An opposing force (alternatively enemy force, abbreviated OPFOR) is a

military unit Military organization or military organisation is the structuring of the armed forces of a state so as to offer such military capability as a national defense policy may require. In some countries paramilitary forces are included in a nation' ...

tasked with representing an enemy, usually for training purposes in war game scenarios. The related concept of aggressor squadron is used by some air forces. The United States maintains the Fort Irwin National Training Center with the

11th Armored Cavalry Regiment The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment ("Blackhorse Regiment") is a unit of the United States Army garrisoned at the Fort Irwin National Training Center in California. Although termed an armored cavalry regiment, it is being re-organized as a multi ...

serving in the OPFOR role. Fort Polk's Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) is another major training site typically reserved for light infantry units, and the OPFOR are the 1st of the 509th Airborne Infantry Regiment. The Army's Joint Maneuver Readiness Center (JMRC, at Hohenfels, Bavaria, Germany) has the 1st of the 4th Infantry Regiment as their OPFOR. Other major units include the First United States Army which consists of 16 training brigades that often also serve as OPFOR. At a basic level, a unit might serve as an opposing force for a single scenario, differing from its 'opponents' only in the objectives it is given. However, major armies commonly maintain specialized groups trained to accurately replicate real-life enemies, to provide a more realistic experience for their training opponents. (To avoid the diplomatic ramifications of naming a real nation as a likely enemy, training scenarios often use fictionalized versions with different names but similar military characteristics to the expected real-world foes.)

Units

China

France

In the French Army, a FORAD (, enemy force) is used to train the army, in both the (CENTAC, Combat Training Center) of Mailly-le-Camp and in the (CENZUB, Urban Operations Training Centre). Declassed AMX-30 tanks were used to simulate Soviet T-72s, until 2018.

Japan

United States

UH-1H disguised as Mi-24 Fort Irwin 1985

There are three major training centers that utilize home-based OPFOR units for the US Army: * The National Training Center or ''NTC'' at Fort Irwin, California—home unit is the

(the ''Blackhorse'') * The Joint Readiness Training Center or ''JRTC'' at Fort Polk, Louisiana—home unit is the 1st Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment (the ''Geronimos'') * The Joint Multinational Readiness Center or ''JMRC'' (formerly known as the Combat Maneuver Training Center or CMTC) at Hohenfels, Germany—home unit is the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment (Separate) (the ''Warriors'') Various US military installations or major units have their own local versions of opposing force used for training exercises. The joint Australian–US military exercise "Crocodile '03" featured an Australian-led opposing force in which soldiers from a range of Australian units worked together with a US Marine Corps contingent. Several state defense forces have served as OPFOR units when training with the National Guard. The

California State Military Reserve The California State Guard (CSG) (formerly the California State Military Reserve) is a component of the California National Guard (CNG). The CSG is a volunteer force that supports the state missions and federal readiness of the Army and Air Natio ...

, the Georgia State Defense Force, and the New York Guard have provided OPFOR services to their respective National Guard counterparts. In 2018, the Georgia State Defense Force established the OPFOR Battalion to assist National Guard Soldiers with pre-deployment training.

Ranks

;Officer ranks ;Other ranks

Gallery

File:CENZUB-FORAD.JPG, A sniper from the French CENZUB opposing force. The camouflage pattern is different from the other French patterns. File:U.S. Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment conduct a change of command ceremony for incoming commander Lt. Col. Barry Carlson and outgoing commander Lt. Col. Mitchell Watkins at Warrior Field 130702-A-WB953-454.jpg, 4th Infantry Regiment soldiers wearing United States Army opposing force uniform ( Battle Dress Uniform in black with olive 'OPFOR' shoulder title) File:Operation force Surrogate Vehicle.jpg, An OSV replicating a Soviet BMP at NTC, Fort Irwin, CA File:MT-LB US Marines.jpg, US Marines using a former Soviet MT-LB vehicle as part of the OPFOR during an exercise File:OPFOR Training.JPG, OPFOR training in 2012 File:OPFOR Shirt GRN and Shoulder Boards GRN, BLK, RED.jpg, OPFOR rank insignia mimicking the Soviet style (used during the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

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