Note 1: It is likely there are at least some reserve Genie and Artillerie regiments assigned to the corps. Note 2

2) 1^st Regt d'Helicopteres de Combat (RHC): 8 Alouette III, 24 Gazelle/HOT, 8 Gazelle/20mm, 24 Super Puma

3) 3^rd Regt d'Helicopteres de Combat (RHC): 8 Alouette III, 24 Gazelle/HOT, 8 Gazelle/20mm, 24 Super Puma

4) 5^th Regt d'Helicopteres de Combat (RHC): 8 Alouette III, 24 Gazelle/HOT, 8 Gazelle/20mm, 24 Super Puma

5) 4^th Regiment de Commande-ment et de Manoeuvre (RCS) – Nancy: 8 Alouette III, 8 Super Puma

6) 9^th Regiment de Soutien Aéromobile – Phalsbourg:

1) 1^st Regiment de Spahis (RS) – Valence: 36 AMX10RC, 3 VAB, 12 VAB/HOT

2) 1^st Regiment Etrangere de Cavalerie (REC) – Orange: 36 AMX10RC, 3 VAB, 12 VAB/HOT

3) 2^nd Regt Etrangere d'Infanterie (REI) – Nimes: VAB Regiment

4) 21^st Regt d'Infanterie de Marine (RIMa) – Fréjus: VAB Regiment

5) 68^th Regiment d'Artillerie (RA) – La Valbonee: 24 BF50 155mm towed, 24 20mm AA

6) 43^rd Regiment d’Artillerie de Marine – La Valbonne: Moblization only

7) 6^th Regiment Etrangere du Genie (REG)(Foreign Legion Combat Engineers):

8) 6^th Regiment de Commande-ment et de Soutien (RCS) – Nimes:
c. 9^th Division Marine - St Malo, France: 8000 pers - this Infantry Division is trained for amphibious operations
1) Regiment d'Infanterie-Chars de Marine (RICM) – Vannes: 36 ERC-90S (to AMX-10RC, 1990), 3 VAB, 12 VAB/HOT

2) 1^st Regt d'Infanterie de Marine (RIMa) – Angoulême: 36 ERC-90S (to AMX-10RC, 1990), 3 VAB, 12 VAB/HOT

3) 2^nd Regt d'Infanterie de Marine (RIMa) – Le Mans: Marine Infantry Regiment

4) 3^rd Regt d'Infanterie de Marine (RIMa) – Vannes: Marine Infantry Regiment

5) 11^th Regiment d'Artillerie de Marine (RAMa) – La Lande d’Ouee: 24 BF50 155mm towed, 24 20mm AA

6) 2^nd Regiment d’Artillerie de Marine (RAMa) – Montlhery: Mobilization only

7) 6^th Regiment du Genie (RG)(Combat Engineers) – Angers: 2 companies

8) 9^th Regiment de Commande-ment et de Soutien (RCS) – Nantes:

2) 1^st Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine (RPIMa) – Bayonne: Parachute Infantry Regiment

3) 3^rd Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine (RPIMa) – Carcasonne: Parachute Infantry Regiment

4) 6^th Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine (RPIMa) – Mont de Marsan: Parachute Infantry Regiment

5) 8^th Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine (RPIMa) – Castres: Parachute Infantry Regiment

6) 1^st Regt de Chasseurs Parachutiste (RCP) – Saint-Médard-en-Jalles Camp de Souge: Parachute Infantry Regiment

7) 9^th Regt de Chasseurs Parachutiste (RCP) – Pamiers: Parachute Infantry Regiment

8) 2^nd Regiment Etrangere Parachutiste (REP) – Calvi: Parachute Infantry Regiment

9) 35^th Regiment d'Artillerie Parachutiste (RAP) – Tarbes: 24 AU50 105mm towed, 24 20mm AA

10) 24^th Regiment d’Artillerie – Saint Avold: Mobilization only

11) 17^th Regiment du Genie Parachutiste (RGP)(Airborne Combat Engineers) – Montauban:

12) 7^th Regiment Parachutiste de Commande-ment et de Soutien (RPCS) – Castres:

13) 14^th Regiment Parachutiste de Commande-ment et de Soutien (RPCS) – Toulouse:
Note: The Soviet Review of Foreign Military Press for September, 1987 says the 1^st RHP was to have 36 ERC-90S and 36 Milan.
e. 27^th Division Alpine - Grenoble, France: 8500 personnel
1) 4^th Regiment de Chasseurs metropolitains (RCh): 36 AML-90, 3 VAB, 12 Jeeps w/Milan

