Editing French Armed Forces (section)

==Personnel==
[[File:Hexagone Balard @ Ballon de Paris @ Parc André Citroën @ Paris (28745446201).jpg|thumb|[[Hexagone Balard]], the headquarters of the French Armed Forces]]
The head of the French armed forces is the [[President of France|President of the Republic]], in his role as ''[[chef des armées]]''. However, the Constitution puts civil and military government forces at the disposal of the ''[[Cabinet of France|gouvernement]]'' (the executive cabinet of ministers chaired by the [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]], who are not necessarily of the same political side as the president). The [[Minister of the Armed Forces (France)|Minister of the Armed Forces]] oversees the military's funding, procurement and operations. Historically, France relied a great deal on [[conscription]] to provide manpower for its military, in addition to a minority of professional career soldiers. Following the [[Algerian War]], the use of non-volunteer draftees in foreign operations was ended; if their unit was called up for duty in war zones, draftees were offered the choice between requesting a transfer to another unit or volunteering for the active mission. In 1996, President [[Jacques Chirac]]'s government announced the end of conscription and in 2001, conscription formally was ended. Young people must still, however, register for possible conscription (should the situation call for it). As of 2017 the French Armed Forces have total manpower of 426,265, and has an active personnel of 368,962 (with the [[Gendarmerie Nationale (France)|Gendarmerie Nationale]]).<ref name="Key figures in 2017">{{cite web |url=https://www.defense.gouv.fr/actualites/articles/chiffres-cles-de-la-defense-2017 |title=Chiffres clés de la Défense – 2017 |language=fr |publisher=Defense.gouv.fr |access-date=2018-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180218090228/https://www.defense.gouv.fr/actualites/articles/chiffres-cles-de-la-defense-2017 |archive-date=2018-02-18 |url-status=dead }})</ref>

It breaks down as follows (2022):<ref>{{Cite web |title=defense.gouv.fr |url=https://www.defense.gouv.fr/ |access-date=2022-03-28 |website=www.defense.gouv.fr}}</ref>
* The [[French Army]]; 118,600 personnel.
* The [[French Air and Space Force]]; 43,597 personnel.
* The [[French Navy]]; 36,044 personnel.
* Tri-service [[French Defence Health service|DHS]], [[Operational Energy Service (France)|SEO]], and [[Délégation générale pour l'armement|DGA]]; 17,647 personnel in medical, support and administrative roles, and in the acquisition of weapon systems.

The [[Military reserve forces of France|reserve element]] of the French Armed Forces consists of two structures; the Operational Reserve and the Citizens Reserve. As of 2022 the strength of the Operational Reserve is 25,785 personnel.<ref name="Key figures in 2017"/>

Apart from the three main service branches, the French Armed Forces also includes a fourth military branch called the [[National Gendarmerie]]. It had a reported strength of 103,000 active personnel and 25,000 reserve personnel in 2018.<ref name="gendarmerie2011">[https://www.gendarmerie.interieur.gouv.fr/Notre-communication2/Publications-Documentations/MemoGend/Memogend-2018], gendarmerie.interieur.gouv.fr, 2018</ref> They are used in everyday law enforcement, and also form a coast guard formation under the command of the French Navy. There are however some elements of the Gendarmerie that participate in French external operations, providing specialised law enforcement and supporting roles.

Historically the [[National Guard (France)|National Guard]] functioned as the Army's reserve national defense and law enforcement militia. After 145 years since its disbandment, due to the risk of terrorist attacks in the country, the Guard was officially reactivated, this time as a service branch of the Armed Forces, on 12 October 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/france-creates-national-guard-to-battle-terrorism|title=France creates National Guard to battle terrorism|first=Sylvie|last=Corbet|date=8 August 2017}}</ref>

Since 2019 young French citizens can fulfill the [[Civil conscription|mandatory service]] ''[[Service national universel|Service national universel (SNU)]]'' within the Armed Forces in the service branch of their choice.<ref>{{cite web|author=Text by: FRANCE 24 Follow |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20190616-france-trial-macron-new-compulsory-national-service-teen-military |title=France begins trial of compulsory civic service for teens |date=16 June 2019 |publisher=France24.com |access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Williamson |first=Lucy |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48755605 |title=France's raw recruits sign up for return of national service – BBC News |publisher=Bbc.com |date=2019-06-26 |access-date=2020-06-02}}</ref>