Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale
Encyclopedia
The National Gendarmerie Intervention Group, commonly abbreviated GIGN , is a special operations
unit of the French Armed Forces. It is part of the National Gendarmerie and is trained to perform counter-terrorist and hostage rescue missions in France or anywhere else in the world.
The GIGN was formed in 1973. On 1 September 2007, a major reorganization took place. The original GIGN absorbed the Gendarmerie Parachute Squadron (EPIGN) and the thirty gendarmes of the GSPR to form a "new" expanded GIGN.
There are now 3 distinct parts to the unit:
during the Olympic Games in 1972
, and a prison mutiny in Clairvaux Prison
the next year, France started to study the possible solutions to extremely violent attacks, under the assumptions that these would be difficult to predict and deflect.
In 1973, the GIGN became a permanent force of men trained and equipped to respond to these kind of threats while minimizing risks to the public and hostages, for the members of the unit, and for the attackers themselves. The GIGN became operational on the first of March, 1974, under the command of Lieutenant Christian Prouteau
.
Ten days later, it had its first intervention against a deranged person in Ecquevilly
, proving the necessity of the unit. GIGN initially had 15 members, which increased to 48 by 1984, 57 by 1988, and 87 by 2000.
In 2007, a major reorganization was set, with GIGN and EPIGN
and GSIGN staff fused together into a single 380-member unit called GIGN. In the future, the newly recruited gendarmerie officers will be trained for intervention, then will have the opportunity to be trained in protection and/or research/observation (old missions of the EPIGN). The total was expected to increase to about 420 soldiers in 2010. The goal of the reorganization was to make possible to get to 200 men, trained and accustomed to working together, in large-scale interventions, mostly Beslan-type mass hostage-taking. The acronym GSIGN has become moot and the acronym "GIGN" refers no longer the same small unit. The collaboration of GIGN and RAID is more and more practiced in large hostage-rescue exercises.
All members go through training which includes shooting
, long-range marksman
ship, an airborne course and hand-to-hand combat training. Members of the GIGN are widely regarded as having some of the best firearms training in the world. It is for this reason that many of the world's special operations and counterterrorist units conduct exchange programs with the GIGN. Mental ability and self-control are important in addition to physical strength. Like most special forces, the training is stressful with a high washout rate - only 7–8% of volunteers make it to the training process. GIGN members must be prepared to disarm suspects with their bare hands.
There are two tactical specialties in the group : HALO/HAHO and divers. Members learn several technical specialties among police dog
s, breaching, long-range sniping, negotiation, etc.
Since its creation, the group has taken part in over 1000 operations, liberated over 500 hostages, arrested over 1000 suspects, and killed 12 terrorists. The unit has seen two members killed in action, and seven in training, since its foundation, and two of its dogs in action and one in training.
Past actions include:
The GIGN was selected by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to teach the special forces of the other member states in hostage-rescue exercises in planes.
, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown
, Joint Operations: Typhoon Rising
, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
, Hitman: Contracts
, Battlefield 3
, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
. GIGN uniforms are available in the games Counter-Strike
and SWAT 4
. The group is also mentioned in the Phoenix Force
1984 book Phoenix in Flames. They are featured in L'Assaut, a French film about the Air France Flight 8969 hijacking. It was done with the collaboration and the advice of the GIGN.
Special operations
Special operations are military operations that are considered "special" .Special operations are typically performed independently or in conjunction with conventional military operations. The primary goal is to achieve a political or military objective where a conventional force requirement does...
unit of the French Armed Forces. It is part of the National Gendarmerie and is trained to perform counter-terrorist and hostage rescue missions in France or anywhere else in the world.
The GIGN was formed in 1973. On 1 September 2007, a major reorganization took place. The original GIGN absorbed the Gendarmerie Parachute Squadron (EPIGN) and the thirty gendarmes of the GSPR to form a "new" expanded GIGN.