2) 6^th Battalion Chasseurs Alpin (BCA) – Varces: Alpine Infantry Battalion

3) 7^th Battalion Chasseurs Alpin (BCA) – Bourg Saint Maurice: Alpine Infantry Battalion

4) 11^th Battalion Chasseurs Alpin (BCA) – Barcelonnette: Alpine Infantry Battalion

5) 13^th Battalion Chasseurs Alpin (BCA) – Chambéry: Alpine Infantry Battalion

6) 27^th Battalion Chasseurs Alpin (BCA) – Annecy: Alpine Infantry Battalion

7) 159^th Regiment d'Infanterie Alpine (RIA) – Briancon: Alpine Infantry Battalion

8) 93^rd Regiment d'Artillerie Alpine – Varces: 24 AU50 105mm towed

9) 75^th Regiment d’Artillerie Alpine – Varces: Mobilization only

9) 7^th Battalion du Genie Alpine (BGDA) – Avignon:

10) 27^th Groupe-ment d'Helicopteres (GHL): 19 Alouette III, 11 Super Puma, 30 Gazelle/HOT

11) 27^th Regiment de Commande-ment et de Soutien (RCS) – Grenoble:

2) 28^th Regiment de Transmissions – Orleans:

3) 602^nd Regiment de Circulation Routiere – Dijon:

4) 511^th Regiemnt du Train:

1) Jaubert: 84-man assault commando

2) Penfentenvo: 84-man assault commando

3) Trepel: 84-man assault commando

4) Montfort: Support commando with 81mm mortars, MILAN ATGM, flamethrowers and engineering equipment

5) Hubert: Assault swimmer commando

6) Francois: Reserve assault commando
7. Forces Deployed Overseas
a. St. Denis, La Reunion (Indian Ocean)

1) 2^nd Regiment Parachutiste Infanterie De Marine

2) Company-sized detachment, Legion Etrangere

3) 53^rd Battalion de Commande-ment et de Soutien (BCS)

4) Air transport assets, including C-160 Transalls and SA-319 helicopters
b. West Africa

1) 6^th Regiment d’Infanterie de Marine – Libreville, Gabon:

2) 23^rd Regiment d’Infanterie de Marine – Dakar, Senegal

3) 43^rd Regiment d’Infanterie de Marine – Port Bouet, Cote d’Ivoire

4) 1 Regiment, Legion Etrangere

5) Air transport assets, including C-160 Transalls, SA-330, SA-316/319, AS-350 helos

1) 13^th Demi Brigade Legion Etrangere: 3 Infantry cos, 1 AMX-10RC co, 1 mixed 105mm/155mm artillery battery

2) 5^th Regiment Inter-Armees Outre Mere: 3 Infanty Cos, 1 AMX-13 co, 1 mixed 105mm/155mm artillery battery

3) ALAT Detachment: 5 medium transport helicopters (SA-330)

4) 10^th Battalion de Commande-ment et de Soutien (BCS)

5) Sqadron, Armee de l’Aire: 10 F-1C, 1 C-160, 2 SA-316, 1 SA-319

1) 1 battalion group:

a) 1 motor rifle company

b) 6 AML armored cars

c) Support co with O-1e light aircraft, 120mm mortars, MILAN
e. Chad

1) 3 infantry companies

2) Several anti-aircraft units

3) Several light aviation units

1) Regiment d’Infanterie de Marine de Pacifique (Noumea)

2) 2 independent infantry companies

3) 42^nd Battalion de Commande-ment et de Soutien (BCS)

4) Various air detachments including C-160, SA-319, SA-330
g. Eastern Pacific – Papeete, Tahiti

1) 5^th Regiment d’Infanterie Etrangere:

2) Regiment d’Infanterie de Marine de Pacifique (Papeete)

3) 57^th Battalion de Commande-ment et de Soutien (BCS)

4) Various air detachments including SE-320, Gardian aircraft, AS-332, SA-319 helos.
h. Antilles-Guyana

1) 33^rd Regiment d’Infanterie de Marine – Antilles

2) 41^st Bataillon d’Infanterie de Marine – Antilles

3) 3^rd Regiment Etranger d’Infanterie de Marine – Guyana

4) 9^th Bataillon d’Infanterie de Marine – Guyana
8. Regional Forces (reserves, all part of territorial army):
a. 1^st Region Militaire - Paris:

