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 DOM-TOM territorial defence forces), and forces overseas in Guyana, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Djibouti, Seychelles/Mayotte, New Caledonia, and
French Polynesia.[1][2]
The theoretical strength is 295,989 men out of the 557,904 soldiers for the three weapons, the common services and the national gendarmerie available to the French armed forces in 1989[3].
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 the regimental HQ Company.
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.
42e Bataillon de Commandement et de Soutien (42e BCS), Nouméa
Régiment d'Infanterie du Marine du Pacifique-Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa
Groupement du service militaire adapté, Nouméa
Military regions and reserve forces
In 1984, Isby and Kamps wrote that the Défense Opérationnelle du Territoire term remained in use despite the command having been disbanded in the 1970s.[4]
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 DOM-TOM territorial defence forces), and forces overseas in Guyana, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Djibouti, Seychelles/Mayotte, New Caledonia, and
French Polynesia.[1][2]
The theoretical strength is 295,989 men out of the 557,904 soldiers for the three weapons, the common services and the national gendarmerie available to the French armed forces in 1989[3].
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 the regimental HQ Company.
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.
42e Bataillon de Commandement et de Soutien (42e BCS), Nouméa
Régiment d'Infanterie du Marine du Pacifique-Nouvelle-Calédonie, Nouméa
Groupement du service militaire adapté, Nouméa
Military regions and reserve forces
In 1984, Isby and Kamps wrote that the Défense Opérationnelle du Territoire term remained in use despite the command having been disbanded in the 1970s.[4]