Live demonstration of French Special Forces units at SOFINS 2017 in Military Camp of Souge 12603172.

The COS is around 4,000 soldiers from Land, Air and Naval military units of the French armed Forces. The commander of the French Special Operations Command (French SOCOM) is the is the Rear Admiral Laurent ISNARD.

The French Special Forces have become an integrated system of strengths and capabilities, deploying autonomous units in the field that are likely to operate along aggressive rules of engagement. The scope of their missions ranges from seizing or neutralizing key infrastructures, rescuing hostages, rescuing and evacuating nationals abroad, capturing or neutralizing individuals of significant value. In order to address at the highest level of expertise and professionalism the challenges met in the field (notably IEDs and sniping), a particular effort is placed on individual and collective equipment. For instance, a wide array of weapons remains a determining factor in most SOF operations, along with light but highly resistant passive and active protective gear.