Rapid Action Force (FAR)

The Rapid Action Force (Force d'action rapide, FAR) was an army corps (corps d'armée) of the French Army, created on July 1, 1984 during the reorganization of the later within the law n°83-606 of July 8, 1983 bearing approbation of the military programming for the years 1984 to 1988; the force would have been in means to deploy in Central-Europe and exterior theatres of operations in case of crisis undergone in intermediary conflicts. The force was dissolved in 1999.

During the 1980s, this army corps was the 3rd pillar of the French Army with the 1st Army (1re Armée) and the operational defense of the territory (défense opérationnelle du territoire).

The FAR regrouped 47,000 men, 240 combat helicopters, 216 armored vehicles (72 AMX 10 RC, 72 ERC-90 and 72 Panhard AML), 200 artillery tubes, 5000 anti-tank missiles in 1990.



Principal formations

 * 4th Aeromobile Division
 * 6th Light Armored Division
 * 9th Marine Infantry Division
 * 11th Parachute Division
 * 27th Alpine Division
 * FAR Logistics Brigade
 * 19th Artillery Brigade
 * 28th Transmission regiment

Commandants

 * 1984-1985 : général de corps d'armée Gilbert Forray
 * 1986-1988 : général de corps d'armée Paul Lardry
 * 1988-xxxx : général de corps d'armée Henry Préaud
 * 1989-1990 : général de brigade Jacques Vidal
 * 1990-xxxx : général de corps d'armée Michel Roquejeoffre
 * 1993-1994 : général de corps d’armée Bertrand Guillaume de Sauville de Lapresle
 * 1994-1996 : général de corps d'armée Philippe Morillon
 * 1996-1999 : général de corps d'armée Jacques Bâton

Bibliographie

 * Olivier Latremoliere, La force d'action rapide, Midev, 1993. ISBN 290993800X
 * Général Henri Préaud, « La force d'action rapide », in Les Cahiers de Mars n° 120, 1989