{{Short description|Military term}} {{about|a military term|the game|Half-Life: Opposing Force{{!}}''Half-Life: Opposing Force''}} {{hatnote|The term "opposing force" is occasionally used to refer to a genuine military foe. This article is concerned only with its use in simulated conflict.}} {{more citations needed|date=November 2009}} [[File:OPFOR Soldiers.jpg|thumbnail|right|200px|U.S. OPFOR soldiers playing the role of Iraqi insurgents in Fort Polk, Louisiana.{{refn|group=note|Photo was taken during Operation Cajun Fury with one of the many training exercises that take place at Joint Readiness Training Command (JRTC).}}]]
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>{{Cite web | url=https://www.ceaa.gc.ca/052/details-eng.cfm?pid=32878 | title=Archived - Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre (CMTC) Opposing Force (OPFOR) Facility | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161207153039/https://www.ceaa.gc.ca/052/details-eng.cfm?pid=32878 | archive-date=2016-12-07}}</ref>
=== China === {{further|195th Combined Arms Brigade (People's Republic of China)}} {{further|66th Brigade (People's Republic of China)}}
=== France === In the French Army, a FORAD ({{lang|fr|FORce ADverse}}, enemy force) is used to train the army, in both the {{lang|fr|centre d'entraînement au combat}} (CENTAC, Combat Training Center) of Mailly-le-Camp<ref name="5eRD"/> and in the {{lang|fr|centre d'entraînement aux actions en zone urbaine}} (CENZUB, Urban Operations Training Centre).<ref>{{cite news|language=fr |title=Dans la ville fantôme de Jeoffrécourt, les armées étrangères simulent la guerre |trans-title=In the ghost town of Jeoffrécourt, foreign armies simulate war |url=https://www.lepoint.fr/societe/dans-la-ville-fantome-de-jeoffrecourt-les-armees-etrangeres-simulent-la-guerre-08-05-2016-2037740_23.php |agency=Agence France-Presse |newspaper=Le Point |date= 8 May 2016}}</ref> Declassed AMX-30 tanks were used to simulate Soviet T-72s,<ref name="5eRD">{{cite magazine|magazine=Batailles & Blindés |issue=Hors Série 24 |issn=1950-8751 |pages=52–55 |title=CENTAC/5e régiment de Dragons |trans-title=CENTAC/5th Dragoon Regiment |language=fr |date=2014}}</ref> until 2018.<ref>{{cite web|title=Le 5e Régiment de Dragons se sépare de ses derniers chars AMX-30 Brenus |trans-title=The 5th Dragoons Regiment separates from its last AMX-30 Brenus tanks |language=fr |url=http://www.opex360.com/2018/10/17/le-5e-regiment-de-dragons-se-separe-de-ses-derniers-chars-amx-30-brenus/ |date=17 October 2018 |first=Laurent |last=Lagneau |website=opex360.com}}</ref>
=== Republic of Korea === {{further|Korea Combat Training Center}}
=== Japan === {{further|Tactical Fighter Training Group (JASDF)}}
=== United States === [[File:UH-1H disguised as Mi-24 Fort Irwin 1985.JPEG|thumb|A UH-1H replicating a Mi-24 at Fort Irwin in 1985]] {{See also|Red Cell}} There are three major training centers that utilize home-based OPFOR units for the US Army:
* The National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, California—home unit is the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (the ''Blackhorse'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/news/brave-rifles-opfor-dominates-at-ntc/article_c5347e44-7a1b-11e8-8d7b-d3f18cc18bec.html |title=Brave Rifles OPFOR dominates at NTC|date=28 June 2018 }}</ref> * The Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, Louisiana—home unit is the 1st Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment (the ''Geronimos'')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jber.jb.mil/News/News-Articles/Article/291020/paratroopers-refine-war-fighting-skills-at-the-joint-readiness-training-center/ |title=Paratroopers refine war fighting skills at the Joint Readiness Training Center|work=Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson |date=6 September 2011 }}</ref> * The Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC)—formerly known as the Combat Maneuver Training Center (CMTC)—at Hohenfels, Germany<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hohenfels.army.mil/ |title=Army.mil |access-date=2020-04-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180326223100/http://www.hohenfels.army.mil/ |archive-date=2018-03-26 }}</ref>—home unit is the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment (Separate) (the ''Warriors'')
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. left|frameless|100x100px "Circle Triagonists" - patterned after the Wehrmacht from 1947 to 1978.<ref>{{Cite web |last=TREVITHICK |first=JOSEPH |date=July 23, 2014 |title=The U.S. Army Once Created a Whole Alternate History For Its War Games |url=https://medium.com/war-is-boring/the-u-s-army-once-created-a-whole-alternate-history-for-its-war-games-e733acd8438d |access-date=July 6, 2025 |website=Medium}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxQge4Tf9w0 |title=The Circle Trigon Party and its Decades Long Secret War Against The United States |date=2026-02-20 |last=Uniform History |access-date=2026-02-21 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
