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Médaille De La Défense Nationale
The National Defence Medal (french: "Médaille de la Défense nationale") is a French military decoration. It was created by Charles Hernu, Minister of Defence and established by decree on 21 April 1982. It rewards particularly honourable service rendered by military personnel for their participation in operational activities. The medal has three levels: Gold, Silver and Bronze. Eligibility For military service The award is made by decision of the military hierarchy, but the recipients must have achieved a personal minimum of: * For the Bronze level: 1 year of service and accumulated 90 points; * For the Silver level: 5 years of service (minimum 2 years in the Bronze level) and accumulated 600 points; * For the Gold level: 10 years of service (minimum 2 years in the Silver grade) and accumulated 800 points The yearly quota of Gold and Silver level awards are set by the minister of defence. Points are earned through participation in exercises, operations, proficiency, initiative, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Overseas Medal
The Overseas Medal (french: Médaille d'Outre-Mer) is a commemorative or campaign medal issued to members of the French Armed Forces and other nations in assistance to French troops for participating in operations outside national territory. It replaced the French Colonial Medal by decree on 6 June 1962. Description * Ribbon: sky blue with three vertical white bands, the two side ones of 2mm and the central one of 7mm * Medal: the work of engraver Georges Lemaire, in silver. A helmeted allegorical effigy of a woman as the personification of the French Republic, circled by the words "''République française''". The reverse shows a terrestrial globe on top of trophies of military conquest with the words "''MEDAILLE D'OUTRE-MER''" * Link: Silver laurel branches. * Bars: Gilt, showing the territory where the campaign occurred. Campaign Clasp The areas of service are indicated by a gilt silver campaign clasp, there are currently 13 available: *''Cambodge'' (Cambodia) *''Liban'' (Leba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Strategic Air Forces Command
The Strategic Air Forces (FAS) (french: Commandement des Forces Aériennes Stratégiques (CFAS)) is a command of the French Air and Space Force. It was created on January 14, 1964, and directs France's nuclear bombardment force. The headquarters was formerly at Taverny Air Base, but has now moved to Vélizy – Villacoublay Air Base. '' Général de corps aérien'' Patrick Charaix is the current commander. This is the equivalent of a lieutenant-general's position. He took command in 2012, after a year as the deputy commander. He took over from General Paul Fouilland, in command from 2007-2012. History Initially, the ''Force de Frappe'' consisted of only of the 92 Bombardment Wing (Escadre), established in 1955 and operating 40 Sud Aviation Vautour IIB bombers.Gunston, Bill. Bombers of the West. New York: Charles Scribner's and Sons; 1973. p105 These were considered marginal for a strategic bomber role and work began almost immediately on a replacement. In May 1956 a re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Air Forces Command (France)
The Air Forces Command (french: Commandement des Forces Aériennes (CFA)) is a command of the French Air and Space Force. It is headquartered at Bordeaux-Mérignac Air Base. It is an organic command (''commandement organique'') which prepares units to carry out their missions, but does not have an operational role itself. Since September 2013, the former organic commands CFA and the Air Force Support Command (CSFA) were merged into CFA. Brigades CFA is organized in six brigades : Fighter Brigade The Fighter Brigade (french: Brigade Aérienne de l'Aviation de Chasse (BAAC)) is responsible for all air defense, air-to-ground and reconnaissance aircraft (including Dassault Rafale, Mirage 2000-5F, Mirage 2000B/C/D, Transall C-160 Gabriel). In February 2016 it was commanded by Brigadier General (Air) Philippe Lavigne. Units of the brigade include: * Escadron de Chasse 1/2 Cigognes * Escadron de Chasse 1/3 Navarre (Nancy – Ochey Air Base (BA 133)) * Escadron de Chasse 2/3 Champagn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
French Air Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the French Air Force. On 10 September 2020, it assumed its current name, the French Air and Space Force, to reflect an "evolution of its mission" into the area of outer space. The number of aircraft in service with the French Air and Space Force varies depending on the source; the Ministry of Armed Forces gives a figure of 658 aircraft in 2014. According to 2018 data, this figure includes 210 combat aircraft: 115 Dassault Mirage 2000 and 95 Dassault Rafale. As of 2021, the French Air and Space Force employs a total of 40,500 regular personnel, with a reserve element of 5,187 in 2014. The Chief of Staff of the French Air and Space Force (CEMAAE) is a direct subordinate of the Chief of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
French Southern And Antarctic Lands