1) 102^nd Brigade de Zone:

a) 8^th Regiment de Chasseurs:

b) 93^rd Regiment d’Infanterie:

c) 70^th Regiment d’Infanterie de Marine:

d) 102^nd Regiment de Commande-ment et de Soutien:

e) 152^nd, 162^nd Compagnie du Génie

2) 12^th Military Division – Versaille:

a) 76^th Regiment Inter-Armes Divisionaire – Ile de France:

3) 13^th Military Division – Tours:

a) 90^th (or 95^th RIAD?) – Centre Val-de-Loire:

4) 1^st Groupement d’Helicopteres Legers

b. 2^nd Region Militaire - Lille:

1) 108^th Brigade de Zone

a) 18^th Regiment de Chasseurs

b) 45^th Regiment d’Infanterie

c) 87^th Regimenet d’Infanterie

d) 108^th Regiment de Commande-ment et de Soutien

e) 158^th, 168^th Compagnie du Génie

2) 21^st Military Division – Lille

a) 243^rd RIAD – Nord Pas de Calais:

3) 22^nd Military Division – Amiens

a) 54^th RIAD – Picardie:

4) 23^rd Military Division – Rouen

a) 239^th RIAD – Haute Normandie:

5) 2^nd Groupement d’Helicopteres Legers

c. 3^rd Region Militaire - Rennes:

1) 109^th Brigade de Zone

a) 19^th Regeiment Dragons

b) 62^nd Regiment d’Infanterie

c) 117^th Regiment d’Infanterie

d) 109^th Regiment de Commande-ment et de Soutien

e) 159^th, 169^th Compagnie du Génie

2) 31^st Military Division – Rennes

a) 48^th RIAD – Bretagne:

3) 32^nd Military Division – Caen

a) 2^nd RIAD – Basse Normandie:

4) 33^rd Military Division – Nantes

a) 137^th RIAD – Pays-de-la-Loire:

5) 3^rd Groupement d’Helicopteres Legers

d. 4^th Region Militaire - Bordeaux:

1) 115^th Brigade de Zone

a) 9^th Regiment de Chasseurs

b) 18^th Regiment d’Infanterie

c) 34^th Regeiment d’Infanterie

d) 115^th Regiment de Commande-ment et de Soutien

e) 155^th, 165^th Compagnie du Génie

2) 41^st Military Division – Bordeaux

a) 144^th RIAD – Acquitaine:

3) 42^nd Military Division – Poitiers

a) 107^th RIAD – Poitou-Charentes:

4) 43^rd Military Division – Limoges

a) 100^th RIAD – Limousin:

5) 44^th Miliatary Division – Toulouse/Pau

a) 15^th RIAD – Midi-Pyrenees:

6) 4^th Groupement d’Helicopteres Legers

e. 5^th Region Militaire - Lyon:

1) 152^nd Infantry Division - Montpellier, France (used to protect Nuclear assets on the Plateau d’Albion)

a) 4^th Regiment d’Infanterie – Frejus:

b) 86^th Regiment d’Infanterie – Issoire:

c) 19^th Regiment de Chasseurs – Carpiagne:

d) 152^nd Regiment de Commande-ment et de Soutien:

2) 127^th Brigade de Zone:

a) 17^th Regiment de Chasseurs:

b) 140^th Regiment d’Infanterie (RIA)

c) 67^th Battalion de Chasseurs Alpine:

d) 127^th Regiment de Commande-ment et de Soutien:

e) 177^th, 187^th Compagnie du Génie

f) 75^th Regiment d’Infanterie (not confirmed)

3) 51^st Military Division – Lyons

a) 299^th RIAD – Rhone-Alpes:

4) 52^nd Military Division – Clermond-Ferrand

a) 292^nd RIAD – Auvergne:

5) 53^rd Military Division – Marseilles

a) 141^st RIAD – Provence:

6) 54^th Military Division – Monpellier

a) 142^nd RIAD – Languedoc:

7) 55^th Miltary Division – Bastia, Corse

a) 173^rd RIAD – Bastia, Corse:

b) 373^rd RIAD – Ajaccio, Corse:

8) 5^th Groupement d’Helicopteres Legers

f. 6^th MR - Metz:

1) 107^th Brigade de Zone:

a) 10^th Regiment de Chasseurs:

b) 23^rd Regiment d’Infanterie:

c) 149^th Regiment d’Infanterie:

d) 107^th Regiment de Commande-ment et de Soutien:

e) 157^th, 167^th Compagnie du Génie:

