World Military and Police Forces: France

France

Capital: Paris

NATO member nation

Interpol is headquartered in Lyon, France

Space Program
Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)- National Center for Space Studies
Headquartered in Paris, France
Operates out of the Guiana Space Center in French controlled Guiana in South America and the Toulouse Space Center (CST) in France.

European Space Agency (ESA)
Headquarters in Paris, France
Twenty European member nations.
Primary space center located in French controlled Guiana in South America
Ariane series of space launch rockets
Ariane 5 space launch rocket

ATV-5 "Georges Lemaitre"
ATV-4 "Albert Einstein" automated transfer vehicle. Unmanned cargo resupply space vehicle.
ATV-3 "Edoardo Amaldi" automated transfer vehicle. Unmanned cargo resupply space vehicle.
ATV-2 "Johannnes Kepler" automated transfer vehicle. Unmanned cargo resupply space vehicle.
ATV-1 "Jules Verne" automated transfer vehicle. Unmanned cargo resupply space vehicle.

250,000 active duty personnel

419,000 reserve personnel

Ballistic Missiles and Cruise Missiles

M-20 submarine launched ballistic missiles

M-45 submarine launched ballistic missiles

M-51 submarine launched ballistic missiles

Apache air launched cruise missiles

SCALP cruise missiles

ASMP cruise missiles

ASLP cruise missiles

Hades short range ballistic missiles (Out of service since 1996)

Air Force (Armee De L'Air)

Rafale (59)

Mirage 2000 (158)

Mirage F-1 (

Alpha Jet (77)

EMB-121 (23)

C-160 transport aircraft (48)

C-130 transport aircraft (14)

CASA CN-235 transport aircraft (21)

KC-135 air refueling aircraft (14)

Jaguar A?

Super Etendard?

EADS Harfang unmanned aerial vehicle

Helicopters

AS-342W Gazelle

Tiger attack helicopters

AS-565SB Panther

SA-330 Puma

AS-532 Cougar

AS.555 Fennec

AS-550

EC 725 Super Cougar transport helicopters

SA 365 Dauphin

SA 316 Alouette III helicopters

Dauphin 2

NH-90 transport helicopters

Aircraft munitions
SCALP air launched cruise missiles

Apache air launched cruise missiles

Guided Bombs

Rockets

Magic R.550 air-to-air missiles

MICA air-to-air missiles

Super 530 air to air missiles

AS.30 air to air missiles (used on Jaguar B and Jaguar S)

30mm cannons

AM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles

Matra laser guided bombs

BA stands for Air Base (Base Aerienne)

BA160 in Dakar Africa

BA 181 on Reunion Island off the coast of Africa

BA 188 in Djibouti Africa

Liberville and N'djamena

BA 190 in “French” Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean

BA 365 on the island of Martinique in the Caribbean

BA 367 in Guyana (or Guiana?)

BA 376 in New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean. Mirage 2000 aircraft. Air defense radars.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Sperwer B

Sperwer Mk II

Sperwer TUAV

EADS Harfang

Fusiliers Commandos de l'Air
Air force infantry. Protect French air bases and assets.

Commando Parachutiste de l'Air
CPA 10- Combat Control

CPA 20- Airbase Defense
CPA 30- Search and Rescue

Naval Forces

Marine National (National Navy) or just Marine

Aircraft Carriers (1)

Assault Ships (4)

Frigates with MM40 Exocet anti-ship missiles (12)

Corvettes (11)

Intelligence Ships

Offshore patrol vessels (9)

Patrol Boats (15)

Mine Warfare vessels (18)

Submarines (10)

SSN (Nuclear powered submarines)

SSBN (Nuclear powered submarines with Ballistic Missiles)

Hades submarine launched ballistic missiles

Exocet anti-ship missiles
Aster series of surface-to-air missiles

Landing Ships (2)

Aircraft Carriers

Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier with Rafale aircraft

The Jeanne d'Arc helicopter carrier or helicopter cruiser was retired from service in 2010.

Was used for training during peace time.

Was equipped with 6 Exocet anti-ship missile launcher.

Could carry up to 10 light or heavy helicopters.

Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH)-3

Mistral Class BCP

Referred to as Projection and Command Ships (Batiments de projection et de commandement or BCP)

All electric warship.

SIMBAD air defense system.

Can carry 16 heavy Tigre or NH90 helicopters or 35 light helicopters Most aircraft in hangars below deck. Space on deck for 6 helicopters.

Can carry 4 CTM (chaland de transport de materiel) or 2 LCAC (Landing Craft, Air Cushioned)

May carry up to 40 Leclerc tanks and 450 soldiers.

Mistral BCP (Mistral class BCP)

Tonnerre BCP (Mistral class BCP)
Dixmude BCP (Mistral class BCP)

Landing Platform Dock (LPD)-1
Siroco (L9012)

Foudre Class TCD

Referred to as Transport de Chalands de Debarquement or TCD

Can carry 8 landing craft and 480-900 soldiers.

SIMBAD air defense system

Can carry four helicopters.

BATRAL landing ships (2)
Small landing ships with a light helicopter deck.

Floreal Class Fregates de Surveillance (FS) surveillance frigates created for patrolling French colonies. Not as well armed as a regular frigate would be because of decreased threat. Armed with 2x MM38 Exocet anti-ship missiles, 100mm gun, 2x 20mm cannons and a Panther or Alouette III helicopter.

P400 patrol boats armed with 40mm Bofors, 20mm cannon, and 2xAA-52 machine guns.

Naval Air Stations

BAN Nimes Garons in France

BAN Landivisiau in France

BAN Lann-Bihoue in France

BAN Lanveoc-Poulmic in France

BAN Myeres in France

Naval Aviation

Etendard

Super Etendard

Rafale

Atlantic 2 maritime patrol aircraft with Exocet missiles and depth charges.

Lynx helicopters used for ASW

AS.365 Panther helicopters

SA 365 Dauphin helicopters

SA 321 Super Frelon helicopters

SA 3160 Alouette III helicopters

AM39 Exocet air launched anti-ship missiles

MM38 Exocet ship launched anti-ship missiles

MM40 Exocet ship launched anti-ship missiles

SM39 Exocet submarine launched anti-ship missiles

F21 heavy torpedoes

Commandos Marine (Naval Commandos)

About 500 men mostly based in Brittany with several bases across France. Wear green berets.

Commando Hubert- Combat diver unit

Commando Jaubert- Sea borne assault and exfiltration unit.

Commando Trepel- Sea borne assault and exfiltration unit.

Commando de Denfentenyo- Intelligence gathering and reconnaissance swimmers

Commando de Montfort- Long Range neutralization unit (including enemy missile launchers, mortars and artillery)

Commando Kieffer- C3I and military dog handling unit.

Army (Armee de Terre)

About 112,000 army personnel

Army Aviation

Tiger attack helicopters (80)

Gazelle helicopters (265)

Crecerelle UAV

CL-289 UAV

Sperwer UAV

Leclerc tanks with 120mm cannon and machine gun (AMX-56 Leclerc)- 252

AMX-30 tanks with 105mm cannon and machine gun. Used for training (17)

AMX-10RC with 105mm cannon and machine gun (300)

AMX-10P Infantry Fighting Vehicle with 20mm cannon and machine gun (1050)

VAB (Vehicule de l'Avent Blinde) armored personnel carriers with machine gun (3,170)

VBL (Vehicule Blinde Leger) 4x4 wheeled all terrain vehicles. Often used for reconnaissance. May be equipped with Milan anti-tank missiles and machine gun. To be replaced by the PVP. (1100)

VCAC-HOT Tank Destroyer with HOT anti-tank missiles

ERC-90 Sagare- Wheeled. (192)

PVP (Petit Vehicule Protege)- 4x4 wheeled light personnel carrier (354)

VBCI (Vehicule Blinde de Combat d'Infanterie)- Wheeled. To replace the AMX-10P. (200 with 500 more on order)

Sherpa 3 (33 on order)

Nexter Aravis (15)

Buffalo (3)
ACMAT ALTV (All Wheel Light Tactical Vehicle) series of 4x4 wheeled pickup trucks. Many variants.

ACMAT Bastion armored personnel carriers. For export market only?