There are now 3 distinct parts to the unit:
- Intervention force (the original GIGN)
- Observation & search force (from the former EPIGN)
- Security & protection force (from the former EPIGN and gendarmes from the GSPR)
History
After the Munich massacreMunich massacre
The Munich massacre is an informal name for events that occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Bavaria in southern West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually killed by the Palestinian group Black September. Members of Black September...
during the Olympic Games in 1972
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
, and a prison mutiny in Clairvaux Prison
Clairvaux Prison
Clairvaux Prison is a high-security prison in France, on the site of the former Clairvaux Abbey.-1971 revolt:In this prison in 1971, convicts Claude Buffet and Roger Bontems took Nicole Comte, a nurse, and Guy Girardot, a prison guard, hostage, and Buffet subsequently murdered them. Buffet and...
the next year, France started to study the possible solutions to extremely violent attacks, under the assumptions that these would be difficult to predict and deflect.
In 1973, the GIGN became a permanent force of men trained and equipped to respond to these kind of threats while minimizing risks to the public and hostages, for the members of the unit, and for the attackers themselves. The GIGN became operational on the first of March, 1974, under the command of Lieutenant Christian Prouteau
Christian Prouteau
Christian Prouteau is a French officer of the Gendarmerie Nationale. He was involved in the organisation of the GIGN and the GSPR.- Biography :...
.
Ten days later, it had its first intervention against a deranged person in Ecquevilly
Ecquevilly
Ecquevilly is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France....
, proving the necessity of the unit. GIGN initially had 15 members, which increased to 48 by 1984, 57 by 1988, and 87 by 2000.
In 2007, a major reorganization was set, with GIGN and EPIGN
Escadron Parachutiste d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale
The Parachute Intervention Squadron of the National Gendarmerie was the parachute-trained intervention squadron of the French Gendarmerie. The unit was formed in 1984 and absorbed into the newly reorganized GIGN in September 2007. -Known operations:...
and GSIGN staff fused together into a single 380-member unit called GIGN. In the future, the newly recruited gendarmerie officers will be trained for intervention, then will have the opportunity to be trained in protection and/or research/observation (old missions of the EPIGN). The total was expected to increase to about 420 soldiers in 2010. The goal of the reorganization was to make possible to get to 200 men, trained and accustomed to working together, in large-scale interventions, mostly Beslan-type mass hostage-taking. The acronym GSIGN has become moot and the acronym "GIGN" refers no longer the same small unit. The collaboration of GIGN and RAID is more and more practiced in large hostage-rescue exercises.
Structure
The GIGN is divided into a command cell, an administrative group, four operational troops of twenty operators, an operational support troop including negotiation, breaching, intelligence, communications, marksmanship, dogs and special equipment cells. The special equipment group equips the unit with modified and high-tech equipment, by either selecting or designing it. GIGN is called about 60 times each year.All members go through training which includes shooting
Shooting
Shooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...
, long-range marksman
Marksman
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision, or a sharpshooter shooting, using projectile weapons, such as with a rifle but most commonly with a sniper rifle, to shoot at long range targets...
ship, an airborne course and hand-to-hand combat training. Members of the GIGN are widely regarded as having some of the best firearms training in the world. It is for this reason that many of the world's special operations and counterterrorist units conduct exchange programs with the GIGN. Mental ability and self-control are important in addition to physical strength. Like most special forces, the training is stressful with a high washout rate - only 7–8% of volunteers make it to the training process. GIGN members must be prepared to disarm suspects with their bare hands.
There are two tactical specialties in the group : HALO/HAHO and divers. Members learn several technical specialties among police dog
Police dog
A police dog, often referred to as a "K-9 dog" in some areas , is a dog that is trained specifically to assist police and other law-enforcement personnel in their work...
s, breaching, long-range sniping, negotiation, etc.
