French Army |
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Chief of Army Staff |
Equipment |
Modern Equipment |
Personnel |
History |
Military history of France |
Awards |
Modern equipment of the French Army is a list of equipment currently in service with the French Army. Figures are provided by the Ministry of Armed Forces for 2021. [1] [2]
Name | Origin | Type | Photo | Notes | ||
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Field uniforms | ||||||
Camouflage Centre-Europe (CCE) | France | Combat uniform | |
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Camouflage Daguet | France | Combat uniform | Desert camouflage of the French Armed Forces | |||
Camouflage Tundra | France | Combat uniform |
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COM FST-specific camouflage | France United States | Combat uniform | | Various uniforms seen worn by operators of the French Army Special Forces Command's units. | ||
Helmets | ||||||
Casque SPECTRA (F2) | France | Combat helmet |
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Casque TC F NVG V2 Casque TC 3001/3002 | France United States | Combat helmet |
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Ops-Core helmet | United States | Combat helmet | Used by the Special Operations Command's units as well as by specialized conventional units such as the para commandos of the 11th Airborne Brigade's Parachute Commando Group (GCP) and the mountain commandos of the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade's Mountain Commando Group (GCM) | |||
Casque FÉLIN Casque balistique F3. | France | Combat helmet | |
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Ballistic vests | ||||||
Gilet TIGRE | France | Bulletproof vest |
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Structure Modulaire Balistique (SMB) | France Norway | Bulletproof vest |
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COM FST-specific ballistic vests | France | Bulletproof vest | Various bulletproof vests seen worn by the French Army Special Forces Command's units. | |||
Boots | ||||||
HAIX Centre Europe (HAIX Nepal Pro) | Germany France | Combat boots | Standard combat boots of the French army | |||
Meindl Desert Defence | Germany | Combat boots | Hot climate combat boots of the French army |
Name | Origin | Type | Photo | Notes |
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Safran Vectronix Leica Vector | France Switzerland | Multifunctional optronic device |
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Safran Vectronix Vector 21 | France Switzerland | Multifunctional optronic device | |
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Safran Vectronix JIM LR | France Switzerland | Multifunctional optronic device | |
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Safran Vectronix JIM Compact | France Switzerland | Multifunctional optronic device |
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Safran Vectronix Moskito TI | France Switzerland | Multifunctional optronic device |
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Thales OB70 Lucie | France | Night vision device |
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Thales JVN O-NYX | France | Night vision device |
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Thales JVN Bonie HP (High Performance) | France | Night vision device | | Equips the Special Operations Command's units, the Parachute Commando Group and Mountain Commando Group since 2019 |
Name | Origin | Type | Photo | Notes |
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FÉLIN system | France | Integrated combat technology |
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Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Photo | Notes |
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MAC 50 | France | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19mm Parabellum |
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PAMAS G1 | France | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19mm Parabellum |
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HK USP Compact Tactical | Germany | Semi-automatic pistol | .45 ACP | Seen used by the Special Operations Command's units and some conventional units such as army engineer divers | |
Glock 17 | Austria | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19mm Parabellum |
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Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Photo | Notes |
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HK MP5 A5 HK MP5 SD3 | West Germany Germany | Submachine gun | 9×19mm Parabellum | Used by the Special Operations Command's units | |
HK MP7 A1 HK MP7 A2 | Germany | Submachine gun | 4.6×30mm | Used by the Special Operations Command's units | |
FN P90 | Belgium | Submachine gun | FN 5.7×28mm | Used by the Special Operations Command's units |
Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Photo | Notes |
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FAMAS F1 | France | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO |
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HK416 F HK416 D14.5RS HK416 A5 | Germany | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | |
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FN SCAR-L | Belgium | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | Used by the Special Operations Command's units and the Parachute Commando Group | |
SIG MCX VIRTUS | United States | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO .300 AAC Blackout | Used by the Special Operations Command's units and the Mountain Commando Group | |
SIG SG 553 | Switzerland | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | Used by the Special Operations Command's units and conventional diving units | |
M16A2 Colt Model 727 | United States | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO |
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AK-47 | Soviet Union Poland | Assault rifle | 7.62×39mm |
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Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Photo | Notes |
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FN SCAR-H PR | Belgium | Designated marksman rifle Sniper rifle | 7.62×51mm NATO |
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HK 417 | Germany | Battle rifle Designated marksman rifle | 7.62×51mm NATO | Used by the Special Operations Command's units and conventional troops | |
PGM Ultima Ratio | France | Sniper rifle | 7.62×51mm NATO | Used by the Special Operations Command's units | |
Sako TRG-42 | Finland | Sniper rifle | .300 Winchester Magnum .338 Lapua Magnum | Used by the Special Operations Command's units and some conventional units | |
Cadex CDX-40 Shadow (Elsa) | Canada | Sniper rifle | .408 CT | Used by the Special Operations Command's units | |
PGM Hécate II | France | Anti-materiel rifle | .50 BMG | Used by the Special Operations Command's units and conventional units | |
Barrett M107 | United States | Anti-materiel rifle | .50 BMG | Used by the Special Operations Command's units |
Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Photo | Notes |
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FN Minimi Para | Belgium | Light machine gun | 5.56×45mm NATO | Widely used in the French Armed Forces | |
FN Evolys | Belgium | Light machine gun | 5.56×45mm NATO 7.62×51mm NATO |
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ANF1 | France | General purpose machine gun | 7.62×51mm NATO |
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FN MAG 58 | Belgium | General purpose machine gun | 7.62×51mm NATO |
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M2 Browning | United States | Heavy machine gun | .50 BMG | Used by the Special Operations Command's units and conventional forces | |
M134 Minigun | United States | Rotary medium machine gun | 7.62×51mm NATO | Used by the Special Operations Command's units |
Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Photo | Notes |
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Benelli M4 Super 90 | Italy | Semi-automatic shotgun | 12-gauge | Used by the Special Operations Command's units and some conventional units | |
Benelli Supernova Tactical | Italy | Pump-action shotgun | 12-gauge | Selected the Benelli Supernova Tactical in 2022 as the new service shotgun. | |
Mossberg 500 | United States | Pump-action shotgun | 12-gauge | Used by the Special Operations Command's units as well as by conventional troops stationed in French Guiana. | |
Remington Model 870 | United States | Pump-action shotgun | 12-gauge | Used by conventional troops stationed in French Guiana. |
Name | Origin | Type | Caliber | Photo | Notes |
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M203 grenade launcher | United States | Grenade launcher | 40mm grenade | Seen used by 1er RPIMa operators in tandem with the M16 assault rifle in the early 2000s. It is unknown if it is still in service. | |
Heckler & Koch AG36 | Germany | Grenade launcher | 40mm grenade |
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Heckler & Koch 269 F | Germany | Grenade launcher | 40mm grenade | The HK269 is the result of the development of the 40mm x 46 low velocity M320 GLM with the ability to open the barrel to the left or right. It can be used under the HK416 F or as a stand-alone weapon. | |
Milkor MGL | South Africa South Africa | Grenade launcher | 40mm grenade | Used by the Special Operations Command's units | |
Heckler & Koch GMG | Germany | Grenade machine gun | 40mm grenade | Used by the Special Operations Command's units |
Name | Origin | Type | Caliber | Photo | Notes |
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AT4 CS | Sweden | Recoilless anti-tank weapon | 84mm |
