French Army
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The French Army (Armée de Terre, "Ground Army") is one component in the Military of France.
Strength: 138.000 (2004)
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Command structure and units
- The French Army’s operational organisation is based around five Régions Terre (Territorial Districts): North (Nord), North-East (Nord-Est), Ile-de-France, South-East (Sud-Est) and South-West (Sud-Quest).
- The Commandement de la Force d'Action Terrestre (CTAF) (Army Land Force Command) has overall control of Army units. It commands four division-sized État-Major de Forces (EMF) (Forces Staff) headquarters, each responsible for the operational command of up to four brigades.
- Subordinate to CTAF are several other separate commands, including Commandement des Forces Spéciales Terre (CFST) (Special Operations Command) and Land Logistics Command (CFLT).
- CFST is composed of a single Marines parachute regiment (1er Régiment Parachutiste d’Infanterie de Marine) and one Army aviation special operations detachment (Aviation Legérè de l'Armée de Terre). CFLT provides support for the French Army and is composed of two brigades and 18 regiments.
- Subordinate to CTAF are several other separate commands, including Commandement des Forces Spéciales Terre (CFST) (Special Operations Command) and Land Logistics Command (CFLT).
- The main fighting forces under CTAF's command comprises:
- one airmobile brigade (4ème Brigade Aèromobile)
- two heavy armoured brigades (2ème and 7ème Brigade Blindée)
- two mechanised brigades (1ére and 3ème Brigade Mécanisé)
- two light armoured brigades (6ème Brigade Légère Blindée and 9ème Brigade Légère Blindée de Marine)
- one parachute brigade (11ème Brigade Parachutiste)
- one mountain infantry brigade (27ème Brigade d'Infanterie de Montagne).
- There is also:
- one reconnaissance brigade (Brigade de Renseignement)
- one artillery brigade (Brigade d'Artillerie)
- one engineer brigade (Brigade de Génie)
- one communications brigade (Brigade de Transmission)
- two brigade-sized logistics units.
The French Army contributes with an headquarters battalion and two regiments (3ème Régiment de Hussards and 11ème Régiment d’Infanterie) to the Franco-German Brigade of Eurocorps.
In addition, France has assigned Etat-Major de Forces Nr2 (EMF2), which comprises an armoured brigade and a mechanised infantry brigade plus support units, to Eurocorps.
There are 13 French Army battalions deployed in France's Territoires d'Outre-Mer (TOM) (Overseas Territories) and Départements d'Outre-Mer (DOM) (Overseas Departments).
Arms
The army is divided into the following arms:
- Marine troops, composed of:
- Marine Infantry (Infanterie de Marine)
- Marine Artillery (Artillerie de Marine)
- Marine armour (chars de Marine)
- Foreign Legion (Légion étrangère)
- Armoured cavalry (arme blindée cavalerie)
- Artillery;
- Light aviation (ALAT, or aviation légère de l'armée de terre), such as combat helicopters;
- Engineers (génie militaire);
- Infantry, including:
- Chasseurs alpins (mountain troops)
- Parachutistes (para troops)
- Matériel
- Transport (train)
- Transmissions
- Commissary
- Health service of the Army
Weapons
- Sig P220 - 9 mm pistol
- PAMAS - 9 mm pistol
- FAMAS - 5.56mm assault rifle
- Minimi - 5.56mm light machine gun replacing the AA-52 ( 7.62 mm) and the Browning M2 (.50 cal) machine guns
- FRF2 - 7.62mm sniper rifle
- PGM Hecate II - heavy sniper rifle
- 81mm mortar
- AT4, ERYX and MILAN - anti-tank missiles (now Milan II)
Combat vehicles
- Leclerc - Main Battle Tanks (406)
- AMX 30 - Main Battle Tanks (635) (were to be replaced by AMX-40 since cancelled)
- AMX 10RC - Light Tank
- ERC-90 Sagaie - reconnaissance combat vehicle (192)
- AMX-10P - tracked armoured personnel carrier (1050)
- VAB - armoured personnel carrier (3820)
- Panhard AML245 series-60/90 - light armoured car (155)
- VBL - light armoured vehicle (899)
Artillery
- AUF1 GCT - 155 mm (272)
- MRLS - multiple rocket launcher (41)
- HM-2 155 mm towed howitzer (103)
- BF-50 155 mm towed howitzer (113)
- F3 self-propelled howitzer (55)
- RTF1 120 mm Mortar (361)
- M-51 120 mm Mortar
Non-combat vehicles
Helicopters
- Tigre - attack (80)
- NH-90 - tactical transport(11)
- Fennec light utility replacing the Alouette Astazou, Alouette II and Alouette III
- Super Puma and Cougar replacing the Puma
- Gazelle (267)