Within 48 hours of the November 13 terrorist attacks in Paris, France had already mobilized its air force to strike back at ISIS.
French President François Hollande immediately declared the Paris attack "an act of war."French Prime Minister Manuel Valls echoed the sentiment, vowing to "annihilate the enemies of the republic."
France has one of the most forward-deployed militaries in the world, with around 3,000 troops across Africa. France is the only country other than the US with a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, and is one of only nine countries with nuclear weapons.
Leaders around the world, including US President Barack Obama, have pledged to stand "shoulder to shoulder" with France.
But France has plenty of muscle of its own, too.
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France has over 215,000 active-duty troops across all branches of its military.
France has a network of military bases across Africa.
For more information, here's a recent history of French military interventions in Africa.
France's navy is 42,100 strong, with 103 surface vessels and 10 submarines.
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