French Army

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The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre (Land Army), is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces and its largest. As of 2007, the army employs 134,000 regular soldiers, 15,500 reservists, and 25,750 civilians. All soldiers are now considered professionals, following the suspension of conscription in 1996.

Organisation

The army is divided into different Corps or armes. These Corps retain both symbolic and administrative values.

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 (Materiel)
Logistics (Train)
Signals (Transmissions)
Commissary

The operational organisation of the Army combines units from various Corps in 17 Brigades.

Statistics

French Armée de Terre statistics
Personnel (Regular Army)	134,000
Personnel (Reserve Forces)	15,500
Main Battle Tanks	407 Leclercs (as of 2007), 614 AMX-30B2s
Reconnaissance vehicles	1280 VBLs, 192 ERC-90s, 337 AMX-10RCs
Infantry Fighting vehicles	601 AMX-10Ps. To be replaced by the VBCI (550 combat version and 150 command version)
Armoured Personnel Carriers	3,975 VABs
Artillery pieces and mortar	105 TRF1s, 72 Caesar systems (currently being delivered), 134 AMX 30 AuF1s , 48 MLRSs
Aircraft	5 Pilatus PC-6 Porter, 12 Socata TBM700
Helicopters	80 Eurocopter Tigers (12 already delivered), 8 EC-725s, 18 AS-555s, 27 AS-532, 230 Gazelles, 90 SA-330s
mine detection	5 Chubby (mine detection system)

Principles and values

The principles and values of the French Army are formulated in the Code of the French Soldier:

(...) Mastering his own strength, he respects his opponent and is careful to spare civilians. He obeys orders while respecting laws, customs of war and international conventions.(...) He is aware of global societies and respects their differences. (...)

References

External links

Official website
French Military Reform: Lessons for America's Army?, George A. Bloch (includes explanations of the structure of command)