The
French Armed Forces encompass the
French Army, the
French Navy, the
French Air Force, and the
National Gendarmerie of
France. The
President of the Republic heads the armed forces, with the title "
chef des armées" ("chief of the armies"). The President is the supreme authority for military matters and is the sole official who can order a nuclear strike. According to SIPRI, as of 2014 France maintains the 5th largest defence budget in the world.