GIGN

GIGN is one of the world's busiest and best Counter-Terrorist units. Between 1974 and 1985 they participated in over 650 operations that freed over 500 hostages and eliminated dozens of terrorists. Over 1,000 have been arrested. In that same time they suffered 5 dead and dozens severly wounded (nine were wounded in the recent assault of Air France flight 8969).

GIGN was initially formed in 1974 and was to be no greater than 100 operators. Since then it has never been larger than 90 members. GIGN has always been inventive and effective in their operations. In their operational debut, a takedown of a bus in Djibouti (February, 1976), sandwiches that were permitted by the terrorists to be fed to the hostages were drugged. The tranquilized hostages (30 school children) fell asleep, thus clearing the view for GIGN snipers.

GIGN is also very well traveled. In addition to Djibouti, they have operated in New Caledonia, Lebanon, Sudan, and the Island nation of Comoros.

Because GIGN operates all over the world, operators need to be able to function in a myriad of environments. They train in alpine and winter environments in addition to the urban. They are proficient in parachute insertions as well as SCUBA operations; it is reported that they make a jump in full SCUBA gear at least once a year.

GIGN operators come exclusively from the ranks of the Gendarmerie. In order to be eligable, a volunteeer needs a minimum of five years experience with an exemplary record. Reports have indicated that of those with this service record, as low as seven percent are excepted. After acceptance, operators are trained for ten months (keep in mind, these are officers that already have at least five years experience). GIGN operators are expected to know not only the weapons they deploy with, but also any possible weapons their adversaries might be equipped with.

This next part comes by way of a Frenchman who e-mailed me with info.

More informations about the GIGN:
It's a 87men-strong unit designed to anti-terrorism and police operations (like SWATs ). It's organized in:
-four 15-men groups.
-a command and support squad.
-a talking and negociation cell.

There are 5 officers: the CO (a major), a deputy commander plus 3 captains and lieutenants. All have undertaken a very hard selection course: 8 new gendarmes each year (on about one hundred pre-selected). But they become fully operational after one year of training and different stage and course: some become HAHO/HALO or undertake maritime training with the Navy's Commandos-Marine. Every new-member follows: fast-driving course, mountain training, intense shooting course (each member shoots 300 cartridges per day), close-combat: a derivate of the israeli "Krav-Maga" , etc ...

Weapons:
-Handguns: they mainly use a 357magnum revolver : the Manurhin MR73. They also use the Beretta 92F and the Sig-Sauer family.
-Machine-Gun: The GIGN use the HK MP5 family: SD (Suppressed),A5,K ( an extremely compact weapon) with laser designator and light torch (flashlight).
-Assault rifles: they use the HK G3, the french FAMAS (a very compact and smart weapon), and also the SIG S551.
-Riot guns (shotguns): Remington 870, Benelli, and Beretta.
-Sniping: Their main weapon with the MR73 handgun is the FRF1 (Fusil a Repetition modele F1) .And each gendarme receive his own MR73 and FRF1 . It's 7.62mm Nato, 600m range rifle used with a Leupold or Zeiss ocular/glass(scope). They also use the McMillan and Barret .50 rifle for heavy sniping, although they now receive the french designed 12.7mm carabine "Hecate2".