The following is a hierarchical outline for the
FrenchLand Army at the end of the
Cold War. It is intended to convey the connections and relationships between units and formations. The theoretical combat strength of the army was 295,989 soldiers, of the 557,904 individuals available for service across the entire
French Armed Forces in 1989.[1]
In 1977 the Army had changed its military organisation in accordance with a short war-fighting strategy in Europe, and divisions lost their component brigades. Under army headquarters in 1985 were the First Army, with three corps, the
Rapid Action Force, an independent corps-level rapid deployment command, six military regions in the metropole (including the former
Défense opérationnelle du territoire territorial defence forces), and forces overseas, including DOM-TOM, in Guyana, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Djibouti, Seychelles/Mayotte, New Caledonia, and
French Polynesia.[3][4]
Regimental structure
Below follows a description of the organisation of the various regiments of the French Army.
Armored divisions
The Command and Support Regiments field one signal company, two transport companies, one maintenance company, one medical company and the divisional HQ company.
Armored regiments field either three or four tank companies with 17 tanks each and plus 2 tanks in the regimental HQ Company (53 tanks in one regiment).
Mechanized regiments field three mechanized infantry companies equipped with
AMX-10P, a tank company with 17 tanks and the regimental HQ Company.
Infantry regiments field three infantry companies equipped with
VAB and the regimental HQ Company.
Self-propelled artillery regiments field four artillery batteries with six
AMX-30 AuF1 each and the regimental HQ battery.
Engineer regiments field three combat engineer companies, one civil affairs company and the regimental HQ Company.
Light armored divisions
The four light armored divisions (6e Division Légère Blindée, 9e Division d'Infanterie de Marine, 12e Division Légère Blindée and 14e Division Légère Blindée) vary in their structure.
The Command and Support Regiments field one signal company, two transport companies, one maintenance company, one medical company and the divisional HQ company, with the exception of the 12th and 14 Division which field only one transport company.
Reconnaissance regiments field three reconnaissance companies with 12
AMX-10RC or 12
ERC-90 each, one anti-tank company with 12
VAB/
HOT) and the regimental HQ Company.
Armored regiments field three tank companies with 17 tanks each and the regimental HQ Company.
Infantry regiments field four infantry companies equipped with VAB and the regimental HQ Company.
Artillery regiments field three artillery batteries with six
M50 each and the regimental HQ battery. Additionally the 6th and 9th division artillery regiments also field one air defence artillery battery.
Engineer regiments field three combat engineer companies and the regimental HQ Company.
Infantry divisions
The Command and Support Regiments field one signal company, two transport companies, one maintenance company, one medical company and the divisional HQ company.
Reconnaissance regiments field three reconnaissance companies with 12
AMX-10RC each, one anti-tank company with 12
VAB/
HOT) and the regimental HQ Company.
Infantry regiments field three infantry companies equipped with
VAB and the regimental HQ Company.
Artillery regiments field four artillery batteries with six
M50 each and the regimental HQ battery.
Engineer regiments field three combat engineer companies and the regimental HQ Company.
3e Régiment d'Helicopteres de Combat (3e RHC),
Étain (10x Sa-341, 30x Gazelle/HOT, 10x Gazelle/20mm, 10x Puma)
5e Régiment d'Helicopteres de Combat (5e RHC),
Pau (10x Sa-341, 30x Gazelle/HOT, 10x Gazelle/20mm, 10x Puma)
9e Régiment de Soutien Aéromobile (9e RSAM), Phalsbourg:
Wartime: The
4th RHCM consists of a squadron commander and liaison with ten light helicopters type SA341F Gazelle, and five utility helicopters squadrons each with ten type SA330Ba Puma transport helicopters. The 1st, 3rd and 5th RHC are composed of a squadron of light reconnaissance helicopter with nine light helicopters type SA341F Gazelle. These devices called "smooth" knowing that they do not carry on-board armament, used for reconnaissance or command support, a support helicopter squadron protection with ten light helicopters type SA341F2 Gazelle. These aircraft, each provided with a 20 mm gun used in support of ground troops and protection of other aircraft, anti-tank squadrons of three helicopters, each with ten light helicopters type SA342M Gazelle. These aircraft have four HOT antitank missiles for destroying armored vehicles of all kinds and a helicopter squadron maneuver with ten type SA330Ba Puma transport helicopters. None of these units possess Alouette III that is found only in peacetime in the 6th and 7th RHC each with ten machines.