2) 110^th Brigade de Zone:

a) 15^th Regiment de Chasseurs:

b) 41^st Groupe de Chasseurs

c) 164^th Regeiment d’Infanterie

d) 110^th Regiment de Commande-ment et de Soutien

e) 160^th, 170^th Compagnie du Génie

3) 61^st Military Region – Nancy

a) 37^th RIAD – Lorraine:

4) 62^nd Military Region – Strasbourg

a) 158^th RIAD – Alsace:

5) 63^rd Military Region – Chalons-sur-Marne

a) 106^th RIAD – Champagne-Ardenne:

6) 64^th Military Region – Dijon

a) 10^th RIAD – Bourgogne:

7) 65^th Military Region – Besancon

a) 60^th RIAD – Franche Compte:

8) 6^th Groupement d’Helicopteres Legers

g. Rhine Territorial Division

1) 1^st Regiment du Genie – Strasbourg: (active army)

2) 83^rd Bataillon D’Engins Fluviaux du Genie – 32^nd Regiment du Genie – Kehl: Riverine craft unit (active army)

3) 12^th Regiment du Genie:

4) 16^th Regiment du Genie – Dijon:

5) 37^th Regiment Interarmees Divisionaire (RIAD):

6) 59^th Regiment d’Artillerie: Air defense artillery

7) 10^th Bataillon de Chasseurs a Pied: Infantry

8) 29^th Bataillon de Chasseurs a Pied: Infantry

9) 31^st Bataillon de Chasseurs a Pied: Infantry

10) 156^th Regiment de Commande-ment et de Soutien:

h. Six frontier infantry regiments, including:

1) 49^th Regiment d’Infanterie: Acquitaine (observing border with Spain)

a. Gendarmarie Departmentale: local detachments (3,500+) – 52,000 personnel

b. Gendermarie Mobile: 130+ Escadrons (companies) – 17,500 personnel

c. 1^st Groupement Blinde – Versailles:

1) 2 Companies of AMX-13s

2) 3 Companies of Mech infantry

3) 1 Squadron of VBC-90s
Note 1: French Regimental Organizations:
Tank Regiment

HQ Co: 2 AMX-30, 4 AMX-10P

3 or 4 Tanks Cos, each: 17 AMX-30, 1 AMX-10PC

0 or 1 Mech Co: 3 Mech platoons, 13 AMX-10P total

Support Company: Recce platoon (6 light vehicles w/MGs?)
Note: Regiments with 3 Tank companies typically had the Mech company, those with 4 tank companies did not. The divisions with only two tank regiments used the 4 tank company organization.
AMX-10P Regiment

HQ Co: 2 AMX-10P

2 or 3 Mech Cos, each: 4 Infantry platoons, 18 AMX-10P, 8 Milan total

0 to 2 Tank Cos, each: 3 platoons of AMX-30, 1 Mech platoon, 10 AMX-30, 4 AMX-10P total

Support Co: Recce platoon, Mortar Platoon (8 VAB, 6 120mm towed mortar)
Note: Organization was fluid. Original organization was 2 Mech, 2 Tank companies, but this appears to have changed in the late 1980s with at least some units. May have been 3 Mech and no Tank companies or 3 Mech and 1 Tank companies in some regiments.
VAB Regiment

HQ Co:

Heavy Co: Recce platoon (9 light vehicles), Mortar platoon (6 120mm mortars), AT Platoon (4 or 6 Milan on light vehicles)

HQ Co:

Heavy Co: Recce platoon (light vehicles), Mortar platoon (6 120mm mortars), 2 AT platoons (6 Milan each), 1 AA platoon (6 20mm AA guns)

The Soviet Review of Foreign Military Press for September, 1987, says the battalions had 24 Milan total.
Alpine Battalion

HQ Co:

Heavy Co: Recce platoon (light vehicles or AML?), Mortar platoon (6 81mm mortars), Mortar platoon (3 120mm mortars), AT platoon (6 Milan)

The recce platoon may have been the High Mountain Platoon, a group of specially-trained mountaineers that acted as a dismounted recon platoon.

The battalion could also have been mounted in VABs.

The Soviet Review of Foreign Military Press for September, 1987, says the battalions had a total of 14 Milan
Marine Regiment

HQ:

Heavy Co: ?

