The 6th-12th Cuirassier Regiment was an armoured cavalry (tank) regiment in the French Army

French Army

The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...

. It was the armoured component of the 2nd Armoured Brigade

2nd Armoured Brigade (France)

The 2nd Armoured Brigade is an armoured unit of the French Army. It is heir to the honours and traditions of the 2nd Armoured Division commanded by Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque....

.

History

The regiment was formed in 1994 with the fusion of the 6th Cuirassiers Regiment (Roi Cavalerie)

6th Cuirassier Regiment (France)

The 6th Cuirassier Regiment was an ancient French cavalry regiment. It has since merged with the 12th Cuirassier Regiment to form the 6th-12th Cuirassier Regiment.-Ancestry:...

 and the 12th Cuirassiers Regiment (Dauphin Cavalerie)

12th Cuirassier Regiment (France)

The 12th Cuirassier Regiment was a French cavalry regiment, first formed in 1688 under the Ancien Regime. It distinguished itself in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, notably at the battles of Austerlitz , Jena and Borodino...

. It retained this unified structure after the 2nd Armoured Division downsized to a brigade-level command.

It has participated in overseas operations in Kosovo

Kosovo

Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...

, Côte d'Ivoire

Côte d'Ivoire

The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...

, Senegal

Senegal

Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...

, Chad

Chad

Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...

, Afghanistan

Afghanistan

Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...

 and Lebanon

Lebanon

Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

.

On 1 August 2009 the unified unit was disbanded with the deactivation of the 6th Cuirassiers. The 12th Cuirassier Regiment

12th Cuirassier Regiment (France)

The 12th Cuirassier Regiment was a French cavalry regiment, first formed in 1688 under the Ancien Regime. It distinguished itself in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, notably at the battles of Austerlitz , Jena and Borodino...

continues in existence.

Composition

The regiment consisted of Regimental Staff and 13 Squadrons.

• One base and instructions squadron
• One regimental maintenance squadron
• One reconnaissance squadron
• Two reserve squadrons
• 6th Cuirassier Squadrons Group
  • One command and logistics squadron
  • 1st Squadron
  • 2nd Squadron
  • 3rd Squadron
• 12th Cuirassier Squadrons Group
  • One command and logistics squadron
  • 1st Squadron
  • 2nd Squadron
  • 3rd Squadron