VHM- Vehicule Haute Mobilite (Bandvagn BvS10 Viking) high mobility vehicle. Tracked. (12 currently. 191 on order)

ACMAT VLRA (Vehicule de Liaison de Reconnaissance et d'appui) series of 4x4 and 6x6 wheeled trucks

ACMAT VLA (Vehicule Logistiques de l'avant) series of 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 wheeled trucks

Artillery
Lance Roquettes Multiple (LRM)- French designation for the M270 MLRS multiple rocket launcher (41)

GCT AU F1 152mm self propelled howitzers. Based on the AMX-30 chassis. (174)

GCT AU F2 152mm self propelled howitzers. Improved version of the GCT AU F1

CAESAR wheeled self propelled 155mm howitzer (77)

TRF1 towed 155mm howitzer (105)

MO-120 RT-61 (RTF1) 120mm mortars

LLR 81mm mortars

LGI Mle F1 51mm mortar/grenade launcher

HOT anti-tank missiles used on Tigre attack helicopters

Trigat anti-tank missiles used on Tigre attack helicopters

Missile Moyenne Porte (MMP) anti-tank guided missiles

FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles

MILAN anti-tank guided missiles

ERYX anti-tank missile launcher. Has limited anti-helicopter capabilities.

AT-4 anti-tank rocket launchers.
APILAS anti-tank rocket launchers.

LRAC 89 (Lance Roquettes Anti Char) 89mm anti-tank rocket launcher. Replaced by the AT-4 and the ERYX.

Small Arms

AC58 rifles grenades

APAV40 rifle grenades

Hecate II 12.7mm anti-material rifle.

Browning M2HB .50 cal machine guns

FN MAG machine guns

FN Minimi light machine guns

AA-52 machine guns

FR-F1 sniper rifles

FR-F2 sniper rifles

FAMAS 5.56mm bullpup assault rifles. Accepts all standard NATO 5.56mm magazines.

MAB PA 15 pistols

MAS Model 1950 pistols

PAMAS pistols

MAS 49 7.5x54mm assault rifles

MAT 49 sub-machine guns

World War 2 era MAS 36 7.5mm bolt action rifle

The French also use marksmen in squad sized units, or rifle sections. A section is composed of eight men armed with FAMAS rifles, one AA-52 light machine gun, and a sniper armed with a FR-F1 or FR-F2 sniper rifle.

Marines

Troupes de Marine or Infanterie de Marine. Formerly called Troupes Coloniales (Colonial Troops).

French marines are part of the Army, not the Navy. French marines also include marine airborne units and artillery units. Most marine regiments wear blue berets while airborne marine regiments wear maroon berets.

1er Regiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (1er RPIMa)

Headquarters in Bayonne, France
2e Regiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (2e RPIMa)- Currently on the island of Reunion.
3e Regiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (3e RPIMa)
8e Regiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (8e RPIMa)

Regiment de Marche du Tchad (RMT)
Mechanized infantry unit

Regiment d'Infanterie-chars de marine - Marine Infantry Tank Regiment
Light cavalry regiment equipped with AMX-10RC

1er Regiment d'Infanterie de Marine (1er RIMa)
2e Regiment d'Infanterie de Marine (2e RIMa)
3e Regiment d'Infanterie de Marine (3e RIMa)
21e Regiment d'Infanterie de Marine (21e RIMa)

1er Regiment d'Artillerie de Marine (1er RAMa)
3e Regiment d'Artillerie de Marine (3e RAMa)
11e Regiment d'Artillerie de Marine (11e RAMa)

5e Regiment Interarmes d'outre-mer (5e RIAOM)- Currently in Djibouti
6e Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine (6e BIMa)- Currently in Gabon.
9e Regiment d'Infanterie de Marine (9e RIMa)- Currently in French Guiana.
Detachment Terre Antilles/33e RIMa- Currently in Martinique
Regiment d'Infanterie de Marine du Pacifique-Nouvelle Caledonie (RIMaP-NC)- Currently in New Caledonia.

Regiment d'Infanterie de Marine du Pacifique- Polynesie (RIMaP-P)- Currently in French Polynesia.

