law enforcement forces (with intervention groups, or horseback patrols); Staffing horseback patrol stations, particularly for the forests of the Île-de-France region Overseas Gendarmerie The non-metropolitan branches include units serving in the French overseas and territories (such as the Gendarmerie of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon), staff at the disposal of independent States for technical co-operation, Germany, security guards in French embassies and consulates abroad. Five specialized Gendarmerie branches Air Gendarmerie The Air Gendarmerie () is placed under the dual supervision of the Gendarmerie and the Air Force, it fulfills police and security missions in the air bases, and goes on the site of an accident involving military aircraft. Maritime Gendarmerie Placed under the dual supervision of the Gendarmerie and the Navy, its missions include: police and security in the naval bases; maritime surveillance; police at sea; assistance and rescue at sea. Air Transport Gendarmerie The Air Transport Gendarmerie () is placed under the dual supervision of the Gendarmerie and the direction of civilian aviation of the transportation ministry, its missions include: police and security in civilian airfields and airports; filtering access to aircraft, counter-terrorism and counter-narcotic activities, freight surveillance; surveillance of technical installations of the airports (control tower...); traffic control on the roads within the airports; protection of important visitors; judiciary inquiries pertaining to accidents of civilian aircraft. Ordnance Gendarmerie The Ordnance Gendarmerie () fulfills police and security missions in the establishments of the Délégation Générale pour l'Armement (France's defence procurement agency). Nuclear ordnance security Gendarmerie The Nuclear ordnance security Gendarmerie (, GSAN) was created in 1964. It is directly subordinated to the Ministry of Armed Forces and plays a major role in the security chain of the nuclear devices. The main mission of this specific branch is to secure the government's control over all the nuclear forces and weapons. The security of the civil nuclear powerplants and research establishments is provided by specialized units of the Departmental Gendarmerie. More specifically, the gendarmes of this unit are responsible for ensuring the protection and the readiness of the different kinds of missiles used by the French Navy and Air Force. In order to do so, the GSAN is composed of his own units and of units from other branches of the gendarmerie, temporary placed under its command like squadrons of the Mobile Gendarmerie to protect the convoys of nuclear weapons components. For instance, a special security platoon can be deployed on board of