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{{army units}}
A '''field force''' in [[British Army|British]], [[Indian Army]] and Tanzanian military [[parlance]] is a combined arms land force operating under actual or assumed combat circumstances,<ref>p.88 Dupuy, Trevor N., Johnson, Curt and Hayes, Grace P. (1986). ''Dictionary of Military Terms: A Guide to the Language of Warfare and Military Institutions''. The H. W. Wilson Company.</ref> usually for the length of a specific [[military campaign]]. It is used by other nations, but can have a different meaning.

==United Kingdom use==

A field force would be created from the various units in an area of military operations and be named for the geographical area. Examples are:
* [[Kurram Valley Field Force|Kurram]] Field Force, 1878
* [[Peshawar Valley Field Force]], 1878
* [[Kabul Field Force]], 1879–1880
* [[Kabul-Kandahar Field Force]], 1880
* [[Natal Field Force]], 1881
* [[Zhob]] Field Force, 1890
* [[Mashonaland]] Field Force, 1896
* [[Malakand Agency|Malakand]] Field Force, 1896
* [[Tirah]] Field Force, 1897
* [[Royal West African Frontier Force|West African Frontier Force]], 1900

==Australian use==

In Australia, a field force comprises the units required to meet operational commitments.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.diggerhistory3.info/handbook/page/01-army-today.htm | title=Diggerhistory3.info }}</ref>

==Canadian use==
The [[Canadian Expeditionary Force]] was considered as a field force created to participate in [[World War I]].

Other Canadian field forces in history include:
* Alberta Field Force, 1885<ref>https://www.metismuseum.ca/resource.php/12340</ref>
* Northwest Field Force, 1885<ref>https://qormuseum.org/history/timeline-1856-1899/northwest-rebellion-1885/</ref>
* [[Yukon Field Force]], 1898–1900

==United States use==

In the United States, during the [[Vietnam War]] the term came to stand for a corps-sized organization with other functions and responsibilities. To avoid confusion with the [[corps]] designations used by the [[Army of the Republic of Vietnam]] and to allow for a flexible organization, MACV and General [[William Westmoreland]] developed the "field force" such as [[I Field Force]] and [[II Field Force]]. Unlike an Army corps, which had a size and structure fixed by Army doctrine, the field force could expand as needed and had other functions such as liaison with South Vietnamese and [[civil affairs]] functions and was flexible enough to have many subordinate units assigned to it.<ref>Eckhard, George S. ''Vietnam Studies: Command and Control 1950-1969.'' Washington, DC: Department of the Army, 1991 p. 53. Online [https://web.archive.org/web/20071213204056/http://www.history.army.mil/books/Vietnam/Comm-Control/index.htm] </ref>

==Police field forces==
In [[counterinsurgency]] type campaigns, select and specially trained units of police armed and equipped as [[light infantry]] have been designated as police field forces who perform [[paramilitary]] type patrols and ambushes whilst retaining their police powers in areas that were highly dangerous.<ref>p.Davies, Bruce & McKay, Gary ''The Men Who Persevered:The AATTV'' 2005 Bruce & Unwin</ref>

==Police Field Forces, Paramilitary and Counter-Insurgency Units==
===A===
; {{flag|Albania}}
* [[Royal Albanian Army]] 1928 - 1939
** [[Royal Albanian Gendarmerie]] 1913 - 1939
** [[Royal Border Guard (Albania)]] 1928 - 1939
; {{flag|Afghanistan}}
* [[Afghan Army]]
** [[Afghan Border Force]]
** [[Afghan National Civil Order Force]] 2006 - 2020
* [[Defense of the Revolution]] 1978 - 1980
* [[Sarandoy]] 1978 - 1992
; {{flag|Algeria}}
* [[Garde communale]] 1996 - 2012, ([[Algerian Civil War]])

