The 11th Parachute Brigade (French: 11e Brigade Parachutiste, 11e BP) is an airborne unit in the French army. It contains most of the parachute units of the army.
The brigade numbers around 8,500 personnel and includes eight regiments. It is under command of a général de brigade (Brigadier General). French paratroopers wear a red beret, except for the 2e REP who wear a green beret.
History[]
The French Army created two parachute divisions in 1956, the 10th parachute division (10e Division Parachutiste, 10e DP) under the command of General Jacques Massu and the 25th Parachute Division (25e Division Parachutiste, 25e DP) under the command of General Sauvagnac. 10e DP formed from a looser 1955-formed previous Groupement Parachutiste d'Intervention, and 25e DP was established from the 25th Airportable Division which had been previously stationed in Provence.
In the aftermath of the Algiers putsch, both divisions are disbanded and their regiments are merged into the Light Intervention Division (Division Légère d'Intervention). This division becomes the 11th Parachute Division (11e Division Parachutiste, 11e DP) in 1971.
In the aftermath of the Cold War, the French Army reorganised and the 11e DP become the 11th Parachute Brigade in 1999.