Posted on 03/08/2025 10:30:50 AM PST by buwaya
Noting the way to start evaluating Euro military situations. One begins with the official structure/org chart, which this is, the source being it seems the Code of Defense of 2016.
The org chart here breaks down into battalions - more or less. Some places where one must exercise caution is the nature of these units. In many cases in France for instance a Regiment (three bars above the unit symbol) such as the 2e régiment d'infanterie de marine, is not a Regiment in the US meaning, but a battalion size unit. Its officially got 1100 men in five line companies, or as per the French ministry of defense, https://www.defense.gouv.fr/terre/unites-larmee-terre/nos-regiments/2e-regiment-dinfanterie-marine
Regroupant 1100 combattants, le régiment s’articule autour de :
cinq compagnies de combat ; une compagnie d‘éclairage et d’appui ; une compagnie de logistique ; une compagnie de réserve.
and one has to apply further realities here, in that this is not likely to be up to strength - this applies to all armies, and worse in peacetime. Men on the TOE are not likely to be all deployable. Practically in peacetime deployments one may end up merging sub units from two or more "battalions" into one deployable unit. In France former soldiers can be recalled to the colors, as reservists, as that is part of the enlistment obligation, and there is also a reserve component of people who enlist into the reserve. How many of these people France actually has is unclear.
The Regiments in the French Org chart are obviously designed to be "filled out" into multi-battalion formations but I doubt available reservists will suffice for that. In that case they will have to be conscripts, and there will be many months before that's likely to happen, as there is no conscription, for now.
I was fortunate enough to get to spend lengths of time with French Special Forces a couple of times in France and had a very good shot at attending French Commando school until some political issues arose, those guys sure liked fighting in Africa and were always trying to rotate back.
The slow march:
Ohhh! That kind of structure.
Here I was getting all geared up for a discussion covering towers, pill boxes, and blockhouses.
Maybe next time.
One ALWAYS starts with the Org Chart.
Fascinating career!
Voila le boudin...
Not a career, just some good times.
France (by a lot)
Britain (just ahead of)
Italy
Germany (way back)
Poland
Sweden
Spain
Denmark
I’d agree on the whole.
Poland is prepared to immediately put five divisions in the field, and better equipped to boot. But its not got a large Air Force.
Between the lot of them they are formidable.
I’d probably put Poland ahead of the Germans right now. They’re more motivated and rapidly equipping.
I think he emailed that fake quote to Abraham Lincoln.
Well that ‘fake quote’ has been around a long time, FRiend. Well before the internet.
The quote has, but it isn’t from Napoleon.
Pan
European
Defense
Organization
One of the best books I ever Read: “Legionnaire” by Simon Murray
Have that.
I just reread Simon Murrays book about his days in the Legion [during the Algerian War]. Tough training and abuse by the noncoms. I am sure that has changed but not as much as the American military as they don’t have woman to worry about.
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