Editor's Foreword

130 ThE MiliTary BalancE 2010
Special Operation Forces 2,300
fORCEs By ROLE
HQ 1 comd
Para 2 regt
Avn 3 cbt hel; 3 tpt hel sqn
fACILITIEs
Training Centre 3
reserves 18,500
Reservists form:
99 UIR (Reserve Intervention Units) of about 105 to 115
troops, for ‘Proterre’ (combined land projection forces)
battalions.
18 USR (Reserve Specialised Units), of about 85 troops, in
specialised regiments.
EQUIPMENT By TyPE
MBT 637: 400 Leclerc; 237 AMX-30
RECCE 1,802: 335 AMX-10RC; 187 ERC-90F4 Sagaie; 1,280
VBL M-ll
AIFV 709+: 100+ VBCI; 609 AMX-10P/PC
APC (W) 3,894: 3,806 VAB; 61 VAB BOA; 27 VAB NBC
ARTY 598
SP 155mm 90: 74 AU-F-1; 16 CAESAR
TOWED 155mm 98 TR-F-1
MRL 227mm 61 MLRS
MOR 120mm 349 RT-F1
AT • MSL
SP 399: 99 VAB HOT ; 112 VAB Milan; 188 VAB Eryx;
MANPATS 553 Milan
RL 84mm AT-4
AIRCRAFT
TPT 17: 5 PC-6 Turbo-Porter; 12 TBM-700
HELICOPTERS 298 attack helicopters
ATK 298: 25 AS-665 Tiger; 272 SA-342M Gazelle (all
variants)
RECCE 25: 4 AS-532UL Cougar Horizon; 21 AS-532UL
Cougar
Spt 8 EC 725AP;
SPT 106: 106 SA-330 Puma
UAV 50: 35 CL-289 (AN/USD-502); 15 SDTI/Sperwer
AD • SAM 455+
TOWED 26+ MIM-23B; I-HAWK MIM-23B
MANPAD 882 Mistral
RADAR • LAND 74: 10 Cobra; 64 RASIT/ RATAC
Gendarmerie 103,376, 1,925 civilians. 40,000
reservist
3,193 (Headquarters); 4,092 (Administration); 2,051
(Maritime Air (personnel drawn from other departments));
16,754 (Mobile); 4,999 (Republican Guard, Air Tpt, Arsenals);
5,444 (Schools); 63,162 (Territorial); 1,925 (civilians); 3,640
(Overseas); 41 opcon Strategic Nuclear Forces
EQUIPMENT By TyPE
LT TK 28 VBC-90
APC (W) 153 VBRG-170
ARTY MOR 157+ 60mm; 81mm
PATROL AND COASTAL COMBATANTS 41
PCO 1 Fulmar
PCC 1 Patra
PCR 1 Stellis
PCI 38 (all less than 100 tonnes)
HELICOPTERS
UTL 35: 20 EC 135; 15 EC 145
Navy 43,995; 10,265 (civilian); 2,200 opcon
Strategic Nuclear Forces (total 46,195 plus
10,265 civilians)
fORCEs By ROLE
Navy 1 HQ opcon HRF (N) located at Toulon; 1 HQ
opcon ALFOST located at Brest
EQUIPMENT By TyPE
SUBMARINES 9
STRATEGIC • SSBN 3:
3 Le Triomphant S 616 opcon Strategic Nuclear Forces
each with 16 M-45 SLBM with 6 TN-75 nuclear
warheads, 4 single 533mm TT with up to 18 F17 Mod
2 HWT/SM-39 Exocet tactical USGW (additional vessel
expected ISD 2010)
TACTICAL • SSN 6:
6 Rubis each with 4 single 533mm TT with F-17 HWT/
SM-39 Exocet tactical USGW
PRINCIPAL SURFACE COMBATANTS 33
AIRCRAFT CARRIERS 2:
CVN 1 Charles de Gaulle with 4 octuple VLS each with
Aster 15 SAM, 2 Sadral sextuple with Mistral SAM
(capacity 20 Super Etendard ftr/FGA ac; 12 Rafale M ftr;
3 E-2C Hawkeye AEW ac; 2 SA-360 Dauphin SAR hel; 3
SA-321 Super Frelon SAR hel)
CVH 1 Jeanne d’Arc with 2 triple (6 eff.) each with MM-
38 Exocet tactical SSM, (capacity 8 SA-319B Alouette III
ASW hel), 2 100mm gun
DESTROYERS • DDG 11:
2 Cassard each, with 2 quad (8 eff.) with 8 MM-40 Exocet
tactical SSM, 1 Mk 13 GMLS with 40 SM-1 MR SAM, 2
single ASTT with L5 HWT, 1 100mm gun, each with 1
AS-565SA Panther ASW hel
7 Georges Leygues each with 1 Mk 46 LWT, 8 MM-40
Exocet tactical SSM, 1 octuple (8 eff.) with 26 Crotale
SAM, 2 single ASTT each with L5 HWT, 1 100mm gun,
each with 2 Lynx utl hel
2 Forbin each with 1 48-cell VLS with Aster 15 SAM /
Aster 30 SAM, 2 Sadral sextuple each with Mistral SAM,
2 twin TT (4 eff.) with MU-90, 2 76mm, each with 1
NH90 TTH utl hel, (vessels undergoing acceptance
trials expected ISD 2010)
2 Tourville each with 6 single with MM-38 Exocet
tactical SSM, 1 octuple (8 eff.) with 26 Crotale SAM, 2
single ASTT with Mk 46 LWT/MU-90, 2 100mm gun,
each with 2 Lynx Mk4 (Lynx MK3) ASW hel
FRIGATES 20
FFH 11:
6 Floreal each with, 2 single with 2 MM-38 Exocet
tactical SSM, 1 100mm gun, each with 1 AS-565SA
Panther ASW hel
5 La Fayette (space for fitting 2 x 8 cell VLS launchers
for Aster 15/30), 2 quad (8 eff.) with 8 MM-40 Exocet
tactical SSM, 1 octuple (8 eff.) with Crotale SAM, 1
100mm gun, (capacity either 1 AS-565SA Panther
ASW hel or 1 SA-321 Super Frelon SAR hel)