Deutsch-Französische Brigade Franco-Allemande

As of today. The green companies are "Einsatz- und Unterstützungskompanien", which is an untranslatable German term for basic training company for recruits and conscripts.

Basic information in English about the brigade.

Now to the planned change of structure (all further links are in German). The final decision will be announced in Octobre after both MoDs are expected to have settled their biggering. Until then, I can only speculate on the information made available until now.

Before the French announced their proposed withdrawal of all French army units (all but one unit, elements DF-brigade) back to France, the German artillery battalion (Artilleriebataillon 295) was already planned to be extended by a UAV company (already started operating their drones) and to get a capability in ground-based recconnaissance. In addition to the already added MRLS company, which came with the categorization of the German elements DF-brigade as "Eingreifkräfte" (EK; response forces, equipped and train for high-intensity warfare, Gulf War style).

Then it was stated the French stay, and a German Battalion goes to France. Now there's confusion about that battalion. If there's a new one, wouldn't that hurt the balance? There are already more German (2800+) then French (2300+) soldiers manning the brigade. 600 - 700 men and women, which is the number given, are a bit to few for a German battalion.

It will be a joint reconnaissance/infantry battalion, a type that doesn't exist in the Heer (German army). German government speaks of "strengthening" the brigade, however the French government guarantees only that the infantry regiment (110e Régiment d'Infanterie) remains as it is. The French reconnaissance regiment (3e Régiment de Hussars) however will be withdrawn until/after 2012, and replaced by another unit, to be determined which, said Hervé Morin, French minister of defence.

There's the structure of the new battalion (1 HQ/Spt, 2 Inf, 1 Recce companies) and a bit information on the background. The French say the Brigade isn't an effective fighting force and for a token of already proven friendship a bit to costly. And it took some doing of chancellor Angela Merkel to get the German MoD to fulfill the French wishes, although German minister Jung agreed in autumn to give the brigade more teeth.