Fusiliers Commandos De L'Air
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The (English: Fusilier Commandos of the Air Force) of the
French Air and Space Force The French Air and Space Force (, , ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. Formed in 1909 as the ("Aeronautical Service"), a service arm of the French Army, it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the French Air F ...
are equivalent to the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
's RAF Regiment, German Air Force Regiment or the
United States Air Force Security Forces The United States Air Force Security Forces (SF) are the ground combat force and military police service of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. The USAF Security Forces were formerly known as Military Police (MP), Air Police (AP), and ...
. They are airmen armed and trained as
infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
, who provide ground defense of air bases and secure forward base areas. They also participate in
forward air control Forward air control is the provision of guidance to close air support (CAS) aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and does not injure friendly troops. This task is carried out by a forward air controller (FAC). ...
, combat search and rescue missions, and as
air assault Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, such as helicopters, to seize and hold key terrain that has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind enemy l ...
ground soldiers.


Algerian War

During the
Algerian War The Algerian War (also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence) ''; '' (and sometimes in Algeria as the ''War of 1 November'') was an armed conflict between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front (Algeri ...
, the Air Force deployed its own ''Fusiliers de l'Air'' ground regiments, which used the traditional French half-brigades (''démi-brigades'') unit type. They were formed between September 1955 and June 1956, relying heavily on officers and NCOs posted from the Army. These units were subordinated to the three GATACs. The infantry units of the Air Force were transferred to the Army by the end of 1957. * ''531e demi-brigade des fusiliers de l’air'' - based in Arba, Algiers sector * ''532e demi-brigade des fusiliers de l’air'' - based in Saint-Denis du Sig, Oran sector * ''533e demi-brigade des fusiliers de l’air'' - based in La Chiffa, Algiers sector * ''541e demi-brigade des fusiliers de l’air'' - based in the Souk Ahras region, Constantine sector, the battalions were dispersed in 71 ''détachements'' in a rectangular area of 70 km by 40 km * ''542e demi-brigade des fusiliers de l’air'' - based in Guelma, Constantine sector * ''543e demi-brigade des fusiliers de l’air'' - based in Aïn Beïda, Sahara * ''544e demi-brigade des fusiliers de l’air'' - initially formed in Tunisia, relocated to Algeria on October 10, 1956 * ''545e demi-brigade des fusiliers de l’air'' - initially formed in Tunisia, relocated to Algeria on October 10, 1956 * ''546e demi-brigade des fusiliers de l’air'' - based in Alma at the foothills of the Blida Atlas mountains * ''547e demi-brigade des fusiliers de l’air'' - based in El Biar, Algiers sector The command elements of the half-brigades (''Unités à administration distincte'' (''UAD'')) actually belonged to the 5th Air Force Region's territorial administrative center (''Centre administratif territorial de l'air'' (''CATA'') 860) in Blida and were attached to the infantry units. The elite Parachute Commandos were retained at the central level of the 5th Air Force Region. * '' :fr:Groupement des commandos parachutistes de l'air 00/541'' (''GCPA'') - the groupment included four combat units and one support unit, all called '''commandos: ** ''Commando de l'air 10/541'' « ''Martel'' » (forerunner of today's ''commando parachutiste de l'air n° 10'') ** ''Commando de l'air 20/541'' « ''Manoir'' » (forerunner of today's ''commando parachutiste de l'air n° 20'') ** ''Commando de l'air 30/541'' « ''Maquis'' » formed by personnel from the Air Force units in Morocco (forerunner of today's ''commando parachutiste de l'air n° 30'') ** ''Commando de l'air 40/541'' « ''Maxime'' » Each combat commando had an established strength of 102 men (5 officers, 22 NCOs and 75 ranks), but in the course of the war it could occasionally increase up to 180 men. The building block of the units was the Team (''équipe'') of five or six men. A Commando Group (''groupe de commando'') combined two teams for a total of 10 - 12 men, transportable by a single H-34 or two H-19 helicopters. A Commando Platoon (''section de commando'') combined two commando groups (total of four teams): two Command and Fire Teams (deux équipes de commandement et de feu) and two regular commando teams (''deux équipes simples de commandos'') ** Commando de l'air 50/541 - was the logistical support unit. The GCPA included a Separate Administrative Unit (''unité à administration distincte'' (''UAD'')) of 55 men. On May 1, 1957 the UAD absorbed the logistical personnel from Commando de l'air 50/541 and formed the HQ of the formation - ''GCPA 00/541'' « ''Norpois'' ». The latter unit was repurposed as a combat commando. Two experimental commandos of reduced strength were added later: * ''Commando expérimental'' « ''Chouf'' » * ''Commando expérimental'' « ''Matou'' » Due to their active involvement in the
Algiers putsch of 1961 The Algiers putsch (; or ), also known as the putsch of the generals (), was a failed coup d'état intended to force French President Charles de Gaulle not to abandon French Algeria, the resident European community and pro-French Algerians. Org ...
at the end of April all four were disbanded effective immediately. To fill up the void on May 1 two new units were formed at the BA 146 Reghaia air base: * ''compagnie de commandos parachutistes de l'air no 30.541'' * ''compagnie de commandos parachutistes de l'air no 50.541'' These units discarded the commando nomenclature in order to break with the previous units and the reason for their disbandment. The new companies also differed in their established structure with a strength of 5 officers, 33 NCOs and 100 ranks each.