===B===
; {{flag|Bangladesh}}
* [[Bangladesh Ansar]]
; {{flag|Belgium}}
* [[Flemish Guard]] 1941 - 1944, ([[German occupation of Belgium during World War II]])
* [[Walloon Guard]] 1941 - 1944
; {{flag|Belarus}}
* [[Byelorussian Auxiliary Police]] 1941 - 1944, ([[Byelorussian collaboration with Nazi Germany]])
** [[13th Belarusian Police (SD) Battalion]] 1943 -1944, ([[German occupation of Byelorussia during World War II]])
** [[Schutzmannschaft-Brigade Siegling]] 1944 only
; {{flag|Brazil}}
* [[Brazilian Army]]
** [[Military Police (Brazil)]]
*** [[National Public Security Force]]
*** [[Military Police of Acre State]]
*** [[Military Police of Espirito Santo State]]
*** [[Military Police of Goiás State]]
*** [[Military Police of Minas Gerais State]]
*** [[Military Police of Parana State]]
*** [[Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State]]
*** [[Military Police of São Paulo State]]
* [[Public Forces (Brazil)]] 1880s - 1960s

===C===
; {{PRC}}
* [[Paramilitary forces of China]]
** [[People's Armed Police]]
; {{flag|Colombia}}
* [[National Police of Colombia]]
** [[Directorate of Carabineers and Rural Security]]
*** [[Mobile Carabinier Squadrons]]
; {{flag|Independent State of Croatia}} 1941 - 1945
* [[German-Croatian Police]] 1941 - 1944

===D===
; {{flag|Denmark}}
* [[HIPO Corps]] 1944 - 1945
** [[Lorenzen Group]] 1944 - 1945, ([[Denmark in World War II]])
===E===
; {{flag|Estonia}}
* [[Estonian Auxiliary Police]] 1941 - 1944, ([[German occupation of Estonia during World War II]])
** [[36th Estonian Police Battalion]] 1943 - 1944 ([[German occupation of the Baltic states during World War II]])
** [[Schutzmannschaft Battalion 33]]

===F===
; {{flag|Vichy France}}
* [[French National Police]]
** [[Special Brigades]]
* [[Groupe mobile de réserve]] 1941 -1944
* [[Milice]] 1943 - 1944
** [[Franc-Garde]] 1943 - 1944

===G and H===
; {{flag|Gambia}}
* [[British Army]]
** [[Gambia Regiment]] 1901 - 1958
* [[Gambia Police Force]]
** Field Force,
; {{flag|East Germany}}
* [[Volkspolizei]] 1945 - 1990
** [[Volkspolizei-Bereitschaft]] 1955 - 1990
; {{flag|Nazi Germany}}
* [[Ordnungspolizei]] (Order Police) 1936 - 1945, ([[Police forces of Nazi Germany]])
** [[Police Regiment Centre]] 1941 -1942 ([[Bandenbekampfung]])
*** [[Police Battalion 307]] 1941 - 1942
*** [[Police Battalion 316]] 1941 - 1942
*** [[Police Battalion 322]] 1941 - 1942
** [[Police Regiment North]] 1941 - 1942
** [[Police Regiment South]] 1941 - 1942
*** [[Police Battalion 45]] 1941 - 1942
*** [[Police Battalion 303]] 1941 - 1942
*** [[Police Battalion 314]] 1941 - 1942
** [[Order Police battalions]]
*** [[Police Battalion 306]] 1941 - 1942
*** [[Police Battalion 309]] 1941 - 1945
*** [[Police Battalion 320]] 1941 - 1942
*** [[Reserve Police Battalion 33]] 1941 - 1943
*** [[Reserve Police Battalion 101]] 1940 - 1943
** [[SS Police Regiment Bozen]] 1943 - 1945
** [[SS Police Regiment Brixen]] 1944 - 1945
** [[Schutzmannschaft]] 1941 - 1945
* [[Forest Protection Command]] 1939 -
* [[Schutzstaffel]] ([[SS]]) 1925 - 1945
** [[1st SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1945
** [[2nd SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1943
** [[3rd SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1943
** [[4th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1943
** [[5th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1944
** [[6th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1945
** [[7th SS Police Regiment]] 1943 only
** [[8th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1945
** [[9th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1945
** [[10th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1944
** [[11th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 -1944
** [[12th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1944
** [[13th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1944
** [[14th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1944
** [[15th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 -
** [[16th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1944
** [[17th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 -
** [[18th SS Mountain Police Regiment]] 1942
** [[19th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 -
** [[20th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 -
** [[21st SS Police Regiment]] 1942 -
** [[22nd SS Police Regiment]] 1942 -
** [[23rd SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1945
** [[24th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 -
** [[25th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 -
** [[26th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 - 1944
** [[27th SS Police Regiment]] 1942 -
** [[28th SS Police Regiment Todt]] 1942 -
* [[Allgemeine SS]] 1934 - 1945
** [[Postschutz]] 1933 - 1945
* [[Waffen-SS]] 1933 - 1945
** [[4th SS Polizei Panzergrenadier Division]] 1939 - 1945
** [[Kaminski Brigade]] 1941 - 1944
* [[Zollgrenzschutz]] 1918 - 1945