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MILAN | France West Germany | Anti-tank guided missile system | 115mm |
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Eryx | France | Anti-tank guided missile system | 136mm |
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FGM-148 Javelin | United States | Fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile system | 127mm | ||
Akeron MP | France | Fifth generation anti-tank guided missile system | 140mm |
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Name | Origin | Type | Number | Photo | Notes |
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Tanks | |||||
AMX Leclerc | France | Main battle tank | 215 | |
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Engineering / Recovery and repair | |||||
Engin Blindé du Génie | France | Armoured engineering vehicle | 38 |
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SDZ - Zone mine clearance system | France | Chaser remotely operated / Mine clearance vehicle | 10 |
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Leclerc DCL | France | Armoured recovery vehicle | 17 |
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AMX-30D | France | Armoured recovery vehicle | 27 |
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Wheeled armoured fighting vehicles | |||||
VBCI | France |
| 622 |
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VAB | France |
| ε1,800 | |
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VBMR Griffon | France |
| 587 |
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VBMR-L Serval | France |
| 208 (2023) |
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AMX 10 RC | France | Armoured reconnaissance vehicle Wheeled tank destroyer Light tank | 210 |
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EBRC Jaguar | France | Armoured reconnaissance vehicle | 62 |
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EBRC Kiosque | France | EBRC Jaguar Driver Training Vehicle | 2 (2023) |
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Buffalo MRAP | United States | Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle | 5 |
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Nexter Aravis | France Germany | Infantry mobility vehicle / Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected | 20 |
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VBL | France | Armoured car | 1,418 |
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PVP | France | Armoured car | 1,149 | ||
Tracked articulated vehicles | |||||
Véhicule à Haute Mobilité (VHM) Véhicule Articulé Chenillé (VAC) VAC NewGen or VAC 270 | Sweden / United Kingdom France | Armoured personnel carrier | 87 ( 47 / 34 / 6 ) | |
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Name | Origin | Variant | Number | Photo | Notes | |
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Self-propelled artillery | ||||||
AMX 30 AuF1 | France | 155 mm self-propelled howitzer | 32 |
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CAESAR | France | 155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer | 64 |
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CAESAR NG | France | 155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer | 0 |
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Artillery observation | ||||||
VAB VOA | France | Armoured artillery observation vehicle | 40 | Will be replaced by the EPC/VOA variant of the VBMR Griffon | ||
Griffon VOA | France | Armoured artillery observation vehicle | 11 | |||
Rocket artillery | ||||||
LRU MLRS | United States France | 227mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher | 9 |
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Mortars | ||||||
MO 120 RT F1 | France | 120 mm mortar | 132 | 132 in service as of 2021 | ||
Mo 81 LLR F1 | France | 81 mm mortar | 168 | 2 units per infantry company | ||
M6 mortar | Austria | 60 mm light mortar | 120 |
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LGI Mle F1 | France | Mortar, 51mm grenade |
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Air defence | ||||||
Mistral | France | Short-range surface-to-air missile system | 196 |
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NEROD F5-5 | France | Portable anti-drone weapon | Unknown | The NEROD F5 is a microwave jammer capable of disrupting and neutralizing all communication protocols used by drones. It neutralizes:
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Name | Origin | Variant | Number | Photo | Notes | |
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Unarmoured engineering vehicles | ||||||
TNA | France | Airborne leveling tractor | 6 [4] | |||
MFRD | France | Rapid destruction drilling truck | 122 | |||
EGAME | France | Bulldozer | 35 | |||
MPG | France | Loader | ? | |||