Operations
Past actions include:
- The liberation of 30 school children from a school busSchool busA school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
captured by the FLCS (front de libération de la côte somalienne, "Somali Coast Liberation Front") in DjiboutiDjiboutiDjibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
in 1976. - Planning the liberation of diplomats from the FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
embassy in San SalvadorSan SalvadorThe city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
in 1979 (the hostage-takers surrendered before the assault was conducted). - GIGN commandos were instrumental in regaining control during the Grand Mosque SeizureGrand Mosque SeizureThe Grand Mosque Seizure on November 20, 1979, was an armed attack and takeover by Islamist dissidents of the Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest place in Islam...
in MeccaMeccaMecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
, Saudi ArabiaSaudi ArabiaThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
in November and December 1979. - Arrest of a CorsicaCorsicaCorsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
n terrorist of the National Liberation Front of CorsicaNational Liberation Front of CorsicaThe National Liberation Front of Corsica is a militant group that advocates an independent state on the island of Corsica, separate from France. They also want all currently imprisoned members of the FLNC in France to be put into Corsican prisons. The organisation's presence is primarily in...
in Fesch HostelHostelHostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available...
in 1980. - Liberation of hostages of the Ouvéa cave hostage takingOuvéa cave hostage takingThe Ouvéa cave hostage taking was an event occurring from April 22, 1988 to May 5, 1988 in which members of the separatist group the National Union for Independence-Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front took 27 including a French gendarme and a judge hostage in the island of Ouvéa, New...
in OuveaOuvéaOuvéa is a commune in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The settlement of Fayaoué , on Ouvéa Island, is the administrative centre of the commune of Ouvéa. -Geography:...
in the New CaledoniaNew CaledoniaNew Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
in May 1988. - Protection of the 1992 Olympic Winter Games1992 Winter OlympicsThe 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
in AlbertvilleAlbertvilleAlbertville is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.The town is best known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics.-Geography:...
. - In December 1994, the liberation of 229 passengers and crew from Air France Flight 8969Air France Flight 8969Air France Flight 8969 was an Air France flight that was hijacked on 24 December 1994 by the Armed Islamic Group at Algiers, where they killed three passengers, with the intention to crash it on the Eiffel tower in Paris. When the aircraft reached Marseille, the GIGN, an intervention group of the...
in MarseilleMarseilleMarseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
. The plane, hijacked by four GIAArmed Islamic GroupThe Armed Islamic Group is an Islamist organisation that wants to overthrow the Algerian government and replace it with an Islamic state...
terrorists that wished to destroy the Eiffel TowerEiffel TowerThe Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
, had been completely mined, and three passengers had been executed during the negotiations with the AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n government. The mission was widely publicized. - Arrest of Bob DenardBob DenardColonel Bob Denard , born Gilbert Bourgeaud, was a French soldier and mercenary. He was known for having done various jobs in support of Françafrique for Jacques Foccart, in charge of French president Charles de Gaulle's policy in Africa...
in 1995 in ComorosComorosThe Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar...
. - Operations in BosniaBosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
to arrest persons indicted for war crimes. - Seizing of 6 SomaliSomali peopleSomalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
pirates and recovery of part of the ransom after making sure "Le Ponant" luxury yachtLuxury yachtThe term luxury yacht, “Superyacht” and "Large Yacht" refers to very expensive, privately owned yachts which are professionally crewed. Also known as a Super Yacht, a luxury yacht may be either a sailing or motor yacht.-History:...
hostages were freed in the coast of PuntlandPuntlandPuntland , officially the Puntland State of Somalia , is a region in northeastern Somalia, centered on Garowe in the Nugaal province. Its leaders declared the territory an autonomous state in 1998....
in SomaliaSomaliaSomalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
on the Gulf of AdenGulf of AdenThe Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide....
. In conjunction with French Commandos Marines (Naval commandosNaval commandos (France)The Naval Commandos are the special forces of the French Navy. They are made up of ~500 members, mostly based in northwestern France , with several bases across the country for specific training needs. The Naval Commandos are nicknamed bérets verts . Their qualification training is one of the...
