Special Operations Command (France)

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]

Special Operations Command
Commandement des opérations spéciales (COS)
Founded	24 June 1992
Country	France
Type	Operational command
Role	Special operations
Size	3,746 authorized personnel 307 general staff 3,439 operatives
Part of	Ministry of Armed Forces
Headquarters	Hexagone Balard, Paris, France
Nickname(s)	COS
Commanders
Current commander	Major General Michel Delpit

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 (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 (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 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

Navy

Force des Fusiliers Marins et Commandos (FORFUSCO)

• Commandos Marine
  • Commando Hubert - Combat divers, counter-terrorism, and hostage rescue
  • Commando Jaubert - 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 - Electronic warfare
  • Commando Ponchardier - Operational Support

Air and Space Force

• Air and Space Force Special Forces Brigade (BFSA)
  • Air Parachute Commando No. 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

• GIGN
• List of special forces units
• List of French paratrooper units
• United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) - US equivalent command
• United Kingdom Special Forces - British equivalent command

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

External links

• Specwarnet.com
• Le.cos.free.fr (in French)
• Netmarine.net (in French)
• Dogs of the French Special Forces, published by Le Monde