50e Régiment de Transmission (50e RT), Baden-Baden
20e Régiment du Train (20e RT), Baden-Baden
Foreign Intelligence Service
The
Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE) is the foreign intelligence service of the French state. It acts in the interest of the government and not as a military intelligence, but it is subordinated to the Ministry of Defence as an independent military service. In 1989 the military intelligence function was carried out by the 2nd Department of the French General Staff (2e Bureau) and the Center for Exploitation of Military Intelligence Data (Centre d’exploitation du renseignement militaire). They were eventually merged in 1992 into the current
Direction du renseignement militaire[7])
44e Régiment d'Infanterie (44e RI), Cercottes - the 44e RI has a solely administrative function, acting as the parent unit of military personnel of the DGSE involved in intelligence data processing and analysis. In 1986 the previous 89e Bataillon de Services received this new designation.[8]
11e Régiment Parachutiste de Choc (11e RPC),
Cercottes - a covert intelligence gathering, sabotage and direct action parachute assault unit subordinated to the DGSE's
Action Division. Formed in 1985 after the
Rainbow Warrior case and the reorganisation of the DGSE's special operations forces. The 11th Parachute Assault Regiment re-formed through the amalgamation of the CINC at Aspretto Naval Air Base and the Specialised Parachute Training Center (Centre parachutiste d'entraînement spécialisé (CPES), previously designated Parachute Reservists Training Center - Centre d'entraînement des réservistes parachutistes (CERP)).[9] The 11th PAR used the CPES garrison infrastructure at Cercottes in the vicinity of
Orléans – Bricy Air Base.
Maritime Operations Parachutist Training Center (Centre parachutiste d'entraînement aux opérations maritimes (CPEOM),
Quélern - combat diver unit under DGSE's Action Division, established in 1985 through the reorganisation of the Combat Divers Training Center (Centre d'instruction de nageurs de combat (CINC)) at the Aspretto Naval Air Base in
Ajaccio, Corsica after the
Rainbow Warrior case.[10] Unlike the CINC, which was part of the 11th Parachute Assault Regiment's predecessor, the CPEOM came directly under the Action Division.
The following is a hierarchical outline for the
FrenchLand Army at the end of the
Cold War. It is intended to convey the connections and relationships between units and formations. The theoretical combat strength of the army was 295,989 soldiers, of the 557,904 individuals available for service across the entire
French Armed Forces in 1989.[1]
In 1977 the Army had changed its military organisation in accordance with a short war-fighting strategy in Europe, and divisions lost their component brigades. Under army headquarters in 1985 were the First Army, with three corps, the
Rapid Action Force, an independent corps-level rapid deployment command, six military regions in the metropole (including the former
Défense opérationnelle du territoire territorial defence forces), and forces overseas, including DOM-TOM, in Guyana, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Djibouti, Seychelles/Mayotte, New Caledonia, and
French Polynesia.[3][4]
Regimental structure
Below follows a description of the organisation of the various regiments of the French Army.
Armored divisions
The Command and Support Regiments field one signal company, two transport companies, one maintenance company, one medical company and the divisional HQ company.
Armored regiments field either three or four tank companies with 17 tanks each and plus 2 tanks in the regimental HQ Company (53 tanks in one regiment).
Mechanized regiments field three mechanized infantry companies equipped with
AMX-10P, a tank company with 17 tanks and the regimental HQ Company.
Infantry regiments field three infantry companies equipped with
VAB and the regimental HQ Company.
Self-propelled artillery regiments field four artillery batteries with six
AMX-30 AuF1 each and the regimental HQ battery.
Engineer regiments field three combat engineer companies, one civil affairs company and the regimental HQ Company.
Light armored divisions
The four light armored divisions (6e Division Légère Blindée, 9e Division d'Infanterie de Marine, 12e Division Légère Blindée and 14e Division Légère Blindée) vary in their structure.
The Command and Support Regiments field one signal company, two transport companies, one maintenance company, one medical company and the divisional HQ company, with the exception of the 12th and 14 Division which field only one transport company.
Reconnaissance regiments field three reconnaissance companies with 12
AMX-10RC or 12
ERC-90 each, one anti-tank company with 12
VAB/
HOT) and the regimental HQ Company.
Armored regiments field three tank companies with 17 tanks each and the regimental HQ Company.
