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]

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.

References

^ 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