Elite

Foreign Legion
Approximately 7,700 personnel in 11 regiments and 1 sub unit
White Kepi hat
Green beret

1er Regiment Etranger de Cavalerie (1er REC)
AMX-10 RC
2e Regiment Etranger d'Infanterie (2e REI)
1er Regiment Etranger de Genie (1er REG)

2e Regiment Etranger de Genie (2e REG)- Combat Engineer Regiment.

2e Regiment Etranger de Parachutistes (2e REP)

6th Battalion
3e Regiment Etranger d'Infanterie (3e REI)
13e Demi-Brigade de la Legion Etranger (13e DBLE)- Based in the United Arab Emirates
Detachment de la Legion Etranger a Mayotte- Based in Mayotte

Legion combat engineers (Pionniers or Pioneers) traditional dress uniform include the wearing of beards and leather aprons and carry axes

Airborne

1er Regiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes

1st Parachute Chassuers (Hunters) Regiment. Army airborne unit.

1er Regiment de Hussards Parachutistes
1st Parachute Hussar Regiment

ERC 90 armored reconnaissance vehicles

35e Regiment d'Artillerie Parachutistes (35e RAP)
35th Parachute Artillery Regiment
TRF 1 155mm howitzers
RTF 1 120mm mortars

17e Regiment du Genie Parachutistes (17e RGP)
17th Engineer Parachute Regiment

1er Regiment du Train Parachutistes (1e RTP)
1st Parachute Transportation Regiment

Chasseurs Alpins
Mountain Troops
Wear wide tarte beret
Three battalions
7e Battailon de Chasseurs Alpins (7e BCA)
13e Battailon de Chasseurs Alpins (13e BCA)
27e Battailon de Chasseurs Alpins (27e BCA)

French Army Special Forces Brigade
Brigade des Forces Speciales Terre

13e Regiment de Dragons Parachutistes (13e RDP)

Airborne Reconnaissance unit. Regiment size. Part of French Army Special Forces. Headquarters in Dieuze.

1st Moroccan Spahi Regiment (1er Regiment de Spahis Marocains)
Armored regiment. Part of the French 6th Light Armored Brigade.

Air Defense
SAMP/T "Mamba" air defense system. Armed with eight Aster-30 missiles

AMX-30R

Self Propelled Roland surface-to-air missile system on a AMX-30 chassis.

Roland surface-to-air missile system

Mistral surface-to-air missiles

Crotale surface-to-air missile system

Gendarmerie Nationale

National paramilitary police force

Gendarmerie Mobile-Anti-riot force belonging to the Gendarmerie Nationale

VXB-170 (called the VBRG) armored vehicles with 7mm of armor and special bullet proof tires.

Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale (GIGN)- Elite counter-terrorist unit belonging to the Gendarmerie Nationale.

Gendarmerie Maritime

Elorn Class Vedette Cotiere de Surveillance Maritime (VCSM) boats used by the Gendarmerie Maritime

Coastal boats for maritime surveillance.

Police Nationale

SIG SP 2022 pistols. 9X19mm Parabellum

Compagnies Republicaines de Securite (CRS)- Anti-riot forces of the Police Nationale.

RAID (Rechereche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion)

Elite counter-terrorist unit belonging to the Police Nationale.

SDAT (Sous Direction Anti-Terrorise)
Anti-Terrorist Sub Directorate. Part of the Police Judiciaire of the Police Nationale.

Plan Vigipirate

French national security alert system. Warns of elevated threat levels using a color coded system. White being the least threatening, or no threat, yellow, orange, red, and scarlet. Includes armed military and paramilitary patrols in civilian areas.

Intelligence Agencies

Direction Generale de la Securite Exterieure (DGSE)

General Directorate for External Security- French foreign intelligence service. Has a unit of combat divers. Responsible destroying Greenpeace ship called the “Rainbow Warrior”. Planted limpet mines on the ship while it was docked in New Zealand. Greenpeace was protesting France testing nuclear weapons in the Pacific Ocean. The DGSE falls under the French Ministry of Defense.

Direction Generale de la Securite Interieure (DGSI)
General Directorate for Internal Security. The DGSI falls under the French Ministry of the Interior.

