List of equipment of the French Army

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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 2018.[1]

Infantry equipment[]

Pistols[]

Name Origin Type Cartridge Photo Notes
MAC 50  France Semi-automatic pistol 9 mm MAC-50 detoured.jpg In service since 1953. Being replaced by Glock 17.
PAMAS G1  France
 Italy 		Semi-automatic pistol 9 mm DCB-Shooting MAS G1S.jpg Entered into operational service in 1989 with the national gendarmerie, in 1992 with the Air Force, and in 1999 for the Army and Navy. 97,502 weapons in 2002.[2] Being replaced by Glock 17.
Glock 17  Austria Semi-automatic pistol 9 mm Glock 17 Gen 5 French Armed Forces standard version.jpg G17 Gen 3 in service in the Special Forces and in some specialised units of the conventional forces (Engineer Corps Divers, Reconnaissance units, Foreign Legion commandos, Parachute Brigade commandos, Mountain commandos).

74,596 French specified G17 Gen 5 on order in order to replace MAC 50 and PAMAS G1 in general service.[3] 80% for the French Army (including Light Aviation, Marines and Foreign Legion), 10% for French Navy, 8% for French Air Force, 2% for the Services, to be delivered until 2022.

HK USP.SD  Germany Semi-automatic pistol 9 mm HKUSP.png Used by French Army's special forces (Tactical version, retired), reconnaissance units (standard version) and French Navy (Compact version under the name PA HK Marine) for sailors and pilots.

Submachine guns[]

Name Origin Type Cartridge Photo Notes
HK MP5 A5
HK MP5 SD3 		 Germany Submachine gun 9mm Heckler & Koch MP5-1.jpg Used by French Army's special forces.
HK MP7 A1 and A2  Germany Submachine gun 4.6×30mm Heckler & Koch MP7A1.jpg Used by French Army's special forces.
FN P90  Belgium Submachine gun 5.7x28mm P90--.png Used by French Army's special forces.

Assault, battle rifles[]

Name Origin Type Cartridge Photo Notes
FAMAS F1  France Rifle 5.56mm Rifles FAMAS.jpg The FAMAS remains the standard-issue service rifle of the French military, with over 700,000 in total delivered. Scheduled to be phased out of service in the mid 2020s.
HK416 A5
HK416 D14.5RS
HK416 F 		 Germany Rifle 5.56mm HK416N.jpg The HK416F will replace the FAMAS as the standard-issue assault rifle beginning in 2017. 102,000 weapons have been ordered. 53,000 are in service in 2021.
FN SCAR-L  Belgium Rifle 5.56mm Scar L Standard.jpg Used by French Army's special forces and reconnaissance units () .
M16 A2 M203
M16 727 M203 		 United States Rifle 5.56mm M16A2 Rifle with M203 Grenade Launcher (7414627064).jpg Used by French Army's special forces.

Shotguns[]

Name Origin Type Cartridge Photo Notes
Benelli M3T Super 90  Italy Semi-automatic shotgun 12-Gauge Benelli M3 Super 90.jpg Used by French army's special forces.
Mossberg 500  United States Pump-action shotgun 12-Gauge PEO Mossberg 590A1.jpg Used by French army's special forces and units in French Guiana.

Sniper and anti-material rifles[]

Name Origin Type Cartridge Photo Notes
FR-F2  France Sniper rifle 7.62 mm FRF2 lunette Schrome.jpg In service since 1986.
PGM Ultima Ratio  France Sniper rifle 7.62 mm Ultima Ratio Commando slovenske vojske.jpg
HK MSG90  Germany Sniper rifle 7.62 mm MSG 90 rifle museum 2014.jpg
HK 417  Germany Battle rifle 7.62 mm Combater.jpg
FN SCAR H PR  Belgium Battle rifle 7.62 mm MK 17 Sniper Support Rifle.png Adopted in 2019 into replacement of the FRF2
PGM Hécate II  France Anti-materiel rifle 12.7 mm PGM Hecate.jpg

Machine guns[]

Name Origin Type Cartridge Photo Notes
FN Minimi  Belgium Light machine gun 5.56mm FN MINIMI PARA 3.jpg
ANF1  France General purpose machine gun 7.62 mm Mitrailleuse-IMG 1728.jpg
FN MAG  Belgium General purpose machine gun 7.62 mm FN MAG white background.jpg 10, 881 ordered in 2011.
M2 Browning  United States Heavy machine gun .50 cal PEO M2E2-QCB HMG.jpg
M134  United States Six-barrelled gatling gun 7.62×51mm NATO Mi-171Š sliding door - Minigun.jpg Used by French army's special forces.

