The Commandement des Opérations Spéciales ( en, Special Operations Command) or COS is a joint
staff charged with overseeing the various
special forces 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 Force ...
,
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
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
The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (french: Président de la République française), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency is ...
.
[Aleksander Olech, French and Polish fight against terrorism, Poznan 2022, p. 106; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359135918_French_and_Polish_fight_against_terrorism]
Similar in purpose to the
USSOCOM
The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) is the unified combatant command charged with overseeing the various special operations component commands of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force of the United States Ar ...
or
UKSF
The United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) is a directorate comprising the Special Air Service, the Special Boat Service, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, the Special Forces Support Group, 18 (UKSF) Signal Regiment and the Joint Special Forces ...
, 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
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
*
Army Special Forces Command
**
1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
The 1er Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine ( en, 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment) or 1er RPIMa is a unit of the French Army Special Forces Command, therefore part of the Special Operations Command.
Heirs to the Free Frenc ...
(1
er 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
The 13e Régiment de Dragons Parachutistes ( en, 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment) or 13e RDP is a special reconnaissance regiment of the French Army. It is a unit of the French Army Special Forces Command, the latter itself being under the Spec ...
(13
e RDP)
***ECP Squadron - Command and logistics
***1
e Squadron - Training and evaluation unit nicknamed "Intelligence Academy"
***2
e Squadron - Combat divers
***3
e Squadron - Extreme environments
***4
e Squadron - Vehicle borne operations
***5
e Squadron - HAHO/HALO paratroopers
***6
e Squadron - Signals
***7
e Squadron - Intelligence
**
4th Special Forces Helicopter Regiment (4
e RHFS)
***Squadron 1 - equipped with 10
Cougar and 2
Puma helicopters
***Squadron 2 - equipped with 12
Gazelle
A gazelle is one of many antelope species in the genus ''Gazella'' . This article also deals with the seven species included in two further genera, '' Eudorcas'' and '' Nanger'', which were formerly considered subgenera of ''Gazella''. A third ...
helicopters
***Squadron 3 - equipped with 10
Caracal
The caracal (''Caracal caracal'') () is a medium-sized wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid areas of Pakistan and northwestern India. It is characterised by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long tufted e ...
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
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...
Force des Fusiliers Marins et Commandos (FORFUSCO)
*
Commandos Marine
The Commandos Marine are the Special Operation Forces (SOF) of the French Navy. The Commandos Marine are nicknamed ''Bérets Verts'' ( Green Berets). They operate under the Sailor Riflemen and Special Operations Forces Command (FORFUSCO) an ...
**
Commando Hubert - Combat divers, counter-terrorism, and hostage rescue
**
Commando Jaubert
The Commandos Marine are the Special Operation Forces (SOF) of the French Navy. The Commandos Marine are nicknamed ''Bérets Verts'' ( Green Berets). They operate under the Sailor Riflemen and Special Operations Forces Command (FORFUSCO) an ...
- Direct action, counter-terrorism, and hostage rescue
**
Commando Trépel - Direct action, counter-terrorism, and hostage rescue
**
Commando de Penfentenyo - Reconnaissance
**
Commando de Montfort - Reconnaissance
**
Commando Kieffer
The Commandos Marine are the Special Operation Forces (SOF) of the French Navy. The Commandos Marine are nicknamed ''Bérets Verts'' ( Green Berets). They operate under the Sailor Riflemen and Special Operations Forces Command (FORFUSCO) an ...
- Electronic warfare
**
Commando Ponchardier
The Commandos Marine are the Special Operation Forces (SOF) of the French Navy. The Commandos Marine are nicknamed ''Bérets Verts'' ( Green Berets). They operate under the Sailor Riflemen and Special Operations Forces Command (FORFUSCO) an ...
- Operational Support
Air and Space Force
*Air and Space Force Special Forces Brigade (''BFSA'')
**
Air Parachute Commando n° 10 (''CPA 10'') - Direct Action & Counter-terrorism
**
Air Parachute Commando n° 30 (''CPA 30'') - Combat Search and Rescue
*
* 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
*
List of special forces units
This is a list of military special forces units, also known as special operations forces (SOF), currently active with countries around the world, that are specially organised, trained and equipped to conduct special operations.
These are dist ...
*
List of French paratrooper units
The history of French airborne units began in the Interwar period when the French Armed Forces formed specialized paratroopers units. First formed in the French Air Force, they were rapidly integrated into the French Army, French Navy, Natio ...
*
United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) - US equivalent command
*
United Kingdom Special Forces
The United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) is a directorate comprising the Special Air Service, the Special Boat Service, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, the Special Forces Support Group, 18 (UKSF) Signal Regiment and the Joint Special Force ...
- British equivalent command
References
External links
Specwarnet.com
Dogs of the French Special Forces published by ''
Le Monde
''Le Monde'' (; ) is a French daily afternoon newspaper. It is the main publication of Le Monde Group and reported an average circulation of 323,039 copies per issue in 2009, about 40,000 of which were sold abroad. It has had its own website si ...
''
{{Authority control
Special forces of France
1992 establishments in France
Military units and formations established in 1992