Directorate of Military Intelligence (DRM)

Historical

The DST created an organization in Algeria to conduct false flag operations to discredit the Algerian freedom fighters and dissolve any hope of a political compromise.

French intelligence used narcotics trafficking to pay for their operations in Southeast Asia during the 1950's and 1960's.

Special Weapons

Nuclear Weapons

France has the third largest nuclear weapons arsenal in the world, only behind the United States and Russia.

France tested nuclear weapons in Algeria, and the South Pacific from 1960 to 1996. In the Sahara desert and in the Mururoa atoll located southeast of Tahiti.

The Mirage 2000N is capable of delivering nuclear bombs or missiles.

M45 submarine launched ballistic missiles

M51 submarine launched ballistic missiles

Possible use of Super Etendards with nuclear weapons from aircraft carriers or naval airbases.

ASMP medium range air launched missiles with nuclear warheads. 50 for the French air force and 10 with the French navy.

The Mirage 2000N and the Super Etendard are to be eventually replaced by the Rafale as ASMP missile carriers.

Right Wing French Organizations
Front National (National Front)

French Companies

Aerospatiale

Dassault

GIAT

Renault
Nexter
Thales Group
Arianespace
Naval Group (Formerly DCNS)
ARQUUS
Safran (formerly SAGEM)

Exail
Unseenlabs

Modern French Colonies

France calls its overseas colonies Departments, which are like states or provinces, in order to avoid having them listed as colonial territories by the United Nations.

French Colonies in Europe

Corsica
Mediterranean island near Italy, north of Sardinia.
Under French occupation.

Gendamerie

French colonies in North America

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Located off the east coast of Canada, near Newfoundland.

French Colonies in South America

"French" Guiana

Occupied by France

Capital: Cayenne

The French continue to plunder resources such as gold, bauxite, kaolin, and timber.

French forces are part of the Forces Armees en Guyane (FAG)

Approximately 2,200 personnel

Guiana Space Center

The European Space Agency

The ELA-3 satelite launch complex in Kourou. is located east of the ELA-2 facility. Over 15 square kilometers. 25Km north west of Kourou. Includes a launcher preparation zone and a launch zone. Ariane-5 rockets.

France has about 2,600 total military and gendarmerie forces stationed in Guiana

Military Command Center in Kourou

4 Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft

AWACS aircraft

P4 jeeps

Armored vehicles

Puma helicopters

20mm anti-aircraft guns

Centaure radar system with a 200 km range.

Four radars with a 18 km range.

3^rd Foreign Legion Infantry Regiment (3 REI)

Has stations along the Oyapok River at Saint-Georges and Camopi.

Equatorial Forest Training Center (CEFE) at Regina.

About 650 personnel are stationed at Koutou to protect the Guiana Space Centre and keep the eastern parts of Guiana under surveillance. Use night vision equipment, motorbikes, small boats, and Bv 206 tracked armored vehicles.

The Gendarmerie provides surveillance of the Kourou area. Mobile unit of around 90 gendarmeries. Conduct reconnaissance and patrols along the Malmanoury River. Continuous air surveillance around the space center. Vehicle checks outside the Space Center.

Around 700 Gendarmerie total (300 of whom are in mobile units)

Section de Recherches de Cayenne. The Section de Recherches (SR) is part of the Gendarmerie.

Police National
Brigade Anti Criminalite (BAC)- Anti-Crime Brigade. Part of the Police National.

Degrad de Cannes naval base at Cayenne.

Around 140 total naval personnel. Use patrol boats and observation aircraft. French naval support located in the Gulf of Guinea can be called up.

About 200 Air Force personnel stationed at the Rochambeau (in Cayenne) and Kourou bases. Rochambeau is surrounded by forested areas.

Airbase 367 "Captain Masse" Cayenne Rochambeau

CASA transport aircraft (3)

Puma helicopters (4)

AS555 Fennec helicopters (4)

9^th Marine Infantry Regiment (9 RIMA) has about 600 marines based in Cayenne and Saint Jean de Maroni. The 9^th RIMA also has stations along the Maroni River at Nasson, Maripasoula, and Wempi.