===I===
; {{flag|Indonesia}}
* [[Indonesian National Police]]
** [[Mobile Brigade Corps]]
; {{flag|India}}
* [[Paramilitary forces of India]]
** [[Home Guard (India)]]
** [[National Security Guards]]
*** [[51 Special Action Group]]
** [[Railway Protection Force]]
** [[Special Protection Group]]
* [[Research and Analysis Wing]]
** [[Special Frontier Force]]
** [[Special Group (India)]]
* [[Central Armed Police Force]]
** [[Border Security Force]]
** [[Central Industrial Security Force]]
** [[Indo-Tibetan Border Police]]
*** [[Indo-Tibetan Border Police (Water Wing)]]
** [[Sashastra Seema Bal]]
** [[Central Reserve Police Force]]
*** [[Bastariya Battalion]]
*** [[Commando Battalion for Resolute Action]]
* [[Indian Army]]
** [[Assam Rifles]]
** [[Rashtriya Rifles]]
* [[State Armed Police Forces]]
** [[Andhra Pradesh Police]]
*** [[Greyhounds (police)|Greyhounds]]
** [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]]
*** [[Special Operations Group (Jammu and Kashmir)|Special Operations Group]]
** [[Kerala Police]]
*** [[Kerala Thunderbolts]]
** [[Mizoram Armed Police]]
** [[Odisha Police]]
*** [[Special Operation Group (Odisha)]]
** [[Telangana Police]]
*** [[Greyhounds (police)]]
** [[Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary]]
** [[West Bengal Police]]
*** [[Counter Insurgency Force]]
*** [[Eastern Frontier Rifles]]
; {{flag|Iran}}
* [[Law Enforcement Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran]]
** [[Border Guard Command (Iran)]]
; {{flag|Iraq}}
* [[Wolf Brigade (Iraq)]]
; {{flag|Ireland}}
* [[Royal Irish Constabulary]] 1822 - 1922
** [[Auxiliary Division]] 1920 - 1922, ([[irish War of Independence]])
** [[Black and Tans]] 1920 -1922, ([[Irish War of Independence]])
* [[Garda Síochána]] (Irish Police)
** [[Criminal Investigation Department (Ireland)]] 1921 - 1923, ([[Irish Civil War]])
; {{flag|Israel}}
* [[Israel Police]]
** [[Israel Border Police]]
; {{flag|Italian Social Republic}}
* [[Blackshirts]] 1923 -1943
** [[Battaglioni M]] 1941 - 1943
** [[Black Brigades]] 1944 - 1945
** [[Border Militia]] 1926 - 1943
** [[Forestry Militia]] 1926 - 1948
** [[Maritime Artillery Militia]] 1939 - 1943
** [[Port Militia]] 1924 -

