Opposing force

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Template:Short description Template:About {{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}} Template:More citations needed

File:OPFOR Soldiers.jpg
U.S. OPFOR soldiers playing the role of Iraqi insurgents in Fort Polk, Louisiana.Template:Refn

An opposing force (alternatively enemy force, abbreviated OPFOR or OpFor) is a military unit tasked with representing an enemy, usually for training purposes in war game scenarios. The related concept of aggressor squadron is used by some air forces.

At a basic level, a unit might serve as an opposing force for a single scenario, differing from its 'opponents' only in the objectives it is given. However, major armies commonly maintain specialized groups trained to accurately replicate real-life enemies, to provide a more realistic experience for their training opponents. (To avoid the diplomatic ramifications of naming a real nation as a likely enemy, training scenarios often use fictionalized versions with different names but similar military characteristics to the expected real-world foes.)

Units

Canada

The Canadian Armed Forces has OPFOR units from the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

China

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France

In the French Army, a FORAD (Template:Lang, enemy force) is used to train the army, in both the Template:Lang (CENTAC, Combat Training Center) of Mailly-le-Camp<ref name="5eRD"/> and in the Template:Lang (CENZUB, Urban Operations Training Centre).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Declassed AMX-30 tanks were used to simulate Soviet T-72s,<ref name="5eRD">Template:Cite magazine</ref> until 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Republic of Korea

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Japan

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United States

File:UH-1H disguised as Mi-24 Fort Irwin 1985.JPEG
A UH-1H replicating a Mi-24 at Fort Irwin in 1985

There are three major training centers that utilize home-based OPFOR units for the US Army:

Over time, the Army has patterned the OPFOR units after real or imagined opponents and given them various fictional names, even though the US Army denies any resemblance.

File:CIRCLE TRIAGON BADGE.png

"Circle Triagonists" - patterned after the Wehrmacht from 1947 to 1978.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

"Krasnovians" - patterned after the Soviet Red Army from 1978 to 1990 at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The People's Republic of Pineland - a make believe foe for Army Special Forces candidates to face in their final test.

The Island of Aragon - an invasion scenario for troops to play out at the US Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Attica - a crisis to handle at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

Various US military installations or major units have their own local versions of opposing force used for training exercises. The joint Australian–US military exercise "Crocodile '03" featured an Australian-led opposing force in which soldiers from a range of Australian units worked together with a US Marine Corps contingent.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Several state defense forces have served as OPFOR units when training with the National Guard. The California State Guard,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the Georgia State Defense Force,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and the New York Guard<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> have provided OPFOR services to their respective National Guard counterparts. In 2018, the Georgia State Defense Force established the OPFOR Battalion<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> to assist National Guard Soldiers with pre-deployment training.

Ranks

Officer ranks
Template:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank
Template:Flagicon image Circle Trigonists Army
Template:Small<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 		File:US-AGRO-Army-OF-10 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OF-9 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OF-8 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OF-7 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OF-6 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OF-5 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OF-4 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OF-3 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OF-2 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OF-1c (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OF-1b (1959).svg File:Blank.svg
Marshal General of army General of corps General of division General of brigade Colonel Commandant Major Captain Lieutenant Sub-lieutenant Warrant officer
Template:Flagicon image Circle Trigonists Army
Template:Small<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 		File:Circle Trigon O11.png File:Circle Trigon O10.png File:Circle Trigon O9.png File:Circle Trigon O8.png File:Circle Trigon O7.png File:Circle Trigon O6.png File:Circle Trigon O5.png File:Circle Trigon O4.png File:Circle Trigon O3.png File:Circle Trigon O2.png File:Circle Trigon O1.png File:Blank.svg
Marshal General of army General of corps General of division General of brigade Colonel Commandant Major Captain Lieutenant Sub-lieutenant Warrant officer
Krasnovian Army
Template:SmallTemplate:Citation needed 		File:OPFOR O6C.png File:OPFOR O5C.png File:OPFOR O4C.png File:OPFOR O3C.png File:OPFOR O2C.png File:OPFOR O1C.png
Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Junior lieutenant

Template:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank

Template:Flagicon image Circle Trigonists Air Force
Template:Small<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 		File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:US-AGRO-AirForce-OF-5 (1953).svg File:US-AGRO-AirForce-OF-4 (1953).svg File:US-AGRO-AirForce-OF-3 (1953).svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg
Air marshal General of air General of air army General of air corps General of air division Colonel Commandant Major Captain Lieutenant Sub-lieutenant Warrant officer
Template:Flagicon image Circle Trigonists Air Force
Template:Small<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 		File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg
Air marshal General of air General of air army General of air corps General of air division Colonel Commandant Major Captain Lieutenant Sub-lieutenant Warrant officer
Other ranks
Template:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OR/Blank
Template:Flagicon image Circle Trigonists Army
Template:Small<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 		File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-9 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-8 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-7 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-6 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-5 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-4 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-3 (1959).svg No insignia
Sergeant major Staff sergeant Senior sergeant Platoon sergeant Section sergeant Corporal Senior private Private
Template:Flagicon image Circle Trigonists Army
Template:Small<ref name="Department of the Army-1962">Template:Cite book</ref> 		File:Circle Trigon E8.png File:Circle Trigon E7.png File:Circle Trigon E6.png File:Circle Trigon E5.png File:Circle Trigon E4.png File:Circle Trigon E3.png File:Circle Trigon E2.png File:Circle Trigon E1.png
Sergeant major Staff sergeant Senior sergeant Platoon sergeant Section sergeant Corporal Senior private Private
Krasnovian Army
Template:SmallTemplate:Citation needed 		File:OPFOR E6C.png File:OPFOR E5C.png File:OPFOR E4C.png File:OPFOR E3C.png File:OPFOR E2C.png File:OPFOR E1C.png
Sergeant major Senior sergeant Sergeant Junior sergeant Corporal Private

Template:Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OR/Blank

Template:Flagicon image Circle Trigonists Air Force
Template:Small<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 		File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-9 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-8 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-7 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-6 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-5 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-4 (1959).svg File:US-AGRO-Army-OR-3 (1959).svg No insignia
Sergeant major Staff sergeant Senior sergeant Platoon sergeant Section sergeant Corporal Senior airman Airman
Template:Flagicon image Circle Trigonists Air Force
Template:Small<ref name="Department of the Army-1962"/> 		File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg File:Blank.svg No insignia
Sergeant major Staff sergeant Senior sergeant Platoon sergeant Section sergeant Corporal Senior airman Airman

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Often, the colour of the epaulette shows what specialisation the particular OPFOR soldier has. Green is worn by everyday soldiers, red by fusiliers, and blue by airborne forces.

Personnel

Vehicles

Notes

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References

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Further reading

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