11th Parachute Brigade

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=11e Brigade Parachutiste


caption=
dates=1999-
country=France
allegiance=
branch=French Army
type=Airborne Infantry
role=
size=8,500 paratroopers
command_structure=Commandement de la force d'action terrestre
garrison=Balma
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current_commander=General Duquesne
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colonel_of_the_regiment=
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identification_symbol_2_label=The 11th Parachute Brigade ( _fr. 11e Brigade Parachutiste, 11e BP) is an airborne unit in the French army. It contains most of the parachute units of the army.

The brigade numbers around 8,500 personnel and includes eight regiments. It is under command of a "général de brigade" (Brigadier General). French paratroopers wear a red beret, except for the 2e REP who wear a green beret.

History

The French Army created two parachute divisions in 1956, the 10th parachute division ("10e Division Parachutiste", 10e DP) under the command of General Jacques Massu and the 25th Parachute Division ("25e Division Parachutiste", 25e DP) under the command of General Sauvagnac. 10e DP formed from a looser 1955-formed previous Groupement Parachutiste d'Intervention, and 25e DP was established from the 25th Airportable Division which had been previously stationed in Provence. [Clayton, 'France, Soldiers, and Africa', Brassey's Defence Publishers, 1988, p.190]

In the aftemath of the Algiers putsch, both divisions are disbanded and their regiments are merged into the Light Intervention Division ("Division Légère d'Intervention"). This division becomes the 11th Parachute Division ("11e Division Parachutiste", 11e DP) in 1971.

In the aftemath of the Cold War, the French Army reorganised and the 11e DP become the 11th Parachute Brigade in 1999.

Organisation

* Headquarters in Balma
* 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment ("1er Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes", 1er RCP) based in Pamiers
* 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment ("1er Régiment de Hussards Parachutistes", 1er RHP) based in Tarbes
* 1st Parachute Transport Regiment ("1er Régiment du Train Parachutiste", 1 RTP) based in Toulouse
* 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment ("2e Régiment Étranger de Parachutistes", 2e REP, Foreign Legion unit) based in Calvi
* 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment ("3e Régiment Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine", 3e RPIMa) based in Carcassonne
* 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment ("8e Régiment Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine", 8e RPIMa) based in Castres
* 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment ("17e Régiment de Génie Parachutiste", 17e RGP) based in Montauban
* 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment ("35e Régiment d'Artillerie Parachutiste", 35e RAP) based in Tarbes

:"It also includes the Commando Parachute Group, comprised of members of the various regiments."

Sources and See also

* [http://www.defense.gouv.fr/terre/decouverte/presentation/composantes/brigades/11e_brigade_parachutiste 11e BP official page] on the French Ministry of Defence