Special Operations Command (France)


The Commandement des Opérations Spéciales is the organisation which coordinates the use of the French special forces of all military branches. Similar to USSOCOM, NLD SOCOM or UKSF, COS was created on 24 June 1992, following the Gulf War. Its role is to direct and coordinate missions for special forces units; these are permanently under its direct command and immediately available for action. The command is led by a brigadier general or rear admiral, a NATO OF-6 post.

Organisation

Army">French Army">Army

The COS is not in charge of all special military units within the French Armed Forces. Action Division of France's Directorate-General for External Security is responsible for planning and performing clandestine and covert operations including black operations. The core specialisations of the Action Division are sabotage, destruction of materiel, assassination, detaining/kidnapping, and infiltration/exfiltration of persons into/from hostile territory.
DGSE operatives are based in three so-called "training centres", officially not combat units then, which compose the Centre d'Instruction des Réservistes Parachutistes :