) on April 2008.
The GIGN was selected by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to teach the special forces of the other member states in hostage-rescue exercises in planes.
Training
- Weapons Handling
- Combat shooting and marksmanship training
- Airborne courses, such as HALO or HAHO jumps, paragliding, and heliborne insertions.
- Combat/Underwater swimming, diving and assault of ships.
- Hand to Hand combat training
- Undercover surveillance and stalking (support in investigating cases)
- Infiltration and escape techniques
- Explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) and NRBC devices neutralization
- Survival and warfare in tropical, arctic, mountain and desert environments.
- Diplomacy skills, such as negotiating.
Equipment
- Manurhin Revolver MR73Manurhin MR 73The Manurhin MR73 is a French-manufactured, double-action revolver chambered in .38 Special/.357 Magnum. The revolver can be converted to 9mm Parabellum with a supplied replacement cylinder...
(4", 5" ¼, 8" and 10") in .357 Magnum.357 MagnumThe .357 S&W Magnum , or simply .357 Magnum, is a revolver cartridge created by Elmer Keith, Phillip B. Sharpe, Colonel D. B. Wesson of firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson, and Winchester. It is based upon Smith & Wesson's earlier .38 Special cartridge. The .357 Magnum cartridge was introduced in... - Smith & WessonSmith & WessonSmith & Wesson is the largest manufacturer of handguns in the United States. The corporate headquarters is in Springfield, Massachusetts. Founded in 1852, Smith & Wesson's pistols and revolvers have become standard issue to police and armed forces throughout the world...
Model 686 GFS Stainless in .357 magnum (4", till 10") for underwater actions - Glock 19Glock pistolThe Glock pistol, sometimes referred to by the manufacturer as Glock "Safe Action" Pistol, is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and produced by Glock Ges.m.b.H., located in Deutsch-Wagram, Austria. The company's founder, engineer Gaston Glock, had no experience with firearm design or...
- Glock 17Glock pistolThe Glock pistol, sometimes referred to by the manufacturer as Glock "Safe Action" Pistol, is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and produced by Glock Ges.m.b.H., located in Deutsch-Wagram, Austria. The company's founder, engineer Gaston Glock, had no experience with firearm design or...
- Glock 26Glock pistolThe Glock pistol, sometimes referred to by the manufacturer as Glock "Safe Action" Pistol, is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and produced by Glock Ges.m.b.H., located in Deutsch-Wagram, Austria. The company's founder, engineer Gaston Glock, had no experience with firearm design or...
- FNFabrique Nationale de HerstalFabrique Nationale d'Herstal — self identified as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN — is a firearms manufacturer located in Herstal, Belgium....
Five-sevenFive-seveNThe FN Five-seven, trademarked as the Five-seveN, is a semi-automatic pistol designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. The pistol is named for its 5.7-mm bullet diameter, and the trademark capitalization style is intended to emphasize the manufacturer's initials—FN.The Five-seven pistol...
Tactical IOM (5.7x28mm) with Insight Technology M6X Laser - FNFabrique Nationale de HerstalFabrique Nationale d'Herstal — self identified as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN — is a firearms manufacturer located in Herstal, Belgium....
P90 Tactical with Gemtech SP90 Silencer (5.7x28mm) - FNFabrique Nationale de HerstalFabrique Nationale d'Herstal — self identified as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN — is a firearms manufacturer located in Herstal, Belgium....
MinimiFN MinimiThe Minimi is a Belgian 5.56mm light machine gun developed by Fabrique Nationale in Herstal by Ernest Vervier. First introduced in 1974, it has entered service with the armed forces of over thirty countries... - FNFabrique Nationale de HerstalFabrique Nationale d'Herstal — self identified as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN — is a firearms manufacturer located in Herstal, Belgium....
