Commandos Parachutistes de l'Air
The increasing need for high quality reconnaissance and intervention units within the General Reserve resulted in the formation of the Commandos Parachutistes de l'Air. The volunteers for this new unit came from the Armee de l'Air (the Air Force). The call for volunteers went out in March 1956 and by May the first unit, Commando 10, was ready for its first operational test. The selection process had been extremely punishing and only the highest quality candidates were successful.
Commandos 20 and 30 were ready by October 1956, with Commando 40 ready in February 1957 and the last unit, Commando 50, being operational in February 1959. In April 1957 Commandos 10, 20 and 30 were grouped together as the Groupement de Commandos Parachutistes de l'Air (GCPA), a helicopter borne intervention unit for the Corps d'Armee d'Alger.
The CPA's specialised in long fighting patrols and ambushes, often laying in wait on known or suspected AFN infiltration routes for days after their helicopter insertion and approach march.
Once in contact the CPA's could call on their skills as forward air controllers to manage the utilisation of fighter ground attack/tactical air support to add to their firepower.
In addition to their intervention role the CPA's also provided door gunners for the S-58/H-34 helicopter gunships.