2e REI: NATO’s Allied Reaction Force | French Foreign Legion Information

Starting in early July 2026, legionnaires of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI) will form the core of a forward battalion held at 48-hour readiness for a one-year rotation as part of NATO’s Allied Reaction Force (ARF) — the alliance’s revamped rapid response mechanism, which replaced the earlier NATO Response Force.

The forward battalion is a temporary tactical grouping assembled from several regiments within France’s 6th Light Armored Brigade (6e BLB). It is composed of the 2e REI legionnaires and reinforced by combat engineer elements from another Legion unit, the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG), along with artillery support from the 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment (3e RAMa).

The battalion is expected to be ready to move within 48 hours of receiving orders, responding to an emerging crisis. Its role is to serve as the first NATO ground element that can be dispatched to an area of operations ahead of the main force — conducting initial reconnaissance, securing key terrain, clearing obstacles, and setting the conditions for the deployment of NATO’s ARF. The wider ARF, which brings together land, air, naval, special operations, logistics, and cyber capabilities, is designed to deploy anywhere in the world within ten days.

As part of the preparations, Brigadier General Stève Carleton, the 6e BLB’s commanding officer and a former commander of the 2e REI, oversaw a readiness evaluation of the forward battalion. See the video.

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