1200/1300 shotgun (Winchester 1200/1300Winchester 1200The Model 1200 and Model 1300 were two American pump-action shotguns that were manufactured by the Winchester-Western Division of Olin Corporation. It was produced in 12-, 16- and 20-gauge. The 1200 has the ability to have a bayonet fixed on the end of the barrel to be used in close quarter combat...
build by FN when GIAT-Nexter held the both companies)—standard Gendarmerie weapons - SIG P228 with 15 and 20 round magazines
- SIG P226 with 20 round magazines & weaponlight Insight Technology M3 LED
- SIG SP2022—standard sidearm of French Interior Security Forces
- SIG SG550 with Hensoldt 6 x 42 BL (5.56x45mm NATO)
- SIG SG551 SWAT with Hensoldt 6 x 42 BL (5.56x45mm NATO)
- SIG SG552 Commando with Bushnell HOLOsight (5.56x45mm NATO)
- GIAT / NexterNexterNexter is a French government-owned weapons manufacturer.-Products:...
PA MAC Modèle 1950 (MAC50)MAC mle 1950The MAC-50 is a standard semi-automatic pistol of the French army and adopted in 1950. It replaced the previous series of French pistols, the Modèle 1935A & Modèle 1935S, and was produced between 1950 and 1970....
—standard French Army sidearm (French gendarmerie is part of French Army) Could support the punch of 9x19mm for SMG ammunition - GIAT / NexterNexterNexter is a French government-owned weapons manufacturer.-Products:...
PAMAS-G1S (Licence Beretta 92GBeretta 92The Beretta 92 is a series of semi-automatic pistols designed and manufactured by Beretta of Italy. The model 92 was designed in 1972 and production of many variants in different calibers continues today...
)—standard French Army & Gendarmerie sidearm - GIAT / NexterNexterNexter is a French government-owned weapons manufacturer.-Products:...
MAT Modèle 1949 Submachingun (MAT49) in (9x19mm Parabellum)—standard gendarmerie weapons - GIAT / NexterNexterNexter is a French government-owned weapons manufacturer.-Products:...
FAMAS-F1 InfantryFAMASThe FAMAS is a bullpup-styled assault rifle designed and manufactured in France by MAS located in Saint-Étienne, which is now a member of the French government-owned Nexter group...
5.56x45mm NATO—standard French Army weapon (French Gendarmerie is part of French Army) - GIAT / NexterNexterNexter is a French government-owned weapons manufacturer.-Products:...
FRF1FR F1The FR F1 is a precision rifle used by French sharpshooters. It was manufactured by MAS . It has been upgraded to FR F2 standard, and is still in service with all branches of French armed forces in this version...
(7,5mm MAS Rifle with conversion in 7.62x51mm NATO) - GIAT / NexterNexterNexter is a French government-owned weapons manufacturer.-Products:...
FSA MAS 49/56 MSE—standard Gendarmerie weapons - H&K MP5 A5 (3-Round Burst), SD3 (SEF), SD6, and K-PDW (SEF) (Build by GIATNexterNexter is a French government-owned weapons manufacturer.-Products:...
and Sound Silencer from STOPSON TFM) - H&K UMPHeckler & Koch UMPThe UMP is a submachine gun developed and manufactured by Heckler & Koch. The UMP has been adopted by various agencies such as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection...
(9x19mm Parabellum)—standard gendarmerie weapons - H&K G3Heckler & Koch G3The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....
TGS (with HK 79 de 40 mm and MSG-90 Stock) - H&K 416
- H&K 417
- H&K 33 EA2 with A3 Folding stock
- H&K G36KE & G36E with B&T Rail HandguardRail system (firearms)Rail systems are small pieces of metal put on any given surface on a gun to allow attachment of some sort of accessory. On them you can attach everything from laser sights to scopes and R.I.S systems. They make the mounting and dismounting of these artifacts significantly easier...