Infantry regiments field four infantry companies equipped with VAB and the regimental HQ Company.
Artillery regiments field three artillery batteries with six
M50 each and the regimental HQ battery. Additionally the 6th and 9th division artillery regiments also field one air defence artillery battery.
Engineer regiments field three combat engineer companies and the regimental HQ Company.
Infantry divisions
The Command and Support Regiments field one signal company, two transport companies, one maintenance company, one medical company and the divisional HQ company.
Reconnaissance regiments field three reconnaissance companies with 12
AMX-10RC each, one anti-tank company with 12
VAB/
HOT) and the regimental HQ Company.
Infantry regiments field three infantry companies equipped with
VAB and the regimental HQ Company.
Artillery regiments field four artillery batteries with six
M50 each and the regimental HQ battery.
Engineer regiments field three combat engineer companies and the regimental HQ Company.
3e Régiment d'Helicopteres de Combat (3e RHC),
Étain (10x Sa-341, 30x Gazelle/HOT, 10x Gazelle/20mm, 10x Puma)
5e Régiment d'Helicopteres de Combat (5e RHC),
Pau (10x Sa-341, 30x Gazelle/HOT, 10x Gazelle/20mm, 10x Puma)
9e Régiment de Soutien Aéromobile (9e RSAM), Phalsbourg:
Wartime: The
4th RHCM consists of a squadron commander and liaison with ten light helicopters type SA341F Gazelle, and five utility helicopters squadrons each with ten type SA330Ba Puma transport helicopters. The 1st, 3rd and 5th RHC are composed of a squadron of light reconnaissance helicopter with nine light helicopters type SA341F Gazelle. These devices called "smooth" knowing that they do not carry on-board armament, used for reconnaissance or command support, a support helicopter squadron protection with ten light helicopters type SA341F2 Gazelle. These aircraft, each provided with a 20 mm gun used in support of ground troops and protection of other aircraft, anti-tank squadrons of three helicopters, each with ten light helicopters type SA342M Gazelle. These aircraft have four HOT antitank missiles for destroying armored vehicles of all kinds and a helicopter squadron maneuver with ten type SA330Ba Puma transport helicopters. None of these units possess Alouette III that is found only in peacetime in the 6th and 7th RHC each with ten machines.
50e Régiment de Transmission (50e RT), Baden-Baden
20e Régiment du Train (20e RT), Baden-Baden
Foreign Intelligence Service
The
Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE) is the foreign intelligence service of the French state. It acts in the interest of the government and not as a military intelligence, but it is subordinated to the Ministry of Defence as an independent military service. In 1989 the military intelligence function was carried out by the 2nd Department of the French General Staff (2e Bureau) and the Center for Exploitation of Military Intelligence Data (Centre d’exploitation du renseignement militaire). They were eventually merged in 1992 into the current
Direction du renseignement militaire[7])
44e Régiment d'Infanterie (44e RI), Cercottes - the 44e RI has a solely administrative function, acting as the parent unit of military personnel of the DGSE involved in intelligence data processing and analysis. In 1986 the previous 89e Bataillon de Services received this new designation.[8]
11e Régiment Parachutiste de Choc (11e RPC),
Cercottes - a covert intelligence gathering, sabotage and direct action parachute assault unit subordinated to the DGSE's
Action Division. Formed in 1985 after the
Rainbow Warrior case and the reorganisation of the DGSE's special operations forces. The 11th Parachute Assault Regiment re-formed through the amalgamation of the CINC at Aspretto Naval Air Base and the Specialised Parachute Training Center (Centre parachutiste d'entraînement spécialisé (CPES), previously designated Parachute Reservists Training Center - Centre d'entraînement des réservistes parachutistes (CERP)).[9] The 11th PAR used the CPES garrison infrastructure at Cercottes in the vicinity of
Orléans – Bricy Air Base.
Maritime Operations Parachutist Training Center (Centre parachutiste d'entraînement aux opérations maritimes (CPEOM),
Quélern - combat diver unit under DGSE's Action Division, established in 1985 through the reorganisation of the Combat Divers Training Center (Centre d'instruction de nageurs de combat (CINC)) at the Aspretto Naval Air Base in
Ajaccio, Corsica after the
Rainbow Warrior case.[10] Unlike the CINC, which was part of the 11th Parachute Assault Regiment's predecessor, the CPEOM came directly under the Action Division.