In today's rapidly changing technological landscape, weapons and other equipment are undergoing rapid improvements. The French Special Forces (SPN, hereinafter also referred to as the French Special Forces) annually evaluate new equipment in order to adapt it to new operational concepts.
The French special forces consist of the Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (COS) and units of the Army, Air Force and Navy. The CB Special Operations Command (Commandement des Actions Spéciales Terre, CAST) is a special command of the army, comprising three regiments, command and support elements with a total of 2,500 troops and an aviation fleet of 45 helicopters.
The Navy's Commandos Marine forces have seven specialized teams, including two special operations support teams and 700 operators. The Air Force Special Forces Brigade (BFSA) consists of the 10th and 30th paratrooper detachments (CPA), the 3/61st military transport squadron "Poitou" (Poitou) and the 1/67th helicopter squadron "Pyrénées" (Pyrénées).
The key event for the French SpN forces community, SOFINS 2025, is designed to address the following objectives: improving the efficiency of operators and their equipment, expanding the range of capabilities and reducing time spent in the field. The review of the current equipment of the French special forces given in the article is presented in accordance with these key ideas.
Arming and equipping the French special forces
The expansion of the capabilities of the SpN forces implies the use of a variety of equipment to improve their performance. The "Law on Military Programs for 2024-2030" (LPM 2024-2030), adopted by the French Parliament in July 2023, includes provisions on equipping the special forces of the country's Armed Forces with new capabilities adapted to their diverse missions in various environments and allowing operations in difficult operational conditions.
HK416A5 Assault Rifle
Specialists in action, intelligence, and counterterrorism use standardized weapons such as the HK416A5 assault rifle and the Glock 17 pistol, equipped with optics, laser designators, and silencers. Some (such as mountain commandos and paratroopers) The SIG MCX VIRTUS assault rifle is also used, while the SIG SG 553 assault rifle is used by combat swimmers.
SIG SG 553 Assault Rifle
The helicopter crews have HK MP7A1 (PDW) personal self-defense weapons, and the shooters use HK417 rifles, which were previously purchased for operations in Afghanistan.
As for sniper rifles, the Air Force special forces use Sako TRG-42 caliber rifles.338 Lapua Magnum (8.6×70 mm) and recently Cadex CDX-40 SHDW caliber .408 Chey Tac (10.4×77 mm), while Navy commandos use Barrett M107A1 caliber rifles.50 BMG (12.7×99 mm).
Special forces units are equipped with various machine guns, including the FN Evolys, and vehicles, boats, and helicopters are now equipped with 7.62 mm Dillon Aero M134D multi-barreled machine guns. The Navy's 1st Parachute Regiment (1er RPIMa) and 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment (13e RDP), combat groups, also use automatic grenade launchers such as the HK GMG.
Dillon Aero M134D Machine gun
To defeat enemy armored vehicles and vehicles, operators use compact, disposable Saab AT4CS and Nammo M72 LAW grenade launchers. Army special units have also been using Akeron MP anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) since 2018. In this context, the possibility of launching the Akeron MP ATGM from a special forces vehicle is a real operational advantage, since the missile can be launched and then switch to the "shot–and-forget" mode, which will allow the team to leave the territory.
Mortars are also part of their equipment, including 60mm mortars from the Austrian company Hirtenberger Defense Systems and plans to purchase the Alakran mortar platform from the Spanish company Milanion NTGS.
French Special Forces BME Camouflage
French special forces units are to receive a new multi-medium camouflage (Bariolage Multi-Environment, BME). This newly developed pattern will replace the existing camouflage patterns for the desert and Central Europe. This change is being implemented despite the widespread use of multicam. According to its developers, BME reduces the visual visibility of a fighter, increasing its detection time by 25%.
It is planned that, starting in March 2025, 700 Navy Special Forces soldiers will receive their uniforms, and Air Force and Space Forces personnel will receive them with a slight delay. The special forces of the ground forces use a highly versatile body armor G3P. This equipment is completely modular and lightweight, designed to install plates that provide protection from armor-piercing bullets.
Updating aviation capabilities
In May 2022, the French Air Force decommissioned the last C-160 Transall aircraft, which was upgraded in 2019 to use combat control, reconnaissance, target detection (C4ISTAR) and data transmission (Link 16) capabilities. Currently, the squadron ET 3/61 "Poitou" It uses the Airbus A400M military transport aircraft, which has been certified for landing on any terrain since 2021. The aircraft is also equipped with Link 16 equipment, which allows it to be integrated into air operations.
The Military Air Expert Center (CEAM) is working with industry on ultra-low altitude tracking radar, as well as on the ZH-930 amphibious rigid inflatable boat (RIB), known as ECUME, for the Navy's Special Forces. The unit operates two C-130H Hercules military transport aircraft and two DH-6 Twin Otter aircraft.
The newly refurbished C-130 aircraft are equipped with an MX-20 optoelectronic system, new communication systems and a remote-controlled video reception (ROVER) system for communication with the Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC). It is possible to arm the C-130 aircraft with guided aerial bombs of the Armement Air-Sol Modulaire (AASM) family, which can be installed under the wing instead of additional fuel tanks.
C-130 Hercules aircraft with AASM bombs
The Special Operations Command is also working with Air Force fighters, MQ-9 Reaper UAVs, as well as light surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft (Avion Léger de Surveillance et de Reconnaissance, ALSR).
The 4th SpN Helicopter Regiment (4e RHFS), based in the south of France, consists of seven special operations squadrons and a separate unit based in Villacoublay near Paris. The aviation fleet includes 10 new generation AS 532 Cougar helicopters, 10 SA 342 Gazelle helicopters and eight EC665 Tiger helicopters ( see also ). In addition, the French Interior Ministry uses seven SA 330 Pumas to quickly move around the country.
The situation with the equipment plan is changing. The French Air Force will receive the entire fleet of 19 H225M Caracal helicopters, while the 4e RHFS will receive all 18 NH90 Standard 2 helicopters. These new helicopters, based on the NH90 TTH variant, will have a capacity of 14 to 20 passengers, a distributed aperture system (DAS) and a new generation digital helmet sight display (HMSD-DD).
NH90 Standard 2 helicopter of the French Special Forces
The aircraft is equipped with a Safran Euroflir 410 optoelectronic sight, a new digital map generator, the installation of a third crew member and new enlarged sliding rear windows capable of accommodating MAG58 machine guns. Flight tests of the prototype began in June 2024, and commissioning is scheduled for 2025.
The unit will also receive 11 H160M Guépard helicopters as part of the Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger Integrated Light helicopter program. The program combines special equipment such as communication systems and helicopter specialization kits. This approach has already been used on the NH90.
To be continued…
Based on the materials of the European Security & Defense magazine
