The French Army, officially the Land Army (French: Armée de Terre, lit. 'Army of Land') is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed Forces.
The current Chief of Staff of the French Army (CEMAT) is General Pierre Schill, a direct subordinate of the Chief of the Defence Staff (CEMA). General Schill is also responsible to the Ministry of the Armed Forces for organization, preparation, use of forces, as well as planning and programming, equipment and Army future acquisitions. For active service, Army units are placed under the authority of the Chief of the Defence Staff (CEMA), who is responsible to the President of France for planning for, and use of forces.
All soldiers are considered professionals following the suspension of conscription, voted in parliament in 1997 and made effective in 2001. As of 2020, the French Army employed 118,600 personnel (including the Foreign Legion and the Paris Fire Brigade). In addition, the reserve element of the French Army consisted of 22,750 personnel.
According to British historian Niall Ferguson, out of all recorded conflicts which occurred since the year 387 BC, France has fought in 168 of them, won 109, lost 49 and drawn 10; this makes France the most successful military power in European history in terms of number of fought and won.
In 1999, the Army issued the Code of the French Soldier, which includes the injunctions:
Mastering his own strength, he respects his opponent and is careful to spare civilians.
· Special Forces
· Airborne Units
· Infantry (Infanterie)
· Armoured Cavalry (Arme blindée cavalerie)
· Artillery (Artillerie)
· Foreign Legion (Légion étrangère)
· Troupes de Marine
· French Army Light Aviation (Aviation légére de l'armée de terre, ALAT)
· Engineers (Génie)
· Paris Fire Brigade (brigade des sapeurs-pompiers de Paris)
· Signal Corps (Transmissions)
· Transport and logistics (Train)
· Matériel (Supply)
· Intelligence (Renseignement)
