The French Armed Forces (French: Forces armées françaises) encompass the Army, the Navy, the Air and Space Force and the Gendarmerie of the French Republic. The President of France heads the armed forces as Chief of the Armed Forces.
France has the sixth largest defence budget in the world and the first in the European Union (EU). It has the largest armed forces in size in the European Union. According to Credit Suisse, the French Armed Forces are ranked as the world's sixth-most powerful military.
Placed under the command of the staffs, the French armed forces include the four service branches, the Army, the National Navy, the Air and Space Force and the National Gendarmerie, as well as the support services and joint organizations