Mission and Organization
9e RIMa has a dual mission of infantry and operational support for French forces in Guiana. The regiment recruits from rural Creole, Bush-country Nengue and Amerindian locations in Guiana, as well as in the neighboring countries of Suriname and Brazil. The regiment has a permanent contingent, consisting mainly of marine troops, but also containing forces from all military branches. However 70% of its personnel only sign up for short-term missions. It operates in an equatorial environment, creating great physical strain for its members. Due to its environment, the regiment experts have developed a school to instruct the 1380 short-term mission personnel who serve in its ranks each year, in the tactics specific to the equatorial jungle and river in which it operates.
The infantry has missions along the Maroni and deep into the interior of the country, terminating at the border with Brazil. In the summer of 1999, the infantry was reinforced by a permanent company created specifically for the missions of Operation "Harp". This new company's numbers are estimated to be 670 military personnel.
Transport in French Guiana consists of transport by road, boat, bus, and airplane. There is a railway line within the Guiana Space Centre to transport spacecraft. The road network is mainly concentrated in the coastal region. The interior of Guiana is accessed by plane or boat. There is one main airport, however there are several smaller airstrips in the interior.
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation.
Cayenne is the capital city of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. The city stands on a former island at the mouth of the Cayenne River on the Atlantic coast. The city's motto is "fert aurum industria", which means "work brings wealth". Cayenne is the largest francophone city of the South American continent.
The Troupes de Marine is a corps of the French Army that includes several specialities: infantry, artillery, armoured, airborne, engineering, and transmissions (Signals). Despite its name, it forms part of the Army, not the Navy. Intended for amphibious and overseas operations, the Troupes de marine have been, and still are, in all the fights of the French army. It has gradually become professionalized since 1970.
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni is a commune of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni is one of the two sub-prefectures of French Guiana and the seat of the Arrondissement of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. It is the second most populous city of French Guiana, with 47,621 inhabitants at the January 2019 census.
The 2 arrondissements of the Guyane department are:
- Arrondissement of Cayenne, with 14 communes. The population of the arrondissement was 176,357 in 2016.
- Arrondissement of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, with 8 communes. The population of the arrondissement was 92,995 in 2016.
The structure of the French Army is fixed by Chapter 2 of Title II of Book II of the Third Part of the Code of Defense, notably resulting in the codification of Decree 2000-559 of 21 June 2000.
The 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment is stationed in French Guiana. Its mission includes the protection of the Centre Spatial Guyanais, a European Space Agency (ESA) facility.
The 11th Parachute Brigade is a unit of the French Army, predominantly infantry, part of the French Airborne Units and specialized in air combat and air assault. The brigade's primary vocation is to project in emergency in order to contribute a first response to a situational crisis. An elite unit of the French Army, the brigade is commanded by a général de brigade with headquarters in Balma near Toulouse. The brigade's soldiers and airborne Marines wear the red beret (amaranth) except for the Legionnaires of the 2ème REP who wear the green beret.
The 9th Marine Infantry Brigade is a light armoured, amphibious unit of the Troupes de marine of the French Army.
The 1st Armored Division is a unit of the French Army formed during World War II that took part in the Liberation of France.
The Régiment d'infanterie chars de marine RICM in French, is a light cavalry regiment of the French Army, successor to the Régiment d'infanterie coloniale du Maroc RICM.
The 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Troupes de marine in the French Army, the only regiment to bear 16 battle honours inscriptions of the regimental colors. The regiment is one of the "quatre vieux" regiments of the Troupes de marine, with the 1st Marine Infantry Regiment 1er RIMa, the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment 3e RIMa and the 4th Marine Infantry Regiment 4e RIMa ; also, alongside the 1st Marine Artillery Regiment 1er RAMa as well as the 2nd Marine Artillery Regiment 2e RAMa which formed the Blue Division.
The 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment is a unit of the French Army in the French Forces. The 3e RIMa is one of the oldest of the troupes de marine. This regiment is one of the "Quatre Grands" of marine infantry once garrisoned within the four military ports, ready to embark : the « Grand Un », the « Grand Deux », the « Grand Trois » and the « Grand Quatre ». The « Grand Trois » has participated actively to the various far expeditions of the 19th century in Africa, the Americas, Oceania and the Orient. Surnamed also the "3rd Marine", the unit was part of the « Blue Division » which illustrated capability at the Battle of Bazeilles on August 31 and September 1, 1870. The regiment was subordinated to the 9th Marine Infantry Brigade.
Articles related to the French overseas department of Guiana(Région Guyane) include:
French Guiana is an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic coast of South America in the Guianas. It borders Brazil to the east and south and Suriname to the west.
The 21st Marine Infantry Regiment is a unit of the French military issued by filiation from the 2e RIC.
Jean-Louis Loubère was a French career soldier who served as governor of French Guiana from 1870 to 1877. He is known for the many improvements he made to the colony's roads using convict labour.
The Specialized Staff for Overseas and Foreign Affairs was historically dedicated to training the French Army in interculturality and was the maison mere (mother-parent) of the Troupes de marine. It is located at the Ecole militaire in Paris and at Fréjus.
The 6th Marine Infantry Battalion is a unit of the Troupes de Marine of the French Army. It is stationed in Libreville, Gabon, subordinate to the general commanding the French elements in Gabon (EFG). It is a mixed battalion, including infantry; armored; engineers; artillery; communications ("transmissions"); and other specialities such as jungle combat and airborne insertion.
