Modern equipment of the French Army

French Army

Components Army Light Aviation Armoured Cavalry Troupes de marine French Foreign Legion Chasseurs alpins List of current regiments Structure of the French Army Administration Chief of Staff of the French Army Equipment Modern Equipment History Military history of France Personnel List of senior officers of the French Army Ranks in the French Army Awards Croix de guerre Médaille militaire Légion d'honneur Awards

Modern equipment of the French Army is a list of equipment currently in service with the French Army. Figures are provided by the French Ministry of Defense for July 1, 2015.^[1]

Infantry equipment

Pistols

Name	Origin	Type	Cartidge	Photo	Notes
MAC 50	France	Semi-automatic pistol	9 mm		In service since 1953. During withdrawal.
PAMAS G1	France  Italy	Semi-automatic pistol	9 mm		Enter into operational service in 1989 in the national gendarmerie, and in 1992 the Air Force and in 1999 for the Army and Navy. 97,502 weapons in 2002.[2]
Glock 17	Austria	Semi-automatic pistol	9 mm
HK USP.SD	Germany	Semi-automatic pistol	9 mm

Submachine Guns

Name	Origin	Type	Cartidge	Photo	Notes
HP MP5 A5 HP MP5 SD3	Germany	Submachine gun	9mm		Used by French Army's special forces.
FN P90	Belgium	Submachine gun	5.7mm		Used by French Army's special forces.

Assault, battle rifles

Name	Origin	Type	Cartidge	Photo	Notes
Famas F1	France	Assault rifle	5.56mm		The FAMAS is the service rifle of the French military
HK416 A5 HK416 D14.5RS HK416 F	Germany	Assault rifle	5.56mm		Used by French Army's special forces; the HK416F will replace the FAMAS as the standard assault rifle from 2017. 102,000 weapons ordered.
FN SCAR-L	Belgium	Assault rifle	5.56mm		Used by French Army's special forces.
M16 A2 M203 M16 723 M203	United States	Assault rifle	5.56mm		Used by French Army's special forces.

Shotguns

Name	Origin	Type	Cartidge	Photo	Notes
Benelli M3T Super 90	Italy	Semi-automatic shotgun	12-Gauge		Used by French army's special forces.
Mossberg 500	United States	Pump-action shotgun	12-Gauge		Used by French army's special forces and units in French Guiana.

Sniper and Anti-materiel rifles

Name	Origin	Type	Cartidge	Photo	Notes
FR-F2	France	Sniper rifle	7.62 mm		In service since 1986.
PGM Ultima Ratio	France	Sniper rifle	7.62 mm
HK MSG90	Germany	Sniper rifle	7.62 mm
HK 417	Germany	Sniper rifle	7.62 mm
PGM Hécate II	France	Anti-materiel rifle	12.7 mm

Machine Guns

Name	Origin	Type	Cartidge	Photo	Notes
FN Minimi	Belgium	Light machine gun	5.56mm		10.881 ordered in 2011
ANF1	France	General purpose machine gun	7.62 mm
FN MAG	Belgium	General purpose machine gun	7.62 mm
M2 Browning	United States	Heavy machine gun	.50 cal

Portable Anti-Materiel Weapons

Name	Origin	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
AT4 CS	Sweden	Anti-tank weapon	84mm
MILAN	France  Germany	Anti-tank guided missile	115mm		528
FGM-148 Javelin	United States	Fire-and-forget anti-tank missile	127mm		76
ERYX	France	Anti-tank guided missile	136mm		678

Grenade-Based Weapons

Name	Origin	Type	Caliber	Photo	Notes
LGI Mle F1 (Lance-grenade individuel Mle F1)	France	Grenade launcher	51mm
Heckler & Koch AG36	Germany	Grenade launcher	40mm		Service in limited numbers since at least 2014. 10,767 ordered in September 2016.
M203 grenade launcher	United States	Grenade launcher	40mm

Equipment

• SPECTRA helmet
• FÉLIN – infantry combat system (18,552)^[1]