The French Southern and Antarctic Lands (french: Terres australes et antarctiques françaises, TAAF) is an Overseas Territory (french: Territoire d'outre-mer or ) of France. It consists of: # Adélie Land (), the French claim on the continent of Antarctica. # Crozet Islands (), a group in the southern Indian Ocean, south of Madagascar. # Kerguelen Islands (), a group of volcanic islands in the southern Indian Ocean, southeast of Africa. # Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands (), a group to the north of the Kerguelen Islands. # The Scattered Islands (), a dispersed group of islands around the coast of Madagascar. The territory is sometimes referred to as the French Southern Lands (french: Terres australes françaises) or the French Southern Territories, usually to emphasize non-recognition of French sovereignty over Adélie Land as part of the Antarctic Treaty System. The entire territory has no permanently settled inhabitants. Approximately 150 (in the winter) to 310 (in the summ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hao (French Polynesia)
Hao, or Haorangi, is a large coral atoll in the central part of the Tuamotu Archipelago. It has c. 1000 people living on . It was used to house the military support base for the nuclear tests on Mururoa. Because of its shape, French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville named it "Île de la Harpe" (Harp Island). Geography Hao is east of Tahiti. It is long and wide. The lagoon is the fourth largest atoll in French Polynesia (after Rangiroa, Fakarava, and Makemo) and has only one navigable passage, at Kaki, on the north end of the atoll where strong currents prevail up to 20 knots with bores. The lagoon covers an area of 720 km2. The climate is maritime, with temperatures oscillating between 23 and 32 °C throughout the year. The chief town is the village of Otepa, where the main economic activity is the cultivation of pearls. Demography The main village is Otepa, and the population was 1066 inhabitants in the 2012 census, with a strong demographic increase si ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moruroa
Moruroa (Mururoa, Mururura), also historically known as Aopuni, is an atoll which forms part of the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is located about southeast of Tahiti. Administratively Moruroa Atoll is part of the commune of Tureia, which includes the atolls of Tureia, Fangataufa, Tematangi and Vanavana. France undertook nuclear weapon tests between 1966 and 1996 at Moruroa and Fangataufa, causing international protests, notably in 1974 and 1995. The number of tests performed on Moruroa has been variously reported as 175 and 181. History Ancient Polynesians knew Mururoa Atoll by the ancestral name of Hiti-Tautau-Mai. The first recorded European to visit this atoll was Commander Philip Carteret on HMS ''Swallow'' in 1767, just a few days after he had discovered Pitcairn Island. Carteret named Mururoa "Bishop of Osnaburgh Island". In 1792, the British whaler was wrecked here, and it became known as Matilda's Rocks. Frederick William Be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Strategic Oceanic Force
The Strategic Ocean Force (french: Force océanique stratégique, FOST) has been the synonym of the French Submarine Forces since 1999, which the commandant commands the ensemble related to, along with the squadron of nuclear attack submarine (french: Escadrille des Sous-Marins Nucléaires d'Attaque, ESNA). The French Strategic Ocean Force Command ALFOST was set up in 1972 under a Squadron Vice-Admiral. Generality The Strategic Ocean Force (french: Force océanique stratégique, FOST), created on March 1 1972, constitutes the principal composite of the Strategic French Nuclear Forces (french: Force de dissuasion Nucléaire Française, FNS). FOST has been placed under the command of a Squadron Vice-Admiral (Officers of Admiral rank) (french: L'Officier général de marine), hence the acronym ALFOST. With the dissolution of the Attack Submarine Group of the Atlantic, ultimate formation regrouping submarines with conventional propulsion, on July 1 1999, the strategic fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eurocorps
Eurocorps, located in the French city of Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin), is a multinational corps headquarters. Founded by France and Germany in 1992, it is today composed of personnel from six framework nations and five associated nations. The framework nations place the Eurocorps at the service of the European Union (EU) and NATO, which certified it in 2002 as one of its nine High Readiness Land Headquarters (HRF (L) HQ). The precedents of the Eurocorps date back to 1989, when German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and the President of the French Republic, François Mitterrand, initiated military cooperation by establishing the Franco-German Defense and Security Council and creating a joint brigade, which became operational in 1991. Subsequently, in 1992, at the La Rochelle summit, both countries signed the report that led to the creation of Eurocorps. That same year, the first German and French officers joined the unit. In 1993 Belgium joined the unit, followed by Spain a year later. In 1995 i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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