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Special Operations Command
Founded 24 June 1992 Country FranceType Operational command Role
Special operations Size 3,746 authorized personnel
307 general staff
3,439 operatives
Part of
Ministry of Armed Forces Headquarters
Hexagone Balard , Paris, France Nickname(s) COS Current commander Major General Michel Delpit
Military unit
The Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (English: Special Operations Command ) or COS is a joint
staff charged with overseeing the various
special forces of the
French Army ,
Navy and
Air and Space Force , bringing them all under a single operational authority. The command is placed under the orders of the
Chief of Defence Staff and under the direct authority of the
President of the French Republic .
[1]
Similar in purpose to the
USSOCOM or
UKSF , the COS was created on June 24, 1992. The need for such a federation became apparent after France's participation in the
First Gulf War .
Organisation
Army Special Forces Command
1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (1er RPIMa)
Command and Logistics Company
1 SAS Company - HAHO/HALO paratroopers and divers
2 SAS Company - Extreme environments
3 SAS Company - Vehicle-borne operations
4 SAS Company - Urban warfare
Training company
13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment (13e RDP)
ECP Squadron - Command and logistics
1e Squadron - Training and evaluation unit nicknamed "Intelligence Academy"
2e Squadron - Combat divers
3e Squadron - Extreme environments
4e Squadron - Vehicle-borne operations
5e Squadron - HAHO/HALO paratroopers
6e Squadron - Signals
7e Squadron - Intelligence
4th Special Forces Helicopter Regiment (4e RHFS)
Squadron 1 - equipped with 10
Cougar and 2
Puma helicopters
Squadron 2 - equipped with 12
Gazelle helicopters
Squadron 3 - equipped with 10
Caracal helicopters
Squadron 4 - equipped with 5 Puma helicopters
Squadron 5 - equipped with 2 Puma helicopters
Squadron 6 - equipped with 6
Tigre helicopters
Special Operations Support Group
Special Forces Academy
Force des Fusiliers Marins et Commandos (FORFUSCO)
Air and Space Force Special Forces Brigade (BFSA )
Special Operations Division (DOS )
Special Operations Division, Transport section (3/61 Poitou )
Special Operations Division, Helicopter section (1/67 Pyrénées ) - Integrated into the 4th RHFS.
See also
References
External links