The Soviet Review of Foreign Military Press for September, 1987, says the battalions had a total of 8 81mm mortars (implying 4 companies), plus 6 120mm mortars and 24 Milan
Engineer Regiment: The divisional engineer regiment of the tank divisions had about 850 men, 16 combat engineering vehicles, 16 VABs, 4 dozer tanks and 4 mineclearing systems split among 2 armored engineer companies, 1 heavy engineer company, and 1 light engineer company.
Escadron d'Eclairage Divisionnaire (EED) – Divisional Recon Squadron

HQ:

1 Patrouille Commandement: Groupe de Commandement (2 VLTT P4), Groupe Antichar (3 VLTT P4, 2 Milan)

3 Patrouille d’Eclairage, each: 2 VLTT P4, 1 with LRAC, 1 with AA52-NF1 MG

1 Peleton Radar: 1 command group, 2 groups with RASIT radar

3 companies of infantry

1 company of light armored vehicles (almost all would be AMLs)
Note: TO&Es come from a variety of sources and represent a best guess. Much of the information is from Armies of NATO’s Central Front, so is a bit dated for the 1989 time frame. Any additional information or corrections would be greatly appreciated.
Note 2: The French army had 1.31 million men in its reserve pool. Only 419,000 were earmarked to specific units as of early 1990. The remainder would act as individual replacements or would go to form new units. France had, through the early 1980s, a vast number of infantry, engineer and armored recon units organized from their reserves with few higher formation headquarters assigned. An attempt had been during the late 1970s to form them into about 12 divisions, but the process was never completed and ultimately given up. The 1984 reorganization saw the formation of 7 “Brigades de Zone” each of 2 infantry regiments, an armored car regiment, and an engineer regiment. Other formations were in theory combined into 23 Regiments Interarmees Divisionnaires (one per military division, which is a geographical entity not a unit description), each with three infantry companies and a company of AML armored cars. Even after such a reorganization, there would have been a large number of additional reserve units still available. They may have been disbanded or have continued to exist. Earlier OOBs showed significantly larger Brigades de Zone – often with 2 or 3 armored recon regts and 3-5 infantry regiments. Any additional information would be fully appreciated.
The following are reserve units that appear in Gordon MacInlay’s 1984 Orbat & TO&E review of French forces, but aren’t included above. I’ve tried to weed out the obvious ones – such as regiments that clearly became RIADs. I don’t know the status of these units by 1989.
1) 1^st Military Region

a) 56^th RA – Severes: 40mm AA guns

b) 32^nd RI -- Tours

c) 66^th RI – Azay-le-Rideu

d) 101^st RI – Massey

e) 120^th RI -- Fountainbleu

f) 6^th RCh – Rambouillet/Chartres: Security/Recon cavalry unit

g) 12^th RD – Pannes Loiret: Security/Recon cavalry unit

h) 29^th RD – Sourdon, Provins: Security/Recon cavalry unit

2) 2^nd Military Region

a) 22^nd RAMa – Folembray: 105mm howitzers

b) 5^th RCh – Laon: light recon unit

c) 13^th RCh – La Valbonne: AML

d) 18^th RCh – Arras: light recon unit

e) 127^th RI – Valenciennes

f) 128^th RI – Compaiegne

g) 174^th RI – Le Havre

3) 3^rd Military Region

a) 9^th RI – Nantes

b) 36^th RI – Caen

c) 70^th RI – St. Jacques

d) 77^th RI – Angers

e) 115^th RI – Nantes

4) 4^th Military Region

a) 10^th RH – Tarbes: light recon unit

b) 20^th RI – Montauban

c) 49^th RI – Bordeaux

d) 50^th RI – Souge

e) 83^rd RI – Toulouse

f) 122^nd RI – Rodez

5) 5^th Military Region

a) 46^th RCh – Grenoble

b) 7^th RIMa -- Frejus

c) 22^nd RI – Sathonay

d) 30^th RI – Annecy

e) 38^th RID – St. Etienne

f) 52^nd RI – Valance

g) 72^nd RI -- Marseilles

h) 86^th RI – Le Puy

i) 96^th RI – Languedoc

j) 112^th RI -- Cassis

k) 121^st RID -- ???

l) 163^rd RI -- Nice

m) 275^th RI – Valence

6) 6^th Military Region

a) 62^nd RA – Metz: 105mm howitzers

b) 44^th RI – Doubs

c) 56^th RI – Lons-le-Saunier

d) 69^th RI – Essey-les-Nancy

e) 79^th RID – St. Avold

f) 155^th RID – Verdun

g) 172^nd RI – Luxeuil-les-Bains

h) 226^th RI – Nancy
MacInlay’s document also shows significantly more units attached to the 152^nd Infantry Division, including the 85^th and 164^th Compagnie du Genie, 3^rd RI, 15^th BCA, 22^nd BCA, 47^th BCA, and 53^rd BCA.