcé par la Polyvalence et l’InfovalorisatiON, project to be designed by Thales Group in association to Safran and Nexter.[7]

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	France	Standard service rifle	5.56mm	Standard French rifle. The FAMAS can fire rifle grenades such as the AC58 or the APAV40.
PAPOP	France	Future rifle	5.56mm	To be deployed along with FELIN infantry, combines a rifle and a 35mm grenade launcher.
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
LGI Mle F1	France	Mortar grenade launcher	See note	Can fire either 51mm explosive grenades, 51mm smoke grenades or 47mm flash grenades
LLR 81mm	France	Mortar	81mm	Exists in different versions
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	7.62mm	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 rocket	Light 84mm rocket, named "Anti Blindé Léger" in France.
Surface to air missiles
Mistral missile	France	Surface to air missile	Can be mounted on vehicles

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
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
BvS 10	Sweden/ United Kingdom	Tracked articulated all-terrain carrier	150	Include a 12.7mm machine gun

Wheeled armoured vehicles

Name	Origin	Type	Number	Notes
Tank destroyers
Engin Blindé Médian	France	Wheeled tank destroyer	???	To replace the AMX-10RC and the ERC-90 from 2015 onward.[8] Formerly known as EBRC.
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	200	Also known as VBCI, will replace the AMX-10P. 600 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. To be replaced by another vehicle to be determined from 2015 onward.
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

Wheeled vehicles

Name	Origin	Type	Number	Notes
Trucks
ACMAT	France	Multipurpose truck	???
EFA	France	Mobile bridge	???
Infantry vehicles
Peugeot P4	France	All-terrain vehicle	13,500	To be replaced by the PVP
Motorcycles
Cagiva 350 T4E	Italy	Light reconnaissance motorcycle

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	40	40 Tiger HAP delivered, 18 Tiger HAD delivered late 2008. Another 22 on order.
Transport helicopters
NH-90	France/ Germany/ Italy/ Netherlands	Transport helicopter	34	34 for the French Army Light Aviation, with an option for 34 more
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 versions
Light helicopters
Gazelle	France	Light helicopter	278[9]	Used in different variants.
Fennec	France	Light helicopter	60[10]	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

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
• Bastille Day Military Parade

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