Portable anti-materiel weapons[]

Name Origin Type Caliber Photo Notes
AT4 CS  Sweden Anti-tank weapon 84mm AT4 2REI 1.jpg

AT4 F2 : New generation in development since 2014 for the French army. It can fire an anti-armored rocket (ABL), an anti-structure rocket (AST) and an anti-personnel rocket (AP). Once coupled with a new non-disposable aiming aid, absent on the CS F1 version, the AP rocket will provide an effective airburst mode up to 1000 meters. Night firing capacity planned for 2020|[4]

MILAN  France
 Germany 		Anti-tank guided missile 115mm Milan 2.jpg 457
FGM-148 Javelin  United States Fire-and-forget anti-tank missile 127mm FGM-148 Javelin (5160721562).jpg 76
Eryx  France Anti-tank guided missile 136mm ERYX-2ndFrInReg 2.jpg 650
MMP  France Fire-and-forget anti-tank missile 140mm MBDA MLP et MMP.JPG 275 in july 2020 (400 have been ordered). Successor of MILAN.

Grenade-based weapons[]

Name Origin Type Caliber Photo Notes
LGI Mle F1 (Lance-grenade individuel Mle F1)  France Grenade launcher 51mm LGI entrainement.jpg
Heckler & Koch AG36  Germany Grenade launcher 40mm HK AGCEGLM.jpg Service in limited numbers since at least 2014. 10,767 ordered in September 2016.
M203 grenade launcher  United States Grenade launcher 40mm PEO M203A2 Grenade Launcher.jpg
Heckler & Koch GMG  Germany Grenade machine gun 40×53mm HKGMW.jpg Used by French army's special forces.

Equipment[]

Vehicles[]

Armored vehicles[]

Name Origin Variant Number Photo Notes
Tanks
Leclerc  France Main battle tank 222[5] Leclerc-IMG 1744-b.jpg 184 in storage (406 in total). 200 will be upgraded to XLR-standard.
Armoured recce
EBRC Jaguar  France Armoured recce 6x6 0 300 delivered from 2021. 20 delivered in 2021
AMX-10 RC  France Armoured recce 247 AMX-10-RC.JPG Will be replaced by EBRC Jaguar from 2020.[6]
ERC 90 Sagaie  France Armoured recce 40 ERC-90 Sagaie 008 FR.JPG Will be replaced by EBRC Jaguar from 2020.
Armoured personnel carriers
VBCI  France 628 VBCI (Véhicule blindé de combat d'infanterie) (1).JPG 110 of the vehicles are the armoured command variant.[7]
VBMR Griffon  France 250 (05/01/2021) Griffon VBMR.jpg 1872 are on order until 2030, and 978 of the Serval variant, which is a bit smaller and 4-Wheeled.
VAB  France 2,651 54RA-IMG 9125.jpg Will be replaced by VBMR Griffon from 2018.[6] Vehicle numbers include some: 100 VAB MILAN, 175 VAB Eryx, 25 VAB Reco,[8] 30 VCAC Mephisto and 89 VOA.
VHM
VHM Armoured[9][10] 		 Sweden
 United Kingdom 		Armoured personnel carrier 88 Bastille Day 2014 Paris - Motorised troops 030.jpg Order split between Bv206S[11] and BvS10
VBL  France Armoured car 1390 VBL RHP Afghanistan.JPG 730 to be upgraded to Ultima-standard with new engine, transmission, strengthend suspension and additional armour.
PVP  France Armoured car 1,149 Charleville mezieres defilé 14 juillet 2010 02.jpg
Renault Sherpa 3  France Armoured car 6 MBDA Multi Purpose Combat Vehicule at Paris Air Show 2015.jpg Used as a carrier for Mistral
Armoured recovery
Leclerc DCL  France Armoured recovery vehicle 18 Char de Dépannage DNG-DCL 14 juillet 2006.jpg Will be upgraded to XLR-standard.
AMX-30D  France Armoured recovery vehicle 30 AMX-30D-cote-droit.jpg