===J and K===
; {{flag|Kenya}}
* [[Kenya Police]]
** [[General Service Unit (Kenya)|General Service Unit]] ([[Mau Mau Uprising]])
** [[Administration Police]]
===L===
; {{flag|Kingdom of Laos}}
* [[Royal Lao Police]] 1955 - 1975
** [[Directorate of National Coordination]] 1960 - 1965, ([[Laotian Civil War]])
; {{flag|Latvia}}
* [[Latvian Auxiliary Police]] 1941 - 1944, ([[German occupation of Latvia during World War II]])
; {{flag|Lithuania}}
* [[Lithuanian TDA Battalion]] 1941 only, ([[German occupation of Lithuania during World War II]])
* [[Lithuanian Auxiliary Police]] 1941 - 1945 ([[German occupation of the Baltic states during World War II]])
** [[10th Lithuanian Police Battalion]] 1941 - 1945
** [[256th Lithuanian Police Battalion]] 1943 - 1944
** [[258th Lithuanian Police Battalion]] 1944 only
** [[259th Lithuanian Police Battalion]] 1944 only
===M===
; {{flag|Malaysia}}
* [[Royal Malaysian Police]]
** [[General Operations Force]] ([[Malayan Emergency]])
*** [[Senoi Praaq]]
** [[Marine Operations Force]] ([[Malayan Emergency]])
; {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Mandatory Palestine]]
* [[British Gendarmerie]] 1922 - 1926
* [[Special Night Squads]] 1938 - 1939
; {{flag|Mauritius}}
* [[Mauritius Police Force]]
** [[Special Mobile Force]]
; {{flag|Mexico}}
* [[Mexican Army]]
** [[Rurales]]
; {{flag|Moldova}}
* [[Moldovan Police]]
** [[Special Forces Brigade "Fulger"]]
; {{flag|Myanmar}}
* [[Myanmar Army]]
** [[Border Guard Forces]]
* [[Myanmar Police Force]]
** [[Border Guard Police]]

===N===
; {{flag|Namibia}}
* [[Namibian Police Force]]
** [[Special Field Force]]
; {{flag|Nigeria}}
* [[Nigerian Police Force]]
** [[Nigerian Mobile Police]]
* [[Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps]]
; {{flag|Norway}}
* [[Statspolitiet]] 1941 - 1945, ([[German occupation of Norway]])

===O and P===
; {{flag|Pakistan}}
* [[Civil Armed Forces]] - (Paramilitary forces of Pakistan)
** [[Frontier Corps]]
*** [[Frontier Corps Balochistan (North)]]
**** [[Kurram Militia]]
**** [[Zhob Militia]]
*** [[Frontier Corps Balochistan (South)]]
**** [[Chagai Militia]]
**** [[Dalbandin Rifles]]
**** [[Kharan Rifles]]
**** [[Taftan Rifles]]
*** [[Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (North)]]
**** [[Bajaur Scouts]]
**** [[Bara Rifles]]
**** [[Chitral Scouts]]
**** [[Dir Scouts]]
**** [[Khyber Rifles]]
**** [[Mahsud Scouts]]
**** [[Mohmand Rifles]]
**** [[Orakzai Scouts]]
**** [[Shawal Rifles]]
*** [[Frontier Corps Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (South)]]
**** [[Kurram Militia]]
**** [[Zhob Militia]]
** [[Frontier Constabulary]]
** [[Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts]]
* [[Pakistan Rangers]]
*** [[Punjab Rangers]]
*** [[Sindh Rangers]]
* [[Pakistan Army]]
** [[Pakistan Coast Guard]]
** [[National Guard (Pakistan)]]
*** [[Janbaz Force]]
*** [[Mujahid Force]]
* [[Pakistan Levies]]
** [[Balochistan Levies]]
** [[Dir Levies]]
** [[Malakand Levies]]
* [[Pakistan Navy]]
** [[Pakistan Maritime Security Agency]]
* Former Paramilitary Forces
** [[Azad Kashmir Regular Force]] 1947 - 1972
** [[Federal Security Force (Pakistan)]] 1972 - 1977
** [[Gilgit Scouts]] 1913 - 1975
** [[Khasadar]] 1892 - 2019
** [[Mehran Force]] 1942 - 1995
; {{flag|Peru}}
* [[National Police of Peru]]
** [[Sinchis]] - [[Internal conflict in Peru]]
; {{flag|Philippines}}
* [[Philippine National Police]]
** [[Special Action Force]]
; {{flag|Portugal}}
* [[Provincial organization of volunteers and civil defence]]

