11ieme Brigade Parachutiste with SCAR L
Updated: January 9th, 2013
The solider belongs to France’s 11th Parachute Brigade. It looks like the parachutists have adopted the FN SCAR L.
France is looking at replacing the FAMAS with a new service rifle. Both the SCAR L and HK416 are both in limited use already with special forces.
[ Many thanks to SNMP for emailing us the link. ]
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Just for the record, those men on the picture are not from the 11th Brigade Parachutiste but from the COS (Commandement des Opérations Spéciales).
For the last 14th of July, the COS had its own "carré" (no idea how to translate it, those familiar with military parade will know I suspect). It means that those operators are either from the Navy Commandos, the 1st RPIMa, the 13th RDP or the CPA10(Air force).
According to people who got to meet those soldiers with the SCAR-L after the parade, they're from the 1st RPIMa(SAS type regiment, under the Brigade des Forces Spéciales Terre).
However the Mamouth is usually a reliable source, so it does look like that the Commando element from the Para Brigade are getting SCARs (not the whole Brigade though).
The rumour says that the necessary procedures to operate the FAMAS are closest to those of the SCAR than to those of the HK41X, which would be definitely something to take into account when selecting a new service rifle.
I hope I was clear and accurate.
With France and Germany being so buddy-buddy lately, I'd have thought they would have gone with something from H&K.