Engineering[]

Name Origin Variant Number Photo Notes
Armoured engineering vehicles
Nexter Aravis  France Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected 16 Nexter Aravis à Strasbourg, 2010 (3).jpg
Buffalo  United States Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected 4 Buffalo MRAP ( Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle ).JPG
Engin Blindé du Génie  France Armoured engineering vehicle 40 20060714 defile blindes p1040887.jpg Used with 10 SDPMAC (Mine Clearance Explosives) Systems.
MINOTAUR  France Anti-tank mines dispersion vehicle[12] 9th Light Armoured Marine Brigade Bastille Day 2013 Paris t114228.jpg
Unarmoured engineering vehicles
TNA  France Airborne leveling tractor 6[13] Tracto-niveleur aérolargable.jpg
MFRD  France Rapid destruction drilling truck 122 MFRD 13e Genie 2007 07 14 n2.jpg
Liebherr LTM 1050-3.1  Germany Mobile crane 50 Liebherr telescopic crane photo-1.JPG
EGAME  France Bulldozer 35 UNAC dozer photo-1.JPG
SOUVIM  South Africa Interim Vehicle Mounted Mine Detector 8 Souvim2.JPG
MPG  France Loader ? Matériel Polyvalent du Génie MPG, photo-2.JPG
Caterpillar D6  United States Bulldozer 40 Bastille Day 2014 Paris - Motorised troops 080.jpg
EGRAP  United Kingdom Backhoe loader 92 Charleville mezieres defilé 14 juillet 2010 03.jpg
UNAC 20TRR  France Road–rail excavator 2[14]
Scania P340  Sweden Dump truck 161[15] Camion-benne Scania du Génie, Paris 14 juillet 2017.jpg
Bridging vehicles/Military Ferries
EFA  France Ferry/Mobile bridge 30 (2013) French army EFA DSC00859 sans CRS.jpg
PFM  France Mobile bridge 70 (2013) Charleville mezieres defilé 14 juillet 2010 04.jpg
SPRAT  France Modular assault bridge 10 SPRAT, le 14 juillet 2012 à Paris.JPG
Robots
ECA COBRA MK2  France Multi-function military robot 30 Used for Mine Clearing, Chemical detection, Reconnaissance
iRobot Packbot 510  United States Mine clearing robot 15
IRobot PackBot 510 E.T..JPG
ECA UGV IGUANA  France Mine clearing robot 15 43 to be delivered until 2024

Unarmored vehicles[]

Name Origin Variant Number Photo Notes
Unarmoured vehicles
VLRA  France Truck VLRA TPK 4 25 STL Pamela 009.JPG
VMA  France Airport crash tender Quartier Général Sabatier - Véhicule incendie.JPG Used by French Army Light Aviation.[16]
Peugeot P4  France Light utility vehicle 2,500 French Peugeot P4 dsc06852.jpg 13,500 delivered between 1982 and 1992, 600 withdrawn from service every year. Being replaced by VT4.
 Japan
 France 		Light utility vehicle 500[17] Technamm Masstech French Army (Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ76).jpg Delivery of 500 copies until end of May 2018. Based on Toyota Land Cruiser.[citation needed]
Ford Ranger  United States Light utility vehicle 1,000[18] sans cadre Introduced as urgent operational requirement to replace Peugeot P4.
ACMAT VT4  France
 United States 		Light utility vehicle 2000 ACMAT VT4 couleur brun « Terre de France ».jpg 4380 planned. VLTP-NP based on Ford Everest and militarized by ACMAT.
Land Rover Defender  United Kingdom Light utility vehicle 550[19] Land Rover Defender FR Army - Strasbourg.jpg
VPS[20]  France Light utility vehicle 51 MB G280CDI.jpg Used by special forces. Replaced by 241 Special Forces Light Vehicles or VLFS (Arquus) from 2020.
Quad Polaris  United States All-terrain vehicle 348 Quad Polaris armée de terre, 14 juillet 2016, Paris.jpg 300 Polaris Sportsman 700 and 48 Polaris MV 850. Used by French special forces.[21]
Renault Trafic III  France Minibus 60[22] Mission Vigipirate 2016 - Aix-les-Bains (73).jpg Used by counter terrorist forces.
Renault Master II  France Van Renault Master armée de terre, 14 juillet 2012, Paris.jpg
Renault Kangoo  France Light utility vehicle 460[22] Renault Kangoo II appartenant à la force Sentinelle.jpg Used by counter terrorist forces.
Arquus AREG  France Light utility vehicle VLFS, replaces VPS from 2020.

