2nd Armoured Brigade (France)

The 2nd Armoured Brigade (French: 2^e Brigade Blindée, 2^e BB) is an armoured brigade of the French Army. It is heir to the honours and traditions of the 2nd Armoured Division commanded by Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque.

In 1970 the 2nd Armoured Brigade at Saint-Germain-en-Laye was part of the 8th Armoured Division, headquartered at Compiègne, alongside two mechanised brigades.^[1] In 1977 the 2nd Armoured Brigade appears to have been disbanded, and the 2nd Armoured Division reformed.

The reorganisation of the French Army in 1999 transformed and downsized the 2nd Armoured Division to the 2nd Armoured Brigade.

Organization

The brigade consists of 6 regiments with a total of around 6200 personnel.^[2]

• 12^e Régiment de Cuirassiers (12^e RC) – armoured cavalry 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) – mechanized marine infantry regiment in Meyenheim with VBCI
• 16^e Bataillon de Chasseurs (16^e BC) – mechanized infantry battalion in Bitche with VBCI
• 40^e Régiment d'Artillerie (40^e RA) – self-propelled howitzer regiment in Suippes with 32 AMX 30 AuF1 and 12 120mm mortars
• 13^e Régiment du Génie (13^e RG) – engineer regiment in Valdahon
• 2^e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (2^e CCT) – command and signals company in Illkirch-Graffenstaden with VAB
• Escadron d'éclairage et d'investigation de la 2e Brigade blindée (EEI 2 – 2^e BB) – brigade reconnaissance squadron in Orléans with VBL

Notes

References

• www.defense.gouv.fr

External links

• Official site (French) – 2^e BB