- Remington 870Remington 870The Remington Model 870 is a U.S.-made pump-action shotgun manufactured by Remington Arms Company, Inc. It is widely used by the public for sport shooting, hunting, and self-defense. It is also commonly used by law enforcement and military organizations worldwide.-Development:The Remington 870 was...
- BenelliBenelli (firearms)Benelli Armi SpA is an Italian firearm manufacturer founded in 1967, located in Urbino, Italy, best known for high quality shotguns used by military, law enforcement and civilians all over the world. Particularly famous is the Benelli M3 12 gauge, used extensively by American SWAT teams...
Super 90 M3TBenelli M3The Benelli M3 is a dual-mode shotgun designed and manufactured by Italian firearms manufacturer Benelli. The M3 holds a maximum of seven rounds and uses the proprietary Benelli semi-automatic system first showcased in the M1. The M3 is notable for allowing the user the choice of semi-automatic... - Franchi SPAS 12Franchi SPAS-12The SPAS-12 is a combat shotgun that was manufactured by the Italian firearms company Franchi S.p.A. from 1979 to 2000. The SPAS-12 is a dual-mode shotgun, meaning it can be calibrated to cycle either semi-automatically or through pump-action. The SPAS-12 has sold well to military and police users...
- Tikka (Beretta Holding GroupBerettaFabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta is an Italian firearms manufacturer. Their firearms are used worldwide for a variety of civilian, law enforcement, and military purposes. It is also known for manufacturing shooting clothes and accessories. Beretta is the oldest active firearms manufacturer in the...
) T3 Tactical (7.62x51mm NATO)—standard Gendarmerie weapons - Accuracy InternationalAccuracy InternationalAccuracy International is a specialist British firearms manufacturer based in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England and best known for producing the Accuracy International Arctic Warfare series of precision sniper rifles...
AICS AW with Schmidt & Bender Mil-Dot Mk.II 3-12 × 50 scope (7.62x51mm NATO) - Accuracy InternationalAccuracy InternationalAccuracy International is a specialist British firearms manufacturer based in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England and best known for producing the Accuracy International Arctic Warfare series of precision sniper rifles...
AICS AWS (7.62x51mm NATO) - Accuracy InternationalAccuracy InternationalAccuracy International is a specialist British firearms manufacturer based in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England and best known for producing the Accuracy International Arctic Warfare series of precision sniper rifles...
AICS SM in (.338 Lapua Magnum) - Barrett M82 (.50BMG)
- Barrett M95 (.50BMG)
- McMillan 87R (.50BMG)
- PGM Ultima RatioPGM Ultima RatioThe PGM Ultima Ratio is a French-designed and manufactured sniper rifle. It uses the 7.62x51 mm NATO cartridge and can, depending on the variant, be chambered for several other cartridges. The PGM Ultima Ratio is intended to fulfill an anti-personnel role and is produced by PGM Précision of France...
(7.62x51mm NATO) - PGM Hecate IIPGM Hecate IIThe Hecate II is the standard heavy sniper rifle of the French Army, sometimes known as the FR-12,7 .It is manufactured by PGM Précision of France...
with Scrome J10 10 × 40 (.50BMG) - PGM Hecate IIPGM Hecate IIThe Hecate II is the standard heavy sniper rifle of the French Army, sometimes known as the FR-12,7 .It is manufactured by PGM Précision of France...
Nemesis (.50BMG)
GIGN leaders
- Lieutenant Christian ProuteauChristian ProuteauChristian Prouteau is a French officer of the Gendarmerie Nationale. He was involved in the organisation of the GIGN and the GSPR.- Biography :...
: 1973-1982 - Capitaine Paul BarrilPaul BarrilPaul Barril is a former officer of the French Gendarmerie Nationale. He authored several books about his military career, touching sensitive political subjects of the Mitterrand era.Barril was a gendarme until 1995...