Artillery and air-defence[]

Name Origin Variant Number Photo Notes
Self-propelled artillery
AMX 30 AuF1  France 155 mm self-propelled howitzer 32 AMX AuF1, 40e régiment d'artillerie, Implementation Force, 1996.jpg
CAESAR  France 155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer 77 CAESAR (camion équipé d'un système d'artillerie) 1.jpg
Towed artillery
TRF1  France 155 mm towed howitzer 12 Combined Endeavor 2013, live fire exercise 130917-A-KG432-008.jpg
Rocket artillery
M270 MLRS  United States 227mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher 13 Bastille Day 2015 military parade in Paris 33.jpg
Mortars
RTF1  France 120 mm mortar 132 French MO-120-RT-61 and Véhicule de Tracte Mortier 120 during Operation Desert Shield.JPEG
Mo 81 LLR F1  France 81 mm mortar Mortier 81 LLR 03.jpg
M6 mortar  Austria 60 mm light mortar 120
Anti-aircraft artillery
Mistral  France Very short-range surface-to-air missile system 221 Bastille Day 2014 Paris - Motorised troops 074.jpg

Logistics[]

Name Origin Variant Number Photo Notes
Porteur polyvalent terrestre (PPT)  France
 Italy
  • PPLOG: Logistic vehicle
  • PPLD: Recovery vehicle
 900 Villabé - 2014-10-23 - IMG 6938.jpg 1600 on order
TRM 10000  France Truck ~1,000 TRM-10000 Citerne 014 FR.JPG
TRM 700-100  France Truck 119 Renault TRm700-100 de l'Armée de Terre.jpg
TRM 2000  France Truck 2225 TRM-2000 002.JPG
Renault GBC 180  France Truck 5,500 Renault GBC 180.jpg
Renault Kerax  France Truck 420 Renault 420 photo-1.JPG
Vehicule porte conteneurs maritimes (VPCM)  France
 United Kingdom 		8x8 container carrier 12 VPCM BT120 ETAS.jpg
Tanker trucks
Camion citerne polyvalent (CCP10)  France
 Sweden 		6x6 fuel tanker truck 461 Quartier Général Sabatier - Véhicule 8.JPG
Camion Ravitailleur Pétrolier de l’Avant à Capacité Étendue (CaRaPACE)  France
 Sweden 		Armoured fuel tanker truck 34 Military Fuel Service Bastille Day 2013 Paris t114535.jpg
Recovery vehicles
Camion lourd de depannage routier (CLDR)  France 8x4 recovery vehicle 50 Renault 400 recovery vehicle (1).jpg

Aircraft[]

Further information: French Army Light Aviation
Aircraft Origin Type Quantity[23] Photo Notes
Fixed-wing aircraft
Pilatus PC-6   Switzerland Transport and parachuting 5 No. 891 MCE Pc-6 French Army (3217163443).jpg
SOCATA TBM  France VIP transport and utility 8 Socata TBM-700, France - Army AN0323263.jpg
Helicopters
Eurocopter Tiger HAP/HAD  Europe Attack helicopter 68 French Army EC.665 Tigre (2938695834).jpg 40 HAP and 28 HAD. (All HAP will be upgraded to HAD standard)[24][25]
NHIndustries NH90  Europe Transport helicopter 47 P1080731 (15206952860).jpg 2 batches of 34 ordered in May 2013.[26] Six more helicopters were ordered in January 2016, bringing the total number of aircraft on order to 74.[27]
Aérospatiale Puma  France Transport helicopter 46 SA330 Puma - RIAT 2013 (10517596854).jpg Being replaced by NH90
Eurocopter Caracal  France CSAR/SOF helicopter 8 French Army Cougar helicopter- Afghanistan.jpg Transferred to the Air Force by 2021.
Eurocopter Cougar  France Transport helicopter 24 Eurocopter AS-532UL Cougar, France - Army AN0633007.jpg Being replaced by NH90
Aérospatiale Gazelle  France Reconnaissance helicopter 86 Gazelle SA342M.jpg One lost on 11 January 2013.[28]
Eurocopter Fennec  France Training helicopter 18 Fennec AS555UN 2.jpg
Eurocopter Calliope[29]  Europe Training helicopter 36 AirExpo 2015 - EC120.jpg
UAVs
Sperwer  France Reconnaissance 23 SPERWER B P1220856.jpg In service since 2005. Will be replaced from 2020 by the SAGEM Patroller.
EADS DRAC  France Reconnaissance 38[30]
Thales Spy'Ranger  France Reconnaissance 60 105 to be delivered in 2018 and 105 in 2019[31]
ECA IT180 DroGen  France Reconnaissance 5