3rd REI in Kourou, St. George and Regina

P400 patrol boats (2)

Gendarmerie Maritime with Elorn Class (VCSM) patrol boats (2) One in Kourou and the other in Cayenne

Adaptive Military Service (AEW) to incorporate local youth? Similar to cadet program?

Naval base in Stoupan?

French forces in Guiana

French Colonies in the Caribbean

Guadeloupe

(Still under French occupation)

Capital: Pointe-a-Pitre

Includes the island of Marie Galante.

French Gendarmerie

French 44^th Battalion stationed on Guadeloupe?

Historical

In 1635, France initiated a war of extermination on the native Caribbeans on Guadeloupe, and has occupied the island ever since. Most of the population are of slave ancestry.

Martinique

(Still under French occupation)

Capital: Fort de France

Lamentin International Airport (or Fort de France Aime Cesaire International Airport)

Around 1,250 French military personnel Guadeloupe and Martinique. Under the Forces Armees aux Antilles (FAA)

French airbase BA 365 (Lamentin Air Base) in Fort de France

C-160 Transall

Floreal Class Surveillance frigates with a Panther and Aloutte III helicopter (2)

BATRAL light transport ship

Tugboat

Gendarmerie Maritime with patrol boat.

Fort Saint Louis in Fort de France

RIMA (Regiment Marine Infantry)

33rd Detachment Land Antilles (DTA)- RIMA DTA/33 based at Fort Desaix in Fort de France

Fort Desaix

Fort Saint Louis

Saint Barthelemy

(Still under French occupation)

Also called Saint Barths or Saint Barts

Capital: Gustavia

Saint Martin

(Still under French occupation)

The island is divided between the French and the Dutch. The French half (Saint Martin) lies to the north, while the Dutch half (St. Maarten) is to the south.

Capital: Marigot

Gendarmerie

French Colonies in Africa
"Francafrique"- French Neo-Colonialist policy for Africa.

Reunion Island

(Under French occupation)

French forces on Reunion are part of Forces Armees en Zone Sud de l'Ocean Indien (FAZSOI)

Approximately 1900 French military personnel in Reunion and Mayotte.

BA 181 airbase

2e Regiment Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine (2e RPIMa)-2nd Regiment of Airborne Marines

The French Navy Indian Ocean fleet is based in Reunion.

Port of Pointe Pebbles

Surveillance frigates with 2 Panther helicopters (2)

BATRAL light transport ship

Gendarmerie Maritime with patrol boat

Southern patrol?

Public service patrol?

Adaptive Military Service (AEW) program to incorporate local youth. Cadet like program?

Tramelin Island

(Under French occupation)

West of Madagascar

Mayotte or Mahore

(Under French occupation)

Off the south east coast of Africa near Comoros and Madagascar

144 square miles

Population of about 200,000

Called a “Department” by the French

Mayotte is considered part of Comoros by the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations.

French forces on Mayotte are part of Forces Armees en Zone Sud de l'Ocean Indien (FAZSOI)

Approximately 1,900 French military personnel in Reunion and Mayotte

Radars along the coast?

Small French naval base

Air Force Detachment 181 (AD181) with C-160 Transall transport aircraft (2)

Detachment of Foreign Legion in Mayotte (DLEM) in Dzaoudzi. 282 personnel?

Barge for carrying material

Ex-trawlers used for patrol (2)

Swiftboat

Gendarmerie Maritime with patrol boat

Gendarmerie Nationale of Mayotte with armored vehicles (VXB-170)

Gendarmerie Nationale of Mayotte with helicopters (AS350 Ecureuil)

Gendarmerie Mobile- Riot control forces of the Gendarmerie National

Police Nationale

Compagnies Republicaines Securite (CRS)- Riot control forces of the Police Nationale

Adaptive Military Service (AEW) program to incorporate local youth. Cadet like program?

Ile Europa or Europa Island

(Under French occupation)

Small island west of Madagascar

Small airstrip.

Meteorological station.

Uninhabited except for of a small garrison of French soldiers.

French Colonies in the Indian Ocean

“French” Polynesia

(Still under French occupation)

Capital: Pape'ete?