"Krasnovians" - patterned after the Soviet Red Army from 1978 to 1990 at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=David W. |date=Feb 12, 2025 |title=5 Fictional Countries Where the U.S. Army is Trained to Fight |url=https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/31437/5-fictional-countries-where-us-army-trained-fight |access-date=July 6, 2025 |website=Mental Floss}}</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>{{cite news |title=Exercise Crocodile '03: You win some, you lose some |first=John |last=Wellfare |url=http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1084/features/feature01a.htm |publisher=Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper}}</ref>
Several state defense forces have served as OPFOR units when training with the National Guard. The California State Guard,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://4thmpbnpmo.com/opfor.htm |title=OPFOR |publisher=1st Battalion (MP), 2nd Brigade (Civil Support), California State Military Reserve |access-date=16 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118090016/http://4thmpbnpmo.com/opfor.htm |archive-date=18 January 2016 }}</ref> the Georgia State Defense Force,<ref>{{cite journal |last=Seay |first=Howard |title=Operation Roughrider Cold |url=http://issuu.com/allanhayesgsdf/docs/headsup_june2015 |journal=Heads up |date=8 May 2015 |publisher=Georgia State Defense Force |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=3 |access-date=16 November 2015}}</ref> and the New York Guard<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Mendie |first=Ubon |date=31 March 2009 |title=N.Y. Guard 'Brings the Fight' to Fighting 69th |url=https://issuu.com/nynationalguard/docs/gt_spring09 |magazine=Guard Times Magazine |page=36 |access-date=22 December 2018}}</ref> have provided OPFOR services to their respective National Guard counterparts. In 2018, the Georgia State Defense Force established the OPFOR Battalion<ref>{{cite web |url=https://paonews.net/units/opfor/ |title=OPFOR Battalion |publisher=Georgia State Defense Force |language=en-US |access-date=2019-12-10 |archive-date=2019-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205095656/http://paonews.net/units/opfor/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> to assist National Guard Soldiers with pre-deployment training.
==== Ranks ==== ===== Officer ranks ===== {| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px; text-align:center;" {{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank}} |- style="text-align:center;" | rowspan=2| {{flagicon image|Flag of US Aggressor Forces.svg}} '''Circle Trigonists Army'''<br />{{small|(1953–1962)}}<ref>{{cite book |title=FM 30-101 Aggressor The Maneuver Enemy 9-23-1959 |date=1959 |publisher=Department of the Army |url=https://archive.org/details/FM30-101AggressorTheManeuverEnemy9-23-1959/page/n19/mode/2up |access-date=5 August 2021 |page=13}}</ref> | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px |- style="text-align:center;" | colspan=2| Marshal | colspan=2| General of army | colspan=2| General of corps | colspan=2| General of division | colspan=2| General of brigade | colspan=2| Colonel | colspan=2| Commandant | colspan=2| Major | colspan=2| Captain | colspan=2| Lieutenant | colspan=2| Sub-lieutenant | colspan=2| Warrant officer |- style="text-align:center;" | rowspan=2| {{flagicon image|Flag of US Aggressor Forces.svg}} '''Circle Trigonists Army'''<br />{{small|(1962–1978)}}<ref>{{cite book |title=FM 30-101 Aggressor: the Maneuver Enemy |date=1962 |publisher=Department of the Army |pages=10–11 |url=https://archive.org/details/FM30-101/page/n9/mode/2up |access-date=5 August 2021}}</ref> | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px |- style="text-align:center;" | colspan=2| Marshal | colspan=2| General of army | colspan=2| General of corps | colspan=2| General of division | colspan=2| General of brigade | colspan=2| Colonel | colspan=2| Commandant | colspan=2| Major | colspan=2| Captain | colspan=2| Lieutenant | colspan=2| Sub-lieutenant | colspan=2| Warrant officer |- | rowspan=2| '''Krasnovian Army'''<br />{{small|(1978–present)}}{{citation needed|date=July 2025}} | colspan=10 rowspan=2| | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px |- | colspan=2| Colonel | colspan=2| Lieutenant colonel | colspan=2| Major | colspan=2| Captain | colspan=2| Lieutenant | colspan=2| Junior lieutenant {{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank}} |- style="text-align:center;" | rowspan=2| {{flagicon image|Flag of US Aggressor Forces.svg}} '''Circle Trigonists Air Force'''<br />{{small|(1953–1962)}}<ref>{{cite book |title=FM 30-101 Aggressor The Maneuver Enemy 9-23-1959 |date=1959 |publisher=Department of the Army |url=https://archive.org/details/FM30-101AggressorTheManeuverEnemy9-23-1959/page/n19/mode/2up |access-date=5 August 2021 |page=30}}</ref> | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px |- style="text-align:center;" | colspan=2| Air marshal | colspan=2| General of air | colspan=2| General of air army | colspan=2| General of air corps | colspan=2| General of air division | colspan=2| Colonel | colspan=2| Commandant | colspan=2| Major | colspan=2| Captain | colspan=2| Lieutenant | colspan=2| Sub-lieutenant | colspan=2| Warrant officer |- style="text-align:center;" | rowspan=2| {{flagicon image|Flag of US Aggressor Forces.svg}} '''Circle Trigonists Air Force'''<br />{{small|(1962–1978)}}<ref>{{cite book |title=FM 30-101 Aggressor: the Maneuver Enemy |date=1962 |publisher=Department of the Army |pages=28–29 |url=https://archive.org/details/FM30-101/page/n9/mode/2up |access-date=5 August 2021}}</ref> | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px |- | colspan=2| Air marshal | colspan=2| General of air | colspan=2| General of air army | colspan=2| General of air corps | colspan=2| General of air division | colspan=2| Colonel | colspan=2| Commandant | colspan=2| Major | colspan=2| Captain | colspan=2| Lieutenant | colspan=2| Sub-lieutenant | colspan=2| Warrant officer |} <small>Circle Triagonist rank and collar tabs came in various colors - Red (rifle), White (artillery), Yellow (armor), Light Blue (airborne), Black (engineer), Tan (signal), Purple (chemical corps), Orange (propaganda)<ref name=":0" /></small>
===== Other ranks ===== <noinclude> {| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px; text-align:center;" {{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OR/Blank}} </noinclude> |- style="text-align:center;" | rowspan=2| {{flagicon image|Flag of US Aggressor Forces.svg}} '''Circle Trigonists Army'''<br />{{small|(1953–1962)}}<ref>{{cite book |title=FM 30-101 Aggressor The Maneuver Enemy 9-23-1959 |date=1959 |publisher=Department of the Army |url=https://archive.org/details/FM30-101AggressorTheManeuverEnemy9-23-1959/page/n19/mode/2up |access-date=5 August 2021 |page=21}}</ref> | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=4| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=8| '''No insignia''' |- style="text-align:center;" | colspan=6| Sergeant major | colspan=2| Staff sergeant | colspan=2| Senior sergeant | colspan=6| Platoon sergeant | colspan=6| Section sergeant | colspan=4| Corporal | colspan=2| Senior private | colspan=8| Private |- style="text-align:center;" | rowspan=2| {{flagicon image|Flag of US Aggressor Forces.svg}} '''Circle Trigonists Army'''<br />{{small|(1962–1978)}}<ref name="Department of the Army-1962">{{cite book |title=FM 30-101 Aggressor: the Maneuver Enemy |date=1962 |publisher=Department of the Army |page=30 |url=https://archive.org/details/FM30-101/page/n9/mode/2up |access-date=5 August 2021}}</ref> | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=4| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=8| 50px |- style="text-align:center;" | colspan=6| Sergeant major | colspan=2| Staff sergeant | colspan=2| Senior sergeant | colspan=6| Platoon sergeant | colspan=6| Section sergeant | colspan=4| Corporal | colspan=2| Senior private | colspan=8| Private |- | rowspan=2| '''Krasnovian Army'''<br />{{small|(1978–present)}}{{citation needed|date=July 2025}} | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=2 rowspan=2| | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=6 rowspan=2| | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2 rowspan=2| | colspan=8| 50px |- | colspan=6| Sergeant major | colspan=2| Senior sergeant | colspan=6| Sergeant | colspan=2| Junior sergeant | colspan=2| Corporal | colspan=8| Private {{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OR/Blank}} |- style="text-align:center;" | rowspan=2| {{flagicon image|Flag of US Aggressor Forces.svg}} '''Circle Trigonists Air Force'''<br />{{small|(1953–1962)}}<ref>{{cite book |title=FM 30-101 Aggressor The Maneuver Enemy 9-23-1959 |date=1959 |publisher=Department of the Army |url=https://archive.org/details/FM30-101AggressorTheManeuverEnemy9-23-1959/page/n19/mode/2up |access-date=5 August 2021 |page=31}}</ref> | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=4| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=8| '''No insignia''' |- style="text-align:center;" | colspan=6| Sergeant major | colspan=2| Staff sergeant | colspan=2| Senior sergeant | colspan=6| Platoon sergeant | colspan=6| Section sergeant | colspan=4| Corporal | colspan=2| Senior airman | colspan=8| Airman |- style="text-align:center;" | rowspan=2| {{flagicon image|Flag of US Aggressor Forces.svg}} '''Circle Trigonists Air Force'''<br />{{small|(1962–1978)}}<ref name="Department of the Army-1962"/> | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=6| 50px | colspan=4| 50px | colspan=2| 50px | colspan=8| '''No insignia''' |- style="text-align:center;" | colspan=6| Sergeant major | colspan=2| Staff sergeant | colspan=2| Senior sergeant | colspan=6| Platoon sergeant | colspan=6| Section sergeant | colspan=4| Corporal | colspan=2| Senior airman | colspan=8| Airman |} {{clear}}
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.