Structure

The Fusiliers-Commando units are part of the Intervention and Security Force Brigade (''Brigade aérienne des forces de sécurité et d'intervention'').


Air Commando Training Squadron (''escadron d'instruction des commandos de l'air'')

This training unit, founded in 1974, manages four different courses; * Air Fusilier course (''brevet de fusilier de l'air'') : basic formation for Other Ranks in Protective Squadrons. * Air Parachute Fusilier course (''brevet de fusilier-parachutiste de l'air'') : second-level formation for all ranks. It includes parachute training. * Air Parachute Commando course (''brevet de commando-parachutiste de l'air'') : third level formation for all ranks. Upon its successful completion, airmen can petition to enter Air Parachute Commando n° 20 and 30. * Air Special Forces Commando course (''brevet de commando des forces spéciales air'') : fourth and final level. Upon its successful completion, airmen can petition to enter Air Parachute Commando n° 10.


Protective Squadrons (''escadrons de protection'')

Responsible for the protection of defense-sensitive points of Air and Space Force bases, intervention in the context of overseas operations or special missions, and participation in tasks assigned to Special Operations Command. They are employed in unit protection or intervention. The 34 Protective Squadrons man patrols to deter, detect and intervene to neutralize and delay, by force if necessary, any malicious act against facilities of the Air and Space Force, air bases on the mainland (Dijon, Saint-Dizier, Luxeuil, Nancy, Drachenbronn, Évreux, Villacoublay, Orleans, Avord, Tours, Creil, Brest, Mont-de-Marsan, Cazaux, Cognac, Orange, Istres, Solenzara, Lyon, Paris) and on external sites (Chad, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Djibouti, United Arab Emirates, French Guiana, Reunion, New Caledonia, etc.).


Air Parachute Commandos (''commandos parachutistes de l'air'')

The three Air Parachute Commando fulfill specific missions requiring advanced training and specialities.


Air Parachute Commando n° 10

The Commando n° 10 is a special forces unit used airport seizures, high value target (HVT) neutralization,
counter terrorism Counterterrorism (alternatively spelled: counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, relates to the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, businesses, and intelligence agencies use to com ...
. The CPA 10 is under the umbrella of the Commandement des opérations spéciales.


Air Parachute Commando n° 20

The main missions of Commando n° 20 are long-range protective patrols in armored cars, protection from potential low-level air attacks in helicopters and
forward air control Forward air control is the provision of guidance to close air support (CAS) aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and does not injure friendly troops. This task is carried out by a forward air controller (FAC). ...
.


Air Parachute Commando n°30

The main missions of Commando n° 30 are combat search and rescue and military dog use.


See also

*
List of French paratrooper units The history of French Airborne forces, airborne units began in the Interwar period when the French Armed Forces formed specialized 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment, paratroopers units. First formed in the French Air Force, they were rapidly i ...
* Algerian War French order of battle


References


External links



Les fusiliers commandos. French Defence Ministry page (French) {{Air force infantry Air force ground defence units and formations Military units and formations of the French Air and Space Force