The Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (, "Special Operations Command") or COS is a joint
staff charged with overseeing the various
special forces
Special forces or special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
of the
French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
,
Navy
A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
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.
[Aleksander Olech, French and Polish fight against terrorism, Poznan 2022, p. 106; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359135918_French_and_Polish_fight_against_terrorism]
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
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
*
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
The cougar (''Puma concolor'') (, ''Help:Pronunciation respelling key, KOO-gər''), also called puma, mountain lion, catamount and panther is a large small cat native to the Americas. It inhabits North America, North, Central America, Cent ...
and 2
Puma helicopters
***Squadron 2 - equipped with 12
Gazelle
A gazelle is one of many antelope species in the genus ''Gazella'' . There are also seven species included in two further genera; '' Eudorcas'' and '' Nanger'', which were formerly considered subgenera of ''Gazella''. A third former subgenus, ' ...
helicopters
***Squadron 3 - equipped with 10
Caracal
The caracal (''Caracal caracal'') () is a medium-sized Felidae, wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid areas of Pakistan and northwestern India. It is characterised by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long ...
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
A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...
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
The Commandos Marine, nicknamed ''Bérets Verts'' (Green beret, Green Berets), are the special operation forces (SOF) of the French Navy, headquartered in Lorient, Brittany (administrative region), Brittany in western France. They operate und ...
- 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
The GIGN ( ; ) is the elite police tactical unit of the French National Gendarmerie. Among its missions are counterterrorism, hostage rescue, surveillance of national threats, protection of government officials, critical site protection (such ...
*
List of special forces units
This is a list of military special forces units, also known as special operations forces (SOF), currently active with countries around the world, that are specially organized, trained and equipped to conduct special operations.
These are disti ...
*
List of French paratrooper units
The history of French Airborne forces, airborne units began in the Interwar period when the French Armed Forces formed specialized 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment, paratroopers units. First formed in the French Air Force, they were rapidly i ...
*
United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) - US equivalent command
*
United Kingdom Special Forces - British equivalent command
References
External links
Specwarnet.com
Dogs of the French Special Forces published by ''
Le Monde
(; ) is a mass media in France, French daily afternoon list of newspapers in France, newspaper. It is the main publication of Le Monde Group and reported an average print circulation, circulation of 480,000 copies per issue in 2022, including ...
''
{{Authority control
Military units and formations of France
Special forces of France
1992 establishments in France
Military units and formations established in 1992