== Gallery == === Personnel === <gallery> File:Militairen van 11 Pantserinfanteriebataljon Garderegiment.jpg|Dutch soldiers of 11 Pantserinfanteriebataljon Garderegiment Grenadiers wearing mohawk-style additions on their helmets to denote opposing force status. File:Multinational forces tackle Exercise Kiwi Koru challenges 141113-F-AD344-172.jpg|New Zealand Defence Force soldier denoting opposing force status by wearing Desert Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) in a temperate environment. File:Royal Marine Commando Display Team at Bournemouth Air Festival 2009 (3852794973).jpg|Scene from a simulated Royal Marines beach landing during the 2009 Bournemouth Air Festival; "opposing force" Marine is bareheaded and wears Desert DPM, "blue force" Marines in the background wear berets, camouflage face paint, and woodland DPM. File:Royal Marines, commando assault demo, Viking vehicle (28167968570).jpg|Royal Marine "opposing force" members during a 2016 assault demonstration; they wear Tropentarn uniforms and soft hats while the assaulting "blue force" Marines would be wearing MTP uniforms with Mk 7 helmets. File:Multinational forces conducts a culminating training exercise for Justified Accord 2024 (8279875).jpg|British Army soldier denoting opposing force status by wearing a blue-and-grey version of DPM (this version of the pattern being the only one to see continued use in British service). File:CENZUB-FORAD.JPG|A sniper from the French CENZUB opposing force wearing a blue-and-gray version of Camouflage Central-Europe. File:Exercise BEVERLY BULLDOG DF-SD-03-17733.jpg|51st Fighter Wing airman denoting opposing force status by wearing his Battle Dress Uniform back to front (note the contrast of the uniform with the individual integrated fighting system vest that is also being worn). File:U.S. Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment conduct a change of command ceremony for incoming commander Lt. Col. Barry Carlson and outgoing commander Lt. Col. Mitchell Watkins at Warrior Field 130702-A-WB953-454.jpg|4th Infantry Regiment soldiers wearing United States Army opposing force uniform (Battle Dress Uniform in black with olive 'OPFOR' shoulder title) File:Northern Strike 23-1 "OPFOR" builds readiness, challenges visiting units 230126-Z-ZH169-1005.jpg|Michigan National Guard OPFOR wearing tiger stripe camouflage uniform and carrying a simulated RPG-7. File:OPFOR Shirt GRN and Shoulder Boards GRN, BLK, RED.jpg|OPFOR rank insignia mimicking the Soviet style (used during the Cold War) </gallery>
=== Vehicles === <gallery> File:The British Army in the United Kingdom 1939-45 H14956.jpg|49th Royal Tank Regiment Matilda II with swastika and Iron Cross markings to denote opposing force status during a 1941 exercise in Dover. File:Operation force Surrogate Vehicle.jpg|An {{Abbr|OSV|Opfor Surrogate Vehicle}}, visually modified M113 APC replicating a Soviet BMP at NTC, Fort Irwin, CA File:MT-LB US Marines.jpg|US Marines using a former Soviet MT-LB vehicle as part of the OPFOR during an exercise File:OPFOR T-72 at Camp Pendleton, USA.JPEG|T-72M1 used by the 3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion, 1st Marine Division of US Marines at Camp Pendleton during Kernel Blitz 1997 exercise File:Warrior_Infantry_Fighting_Vehicle_MOD_45149219.jpg|FV510 Warrior and other British vehicles in a green-and-tan paint scheme; while normally associated with BATUS, the paint scheme denotes opposing force status if used on the British mainland (as in this photograph).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dunstan |first1=Simon |title=Europa Militaria No. 25, Warrior Company |date=1998 |publisher=The Crowood Press |isbn=1861261918 |pages=10–11, 18}}</ref> </gallery>
== Notes == {{reflist|group=note}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== Further reading == {{Commons category|Opposing forces}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20041016062714/http://www.army.mil/soldiers/dec1998/features/valid.html Validating the "Enemy"] (discusses the United States Army OPFOR units and post-Cold War changes to OPFOR.) * [http://www.alternatewars.com/WW3/Trigons/Trigons.htm The Circle Trigonists (Aggressors)], a summary of the opposing force Aggressor used by the United States Army from ca. 1946–1978
{{Military ranks by country}}
Category:Military education and training