France Army

The French Army (Armee de Terre) operates under the direction of the Army General Staff in Paris. Tactical force employment is managed by the Force and Land Operations Command in Lille, which oversees the 1st French Corps. Operational land forces are organized into two combined-arms divisions: the 1st Division, headquartered in Besancon, and the 3rd Division, headquartered in Marseille. The 1st Division commands the 7th Armored Brigade, 9th Marine Infantry Brigade, 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade, and the Franco-German Brigade. The 3rd Division commands the 2nd Armored Brigade, 6th Light Armored Brigade, and 11th Parachute Brigade. Specialized operational commands include the Deep Actions and Intelligence Command—which oversees the 4th Air-Combat Brigade in Clermont-Ferrand, the 19th Artillery Brigade in Lyon, and the Intelligence and Cyber-Electronics Brigade in Strasbourg—alongside the Theatre Support and Logistics Command and the Army Special Actions Command.

Armored formations operate Leclerc main battle tanks. Reconnaissance and fire support units field EBRC Jaguar armored reconnaissance and combat vehicles. Mechanized and motorized infantry forces are equipped with VBCI infantry fighting vehicles, VBMR Griffon multi-role armored vehicles, VBMR-L Serval light armored vehicles, and VAB armored personnel carriers. Ground artillery units utilize CAESAR 155mm truck-mounted self-propelled howitzers, LRU multiple launch rocket systems, and Griffon MEPAC 120mm armored mortar vehicles. Air defense capabilities rely on Mistral missile systems. Army Light Aviation operates Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopters, NH90 Caiman medium transport helicopters, AS532 Cougar, EC725 Caracal, and Gazelle utility helicopters.

The French Army maintains permanent force deployments across overseas territories, including French Guiana, New Caledonia, Reunion, Mayotte, French Polynesia, and the Caribbean. Prepositioned forces operate in Djibouti, the United Arab Emirates, Ivory Coast, Gabon, and Senegal, alongside military training and intelligence detachments in Chad. International operational commitments include NATO multinational deployments in Romania and Estonia, UNIFIL peacekeeping operations in Lebanon under Operation Daman, and security operations in the Middle East under Operation Chammal. Domestically, army personnel participate in counter-terrorism security tasks under Operation Sentinelle.

Modernization centers on the SCORPION program, which integrates networked digital command-and-control architecture across armored units. Under this program, legacy vehicles are being replaced by VBMR Griffon, EBRC Jaguar, and VBMR-L Serval armored platforms, with specialized variants such as the Serval Appui entering service in 2026. Main battle tanks are undergoing modernization to the Leclerc XLR standard, incorporating updated sensors, urban warfare kits, and SCORPION information system architecture. Indirect fire assets are being upgraded through the acquisition of CAESAR NG self-propelled howitzers and automated 120mm mortar systems.