Includes the island of Tahiti and The Austral Islands (Iles Australes)

The French call their colonies overseas Departments, or states of France in order to avoid calling them colonies and having any real dialog on ending colonization.

The Japanese were not able to reach the French held territories in the Pacific during World War 2.

The French tested nuclear weapons in the Mururoa atoll, located southeast of Tahiti.

French forces in Polynesia are part of the Forces Armees de Polyneise Francaise (FAPF)

Around 1,000 military personnel

RIMAP-P

Air Detachment (DETAIR) with CASA 235 transport aircraft (2)

Naval base in Papeete

Surveillance frigate (FS) with Aloutte III helicopter

Maritime surveillance aircraft (3)

Dauphin N3 helicopters used for patrol (3)

Public Service Patrol with patrol boat?

Gendarmerie Maritime with Jonquille class patrol boat

New Caledonia (Nouvelle Caledonie)

Still under French occupation.

Capital: Noumea

18,575 square km

In the Pacific Ocean near Vanuatu

The capital and largest city is Noumea.

Population of about 249,000 people.

The main island is rich in Nickel being stolen by the French

Ethnic Kanak people.

Called Kanaky by the indigenous Melanesian people.

New Caledonia includes the Loyalty Islands and several smaller islands.

Grande Terre is the main island.

The French call their colonies overseas Departments, or states of France in order to avoid calling them colonies and having any real dialog on ending colonization.

The Japanese were not able to reach the French held territories in the Pacific during World War 2.

French forces on New Caledonia are part of the Forces Armees de la Nouvelle-Caledonie (FANC)

Around 1,500 military personnel

French airbase BA 186 Paul Klein is located at La Tontouta International Airport.

CASA CN-235 transport aircraft (3)
Puma helicopters (4)

AS550 Fennec helicopter (1)?

Naval base at Pointe Chaleix on Noumea

Floreal Class frigate "Vendemiaire" with Alouette III helicopter

Dassault Falcon 20 Guardian maritime patrol aircraft (2)

P400 Class patrol boats (2)

BATRAL light transport ship

Gendarmerie Maritime with Elorn (VCSM) class patrol boats in Noumea

The Marine Infantry Regiment in the Pacific-New Caledonia (RIMAP-NC) is based in Plum, Nandai and Noumea.

Ammunition depot in Nandai guarded by RIMaP-NC

Etat Major Interarmees (EMIA) facility at Noumea

Section de Recherches de Noumea. The Section de Recherches (SR) is part of the Gendarmerie.

Service Militaire Adapte (SMA) or Adaptive Military Service- Program to incorporate local youth. Cadet like program?

Independence referendum to supposedly be held between 2014-2019. This is believed to be a delaying tactic used by the French to plunder the islands resources which are supposed to run out around 2014-2019.

Wallis and Futuna

(Still under French occupation)

Capital: Mata-Utu

Three main islands. Wallis Island (Uvea) and the Hoorn Islands (Futuna Islands) consisting of Futuna and Alofi.

264 square km

Population of about 15,000

The Japanese were not able to reach the French held territories in the Pacific during World War 2.

Territories still held by France:

Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. About 30 miles wide.

Corsica is an island that lies right off the coast of Italy near Sardinia.

The island of Martinique in the Carribean

The island of Guadeloupe in the Carribean

The island of Marie Galante in the Carribean

The island of Saint Martin in the Carribean.

French Guiana is a small country in South America. The Foreign Legion guard a French Aerospace facility in French Guiana where French rockets are launched into space. The Foreign Legion also train in jungle warfare in French Guiana.

The islands of Nouvelle Caledonie in the South Pacific Ocean near Vanuatu.

Iles Marquises in the South Pacific Ocean near French Polynesia.

French Polynesia in the South Pacific Ocean

Iles Croset in the far South Indian Ocean near Antarctica.

Ile Kerguelen in the far South Indian Ocean near Antarctica.

Regiments d'Infanterie de Marine (RIMa)- The modern name for the Troupes Coloniales (Colonial Troops). Part of the French army, not the navy.

Military forces stationed in Cote d Ivoire

Military forces in Chad

Foreign Legion

Military forces in Djibouti?

French Commando Training Center at Arta Beach, Djibouti?

Military forces in Senegal?