UNAC 20TRR | France | Road–rail excavator | 2 | |||
Liebherr LTM 1050–3.1 | Germany | Mobile crane | 50 | |||
SOUVIM | South Africa | Interim Vehicle Mounted Mine Detector | 8 | |||
Scania P340 | Sweden | Dump truck | 161 [5] | |||
Caterpillar D6 | United States | Bulldozer | 40 | |||
EGRAP | United Kingdom | Backhoe loader | 92 | |||
Bridging vehicles/Military Ferries | ||||||
EFA | France | Ferry/Mobile bridge | 20 | |||
PFM | France | Mobile bridge | 70 (2013) | |||
SPRAT | France | Modular assault bridge | 10 | |||
Vedette de pontage F2 | France | Bridging speedboat | 8 | |||
Robots | ||||||
MINIROGEN (ECA COBRA MK2) | France | Multi-function military robot | 30 |
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ECA UGV IGUANA | France | Mine clearing robot | 15 | 43 units to be delivered until 2024 | ||
iRobot Packbot 510 | United States | Mine clearing robot | 15 |
Name | Origin | Variant | Number | Photo | Notes | |
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TRM 10000 | France | Truck | 1,322 | |||
TRM 700–100 | France | Truck | 116 | |||
TRM 2000 | France | Truck | 2,225 | |||
Renault GBC 180 | France | Truck | 5,322 | |||
Renault Kerax | France | Truck | 420 | |||
Porteur polyvalent terrestre (PPT) | France Italy |
| 900 | 1600 units on order | ||
Vehicle porte conteneurs maritimes (VPCM) | France United Kingdom | 8x8 container carrier | 12 | |||
Tanker trucks | ||||||
Camion citerne polyvalent (CCP10) | France Sweden | 6x6 fuel tanker truck | 461 | |||
Camion Ravitailleur Pétrolier de l’Avant à Capacité Étendue (CaRaPACE) | France Sweden | Armoured fuel tanker truck | 34 | |||
Recovery vehicles | ||||||
Camion lourd de depannage routier (CLDR) | France | 8x4 recovery vehicle | 30 |
Name | Origin | Variant | Number | Photo | Notes |
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Unarmoured vehicles | |||||
RIDER (Fardier) | France | Light utility vehicle |
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VLRA | France | Light utility vehicle | The VLRA "Pamela" configuration (pictured) is a mobile platform equipped with a Mistral firing station | ||
Panhard VPS | France | Light utility vehicle | 51 |
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Arquus AREG VLFS | France | Light utility vehicle | Successor of the Panhard VPS | ||
Renault Kangoo | France | Light utility vehicle | 460 [6] | Used by counter-terrorism units | |
VMA | France | Airport crash tender | Used by the French Army Light Aviation. [7] | ||
Peugeot P4 | Germany France | Light utility vehicle | 2,500 |
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T4 VLTP NP | Japan France | Light utility vehicle | 500 [8] |
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Arquus Trapper VT4 | France United States | Light utility vehicle | 4, 200 |
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Ford Ranger | United States | Light utility vehicle | 1,000 [11] | Introduced as an urgent operational requirement to replace the Peugeot P4. | |
Land Rover Defender | United Kingdom | Light utility vehicle | 550 [12] | ||
Quad Polaris | United States | All-terrain vehicle | 348 |
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Aircraft | Origin | Type | Quantity | Photo | Notes | |||
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Fixed-wing aircraft | ||||||||
Pilatus PC-6 | Switzerland | Transport and airdrop | 5 | |||||
SOCATA TBM | France | VIP transport and utility | 8 | |||||
Helicopters | ||||||||
Eurocopter Tiger HAP/HAD | Europe | Attack helicopter | 67 | 67 in service as of 2023 | ||||
NHIndustries NH90 | Europe | Utility helicopter | 58 | 58 in service in January 2023 | ||||
Aérospatiale Puma | France | Utility helicopter | 32 |
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Eurocopter Cougar | France | Utility helicopter | 26 |
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Eurocopter Caracal | France | CSAR/SOF helicopter | 8 | 8 in service as of 2023 | ||||
Aérospatiale Gazelle | France | Reconnaissance helicopter | 87 | 87 in service as of 2023 | ||||
Eurocopter Fennec | France | Light surveillance helicopter | 18 | 18 in service as of 2023 | ||||
Colibri | Europe | Training helicopter | 36 | 36 in service as of 2023 | ||||
UAVs | ||||||||
Safran Patroller | France | ISTAR |
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EADS DRAC | France | Reconnaissance | 38 [13] |
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Thales Spy'Ranger | France | Reconnaissance | 210 |
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ECA IT180 DroGen | France | Reconnaissance | 12 | 6 systems (consisting of 2 drones each) in service as of 2021 | ||||
Novadem NX70 | France | Reconnaissance | 54 | 27 systems (54 drones) delivered in September 2019 | ||||
Black Hornet Nano 3 | United States | Reconnaissance | 400 |
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