Vehicles

Armored Vehicles

Name	Origin	Variant	Number[3]	Photo	Notes
Tanks
AMX Leclerc	France	main battle tank	200		206 in storage
Armoured Recce
AMX-10 RC	France	Armoured recce	248		To be retired in the near future and will be replaced by 248 EBRC vehicles.[4]
ERC 90 Sagaie	France	Armoured recce	90		60 in service by 2019
Armoured personnel carriers
VBCI	France	VCI: Infantry fighting vehicle VPC: Armoured command vehicle VTT: Armoured personnel carrier	629		110 of the vehicles are the armoured command variant.[5]
VAB	France	VAB VTT: Armoured personnel carrier VAB MILAN: ATGM vehicle VCAC Mephisto: ATGM vehicle VAB ERYX: APC/ATGM VOA: Artillery observation vehicle VAB Reco: NBC reconnaissance	2,661		To be retired in late 2020 and to be replaced by 2,080 VBMR vehicles.[4] Vehicle numbers include some: 100 VAB MILAN, 175 VAB ERYX, 25 VAB Reco,[6] 30 VCAC Mephisto and 89 VOA.[1]
VHM VHM Armoured[7][8]	Sweden  United Kingdom	Armoured personnel carrier	53		Order split between Bv206S[9] and BvS10
VBL	France	Armoured car	1,466
PVP	France	Armoured car	1,181[10]
Armoured recovery
Leclerc DCL	France	Armoured recovery vehicle	18
AMX-30D	France	Armoured recovery vehicle	30

Engineering

Name	Origin	Variant	Number[11]	Photo	Notes
Armoured engineering vehicles
Nexter Aravis	France	Mine-resistant ambush protected	14
Buffalo	United States	Mine-resistant ambush protected	4
Engin Blindé du Génie	France	Armoured engineering vehicle	40		Used with 14 SDPMAC (Mine Clearance Explosives) Systems.
unarmoured engineering vehicles
EFA	France	Ferry/Mobile bridge	30 (2013)
PFM	France	Mobile bridge	70 (2013)
SPRAT	France	Modular assault bridge	10
Liebherr LTM 1050-3.1	Germany	Mobile crane	50
EGAME	France	Bulldozer	35
MPG	France	Bulldozer	?
Caterpillar D6	United States	Bulldozer	40
EGRAP	United Kingdom	Backhoe loader	92

Unarmored Vehicles

Name	Origin	Variant	Number[12]	Photo	Notes
Unarmoured Vehicles
VLRA	France	Truck
Peugeot P4	France	Light Utility Vehicle	2,500		13,500 delivered between 1982 and 1992, 600 withdrawn from service every year.
Land Rover Defender	United Kingdom	Light Utility Vehicle	550[13]
VPS[14]	France	Light Utility Vehicle	51		Used by special forces.

Artillery and air-defence

Name	Origin	Variant	Number[15]	Photo	Notes
Self-propelled artillery
AMX 30 AuF1	France	155 mm self-propelled howitzer	32
CAESAR	France	155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer	77
M270 MLRS	United States	227mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher	13
Towed artillery
TRF1	France	155 mm towed howitzer	105
Mortars
RTF1	France	120 mm mortar	140
Mo 81 LLR F1	France	81 mm mortar
Anti-aircraft artillery
Mistral	France	very short-range surface-to-air missile system	221

Logistics

Name	Origin	Variant	Number	Photo	Notes
Porteur polyvalent terrestre (PPT)	France  Italy	PPLOG : Logistic vehicle PPLD : Recovery vehicle	200		1600 on order
TRM 10000	France	Truck	~1,000
TRM 2000	France	Truck
Renault GBC 180	France	Truck	5,500
Vehicule porte conteneurs maritimes (VPCM)	France  United Kingdom	8x8 Container carrier	12
Camion citerne polyvalent (CCP10)	France  Sweden	6x6 Tank transporter	461
Camion lourd de depannage routier (CLDR)	France	8x4 recovery vehicle	?

Aircraft

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Quantity[16]	Photo	Notes
Fixed-wing aircraft
Pilatus PC-6	Switzerland	Training aircraft	5
SOCATA TBM	France	VIP transport & Utility	8
Helicopters
Eurocopter Tiger HAP/HAD	Europe	Attack helicopter	55		9 more on order. 40 HAP and 18 HAD. (All HAP will be upgraded to HAD standard)[17][18]
NHIndustries NH90	Europe	Transport helicopter	18		2 batches of 34 ordered in May 2013.[19] Six more helicopters were ordered in January 2016, bringing the total number of aircraft on order to 74.[20]
Aérospatiale Puma	France	Transport helicopter	77
Eurocopter Caracal	France	Transport helicopter	8		Transferred to the Air Force by 2021.
Eurocopter Cougar	France	Transport helicopter	26
Aérospatiale Gazelle	France	Reconnaissance helicopter	111		One lost on 11 January 2013.[21]
Eurocopter Fennec	France	Training helicopter	18
UAVs
Sperwer	France	Reconnaissance	18		In service since 2005. Will be replaced from 2018 by the SAGEM Patroller.

References

External links

• Official website of the French Ministry of Defense (French)
• Les hélicoptères de l'armée de terre : situation et perspectives – Report from the French Senate (French)
• Le rôle des drones dans les armées – Report from the French Senate (French)
• Projet de loi de finances pour 2003 : Forces terrestres – Report from the French Senate (French)
• Projet de loi de finances pour 2007 : Défense – Forces terrestres – Report from the French Senate (French)