===Q and R===
; {{flag|Rhodesia}}
* [[British South African Police]] 1889 - 1980
** [[Police Anti-Terrorist Unit]] 1966 - 1980, ([[Rhodesian Bush War]]) 1964 - 1979
** [[Police Support Unit]]
* [[INTAF]] 1962 - 1979
** [[Grey's Scouts]] 1975 - 1986, ([[Rhodesian Bush War]]) 1964 - 1979
** [[Guard Force (Rhodesia)]] 1976 - 1980
* [[Security Force Auxiliaries]] 1978 - 1979 ([[Rhodesian Bush War]] 1964 - 1979
; {{flag|Russia}}
* [[Internal Troops of Russia]] 1991 - 2016
** [[Rus (special forces)]] 1994 -2008
** [[Vityaz (MVD)]] 1991 - 2008
* [[Zubr (special police force)]]

===S===
; {{flag|Solomon Islands}}
* [[Royal Solomon Islands Police Force]]
** Police Field Force
; {{flag|South Africa}}
* [[South African Army]]
** [[Commando System (South Africa)]]
; {{flag|South Vietnam}}
* [[Republic of Vietnam National Police]] 1955 - 1975
** [[Republic of Vietnam National Police Field Force]] 1966 - 1975, ([[Vietnam War]])
** [[Republic of Vietnam River and Coastal Police]] 1965 - 1975, ([[Vietnam War]])
; {{flag|South West Africa}}
* [[South West African Police]] 1920 - 1990
** [[Koevoet]] 1979 - 1989
; {{flag|Sri Lanka}}
* [[Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka)]]
** [[Sri Lanka Civil Security Force]]
** [[Sri Lanka Coast Guard]]
* [[Sri Lanka Police]]
** [[Special Task Force (Sri Lanka)|Special Task Force]] ([[Sri Lankan civil war|Sri Lankan Civil War]])
; {{flag|Syria}}
* [[Syrian Special Mission Forces]]

===T===
; {{flag|Tanzania}}
* Police Field Force ([[Zanzibar Revolution]])
; {{flag|Thailand}}
* [[Royal Thai Police]]
** [[Border Patrol Police]]
*** [[Thahan Phran]]
*** [[Village Scouts]]
*** [[Volunteer Defense Corps (Thailand)]]
; {{flag|Turkey}}
* [[Gendarmerie General Command]]
** [[Village guard system]]

===U===
; {{flag|Ukraine}}
* [[National Guard of Ukraine]]

===V===
; {{flag|Vatican City}}
* [[Swiss Guard]]
; {{flag|Vanuatu}}
* Vanuatu Police Force
** [[Vanuatu Mobile Force]]
; {{flag|Vietnam}}
* [[Vietnam People's Public Security]]
** [[Mobile Police Command]]

===W, X and Y===
===Z===
; {{flag|Zimbabwe}}
* [[Zimbabwe Republic Police]]
** [[Police Support Unit]]

==See also==
* [[List of gendarmeries]]
* [[List of police tactical units]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Ad hoc units and formations]]
[[Category:Law enforcement units]]
[[Category:Law enforcement occupations]]
[[Category:Non-military counterterrorist organizations]]