Special Operations Command
Commandement des opérations spéciales (COS)
Founded24 June 1992
Country France
TypeOperational command
RoleSpecial operations
Size3,746 authorized personnel
  • 307 general staff
  • 3,439 operatives
Part ofMinistry of Armed Forces
HeadquartersHexagone Balard, Paris, France
Nickname(s)COS
Commanders
Current
commander
Major General Éric Vidaud

The Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (English: Special Operations Command) or COS is a joint staff charged with overseeing the various special forces of the French Army, Navy 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.[1]

Similar in purpose to the USSOCOM or UKSF, 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

  • Army Special Forces Command
    • 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (1er 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 (13e RDP)
      • ECP Squadron - Command and logistics
      • 1e Squadron - Training and evaluation unit nicknamed "Intelligence Academy"
      • 2e Squadron - Combat divers
      • 3e Squadron - Extreme environments
      • 4e Squadron - Vehicle-borne operations
      • 5e Squadron - HAHO/HALO paratroopers
      • 6e Squadron - Signals
      • 7e Squadron - Intelligence
    • 4th Special Forces Helicopter Regiment (4e RHFS)
      • Squadron 1 - equipped with 10 Cougar and 2 Puma helicopters
      • Squadron 2 - equipped with 12 Gazelle helicopters
      • Squadron 3 - equipped with 10 Caracal 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

Force des Fusiliers Marins et Commandos (FORFUSCO)

Air and Space Force

  • Air and Space Force Special Forces Brigade (BFSA)
  • 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

References

  1. Aleksander Olech, French and Polish fight against terrorism, Poznan 2022, p. 106; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359135918_French_and_Polish_fight_against_terrorism
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