: 1982-1983 (Interim) - Capitaine Philippe Masselin : 1983-1985
- Capitaine Philippe Legorjus : 1985-1989
- Major (Commandant or Chef d'Escadron in Cavalry) Lionel Chesneau : 1989-1992
- Capitaine Denis Favier : 1992-1997
- Major (Commandant or Chef d'Escadron in Cavalry) Eric Gerard : 1997–2002
- Lieutenant-Colonel Frédéric Gallois : 2002-2007
- Brigade GeneralBrigade GeneralBrigade General is a rank used in many armies to denote the lowest rank of general, corresponding to command of a brigade. The rank is mostly used in countries where it is used as a modern alternative to a previous older rank of Brigadier or Brigadier General...
Denis Favier : 2007-2011 - Brigade GeneralBrigade GeneralBrigade General is a rank used in many armies to denote the lowest rank of general, corresponding to command of a brigade. The rank is mostly used in countries where it is used as a modern alternative to a previous older rank of Brigadier or Brigadier General...
Thierry Orosco: 2011-present
In fiction
GIGN members are present in several video games such as SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Tactical StrikeSOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Tactical Strike
SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Tactical Strike is the third handheld game in the SOCOM series. In Tactical Strike, the player is in command of four combatants. Unlike previous games in the series, Tactical Strike and SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation are developed by Slant Six Games instead of Zipper...
, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Lockdown is the fourth game in the Rainbow Six series. The initial design and PlayStation 2 version were developed by Red Storm Entertainment and the Xbox version was developed by the Ubisoft Montreal studio. Both are published by Ubisoft...
, Joint Operations: Typhoon Rising
Joint Operations: Typhoon Rising
-External links:* * * * * *...
, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a 2002 open world action computer and video game developed by British games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the second 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise and sixth original title overall...
, Hitman: Contracts
Hitman: Contracts
Hitman: Contracts is a stealth game developed by IO Interactive and published by Eidos Interactive. It is the third entry in the Hitman series, followed by Hitman: Blood Money....
, Battlefield 3
Battlefield 3
Battlefield 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by EA Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released in North America on October 25, 2011 and in Europe on October 28, 2011 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and EA Mobile confirmed a port for...
, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is a first-person shooter video game, developed by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games, with Raven Software having assisted in development...
. GIGN uniforms are available in the games Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike
Counter-Strike is a tactical first-person shooter video game developed by Valve Corporation which originated from a Half-Life modification by Minh "Gooseman" Le and Jess "Cliffe" Cliffe...
and SWAT 4
SWAT 4
SWAT 4 is a tactical first-person shooter computer game developed by Irrational Games and published by Vivendi Universal Games on April 5, 2005. It was built on Irrational Games's Vengeance engine powered by Unreal Engine 2.0 technology...
. The group is also mentioned in the Phoenix Force
Phoenix Force
Phoenix Force is a series of action-adventure novels first published in 1982 by American Gold Eagle publishers. It is a spin-off of the Executioner series created by Don Pendleton....
1984 book Phoenix in Flames. They are featured in L'Assaut, a French film about the Air France Flight 8969 hijacking. It was done with the collaboration and the advice of the GIGN.
See also
- Counter-terrorismCounter-terrorismCounter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
- PI2G
- RAIDRecherche Assistance Intervention DissuasionRecherche Assistance Intervention Dissuasion or RAID is, like the GIPN, a Special Operations tactical unit of the National Police with more manpower and equipment...
- GIPN
- National Liberation Front of CorsicaNational Liberation Front of CorsicaThe National Liberation Front of Corsica is a militant group that advocates an independent state on the island of Corsica, separate from France. They also want all currently imprisoned members of the FLNC in France to be put into Corsican prisons. The organisation's presence is primarily in...
- Atlas NetworkAtlas NetworkThe Atlas Network is an association consisting of the special police units of the 27 states of the European Union. The goal of Atlas is to improve cooperation among the police units and to enhance skills by training with the other units....