The ''École des troupes aéroportées'' (ETAP), or School of Airborne Troops, is a military school dedicated to training the military

paratrooper A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during World ...

s of the French army. It was established in 1964 and is located in the town of Pau, in the

département In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level ("territorial collectivity, territorial collectivities"), between the regions of France, admin ...

Pyrénées-Atlantiques Pyrénées-Atlantiques (; Gascon Occitan: ''Pirenèus Atlantics''; eu, Pirinio Atlantiarrak or ) is a department in the southwest corner of France and of the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Pyrenees mountain range and the Atlanti ...

, France. It is a training unit of the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...

, under the French Army Training Command (COFAT). The only parachute regiment that is not trained here is the

2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment The 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (french: 2e Régiment étranger de parachutistes, 2e REP) is the only airborne regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. It is one of the four infantry regiments of the 11th Parachute Brigade and part o ...

, which trains at

Camp Raffalli Camp Raffalli is a military camp of the French Army. It is located in the municipalities of Calenzana and Calvi, Haute-Corse. It serves as a garrison and training ground for the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2ème REP) and the Calvi defense base ...

in the

Promo Parachutiste Promo Parachutiste is the selection course which Legionnaires intending to join 2ème REP undergo at Camp Raffalli in Calvi, Haute-Corse. Selection Selection for 2e REP takes four weeks. The first two weeks are physical tests across terrain. Para ...

History

The ETAP has its origins at the end of the Second World War with the establishment of the Airborne Troops Training Center (CETAP) on April 16, 1946. On 1 June 1947 the CETAP became the ETAP. As of 7 October 2014, 899 American soldiers have graduated the ETAP.

Mission

The ETAP is responsible for training paratroopers, officer and enlisted. It is also responsible for international cooperation and promotion of paratroop culture. It also serves as a center for the development of paratroop doctrine and training.

Composition

The ETAP is divided into three components: a command center, a training centre, and a support center.

Training courses

* Training for certification as military Parachuting (2 weeks) * Officer and NCO training (7 days to 4 weeks) * Training for paratrooper monitors, free drop monitors, and ''pilotes parachutes biplaces'' (8 weeks) * Training for ''Chuteurs Opérationnels'' (12 weeks) * Training for air-delivery * Training in drop techniques * Military training to other countries within the framework of cooperation

Units which train at ETAP

8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment The 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (french: 8e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine, (8e RPIMa) is an airborne regiment of the French Army. The 8e RPIMa was created on 28 February 1951 and the men wear the red beret. It is par ...

: ''8e Régiment Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine (8e RPIMa)''

References

External links

Official website
{{Authority control Military parachuting in France Military parachuting schools

Airborne Troops Airborne forces, airborne troops, or airborne infantry are ground combat units carried by aircraft and airdropped into battle zones, typically by parachute drop or air assault. Parachute-qualified infantry and support personnel serving in ai ...