2e REI, 2e REG: Dog Fighter 2025 | French Foreign Legion Information

In early October 2025, two Foreign Legion regiments – the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI) and the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG) – took part in the multinational military exercise Dog Fighter 2025, hosted by France’s 132nd Canine Infantry Regiment (132e RIC), the only unit of its kind in France and the largest military working dog regiment in Europe.

Held from October 2 to 9 in northeastern France, Dog Fighter 2025 brought together approximately 500 French soldiers alongside 50 military working dog teams from 10 NATO nations. The exercise was the first of its kind in France and Europe in terms of scale, complexity, and technical innovation. Designed to enhance cooperation, interoperability, and combat readiness, the event featured a series of highly realistic tactical scenarios involving both canine and human participants.

The training unfolded across multiple locations, including the Piémont training area near Suippes, Reims Arena, and La Comète Cultural Center in Châlons-en-Champagne, where search operations were conducted in civilian-like environments. The most dynamic phase took place at the CENZUB urban combat training center in Sissonne, where participants engaged in intense simulations involving explosive detection, suspect apprehension, riot control, and close-quarters combat.

Key events during the exercise included a series of advanced technical workshops focused on laser designation, muzzle strikes for non-bite apprehensions, and explosive scent memorization. Participants also conducted canine-assisted rappel descents, practiced combat casualty care for both dogs and handlers, and engaged in live-fire exercises to enhance realism and stress response.

The most complex phase of the exercise involved a large-scale urban combat scenario, during which allied forces – Foreign Legion infantry and engineers, reinforced by canine teams – successfully retook two enemy-held villages in simulated nighttime and daytime engagements.

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