References[]

  1. ^ Chiffres cles de la Defense 2018
  2. ^ "PAMAS G1". gendarmes.net/ (in French). Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  3. ^ Kotlarski, Amael (7 January 2019). "France awards pistol and sniper rifle contracts". www.janes.com. IHS Jane's.
  4. ^ Nathan Gain (25 November 2020). "Ces autres programmes d'équipement attendus pour 2020". /forcesoperations.com (in French). Retrieved 23 December 2019..
  5. ^ "Les chiffres clés de la Défense 2019".
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "France launches major new vehicle programmes - IHS Jane's 360". 1 February 2014. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
  7. ^ "French receive 500th VBCI". Army Recognition. Archived from the original on 7 October 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  8. ^ "FRANCE". Armedforces.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  9. ^ "French Army receives first BvS10 vehicles". Army-technology.com. 29 November 2011. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.[unreliable source?]
  10. ^ Christopher F. Foss (11 June 2011). "French Army builds up all-terrain fleet". Ihs.com. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  11. ^ "Bv206S Tracked Armoured Personnel Carrier, Sweden". Army-technology.com. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.[unreliable source?]
  12. ^ "Data". www.defense.gouv.fr. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Un engin unique au monde développé pour les paras". Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  14. ^ nous.fr. "UNAC - Actualités". www.unac-france.com. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  15. ^ "28052009La Délégation générale pour l'armement passe commande de 161 porteurs P 340 CB6X6HHZ à Scania". Scania France. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  16. ^ "Pompiers aéroportuaires : les anges gardiens de l'aviation - avionslegendaires.net". 19 April 2012. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  17. ^ "VLTP : il arrive ! Et le Masstech T4 de Technamm ?". 5 September 2017.
  18. ^ "Quand l'armée française préfère rouler américain". 4 May 2015.
  19. ^ "Defender : le véhicule polyvalent de l'armée de Terre" (in French). defense.gouv.fr. 28 June 2010. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  20. ^ "VPS Light 4x4 Special Forces patrol vehicle". Armyrecognition.com. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
  21. ^ "Data". www.defense.gouv.fr.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b "Le ministère de la Défense a commandé 520 véhicules pour l'opération Sentinelle". Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  23. ^ "Les chiffres clé de la defense edition 2018" (in French and English).
  24. ^ "Qualification finale du Tigre en version appui-destruction (HAD)". Defense.gouv.fr. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  25. ^ Tran, Pierre (8 August 2017). "France Boosts Arms Spending, Eyes C-130 Buy".
  26. ^ "France Orders 34 More NH90 Helicopters". www.defense-aerospace.com. Archived from the original on 5 August 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  27. ^ "French Army Light Aviation to receive six more NH90s | IHS Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Archived from the original on 10 January 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  28. ^ Air Forces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. March 2013. p. 32.
  29. ^ "Eurocopter EC-120 Colibri - avionslegendaires.net". Archived from the original on 18 September 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  30. ^ "EADS Defence & Security delivers second batch of DRAC UAVs to French Ministry of Defence". Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  31. ^ "L'armée de terre s'équipe avec les mini-drones de Thales". lesechos.fr (in French). Retrieved 15 January 2018.

External links[]

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