Marine Nationale

The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale ("National Navy") and often called La Royale, is the maritime arm of the French military. Tracing its roots back from 1624 it is one of the world's oldest naval forces and historically played a key part in establishing the French colonial empire. Its roles include the protection of French interests abroad and the maintenance of global stability. The Marine nationale consists of five branches, the Force d'Action Navale, the Forces Sous-marines, the Aeronavale, the Fusiliers Marins (including Commandos de Marine) and the Gendarmerie maritime. As a blue-water navy the Marine nationale operates a wide range of fighting vessels, including a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, nuclear-powered submarines, frigates, patrol boats and support ships. Its motto is Honneur, Patrie, Valeur, Discipline ("Honour, Fatherland, Valour, Discipline") and these words are found on the deck of every ship in the fleet.

Statistics

 * Active Duty Personnel: 78,000
 * Reserve Personnel: 44,200
 * Chief of Staff: Admiral Bernard Rogel
 * Major General: Admiral Stéphane Verwaerde
 * Active ships: 191
 * Fixed Wing Aircraft: 177
 * Helicopter: 139
 * Active Bases: 9 (Brest, Cherbourg, Degrad de Cannes, Fort de France, Ile Longue, Nouméa, Papeete, Port des Galets, Toulon)

List of Ships (Active, Under Construction, and Planned)

 * Charles de Gaulle-class Aircraft Carrier (2) - 2001
 * MN Charles de Gaulle (R91)
 * MN Richelieu (R92)
 * Jeanne d’Arc-class Aircraft Carrier (1 UC) - 2014
 * MN Jeanne d’Arc (R93) - under construction
 * BATRAL (3) - 1974
 * MN Dumont D’Urville (L9032)
 * MN Jacques Cartier (L9033)
 * MN La Grandière (L9034)
 * Bois Belleau-class Amphibious Assault Ship (2) - 1987
 * MN Bois Belleau (L9009)
 * MN Bearn (L9010)
 * Foudre-class Landing Platform Dock (2) - 1990
 * MN Foudre (L9011)
 * MN Sirocco (L9012)
 * Mistral-class Amphibious Assault Ship (2, 2 UC) - 2006
 * MN Mistral (L9013)
 * MN Tonnere (L9014)
 * MN Dixmude (L9015) - under construction
 * MN Gascogne (L9016) - under construction
 * Chaland de débarquement d'infanterie et de chars (2) - 2007
 * MN Rapière
 * MN Hallebarde
 * EDA-R (8) - 2011
 * (L9035)
 * (L9036)
 * (L9037)
 * (L9038)
 * (L9039)
 * (L9040)
 * (L9041)
 * (L9042)
 * Georges Leygues-class ASW Destroyer (7) - 1979
 * MN Georges Leygues (D640)
 * MN Dupleix (D641)
 * MN Montcalm (D642)
 * MN Jeanne de Vienne (D643)
 * MN Primauguet (D644)
 * MN La Motte Piquet (D645)
 * MN Latouche-Tréville (D646)
 * Cassard-class Destroyer (2) - 1988
 * MN Cassard (D614)
 * MN Jean Bart (D615)
 * D'Estienne d'Orves-class Light Frigate (9) - 1976
 * MN Lieutenant de vaisseau Le Hénaff (F789)
 * MN Lieutenant de vaisseau Lavallée (F790)
 * MN Commandant L'Herminier (F791)
 * MN Premier-Maître L'Her (F792)
 * MN Commandant Blaison (F793)
 * MN Enseigne de vaisseau Jacoubet (F794)
 * MN Commandant Ducuing (F795)
 * MN Commandant Birot (F796)
 * MN Commandant Bouan (F797)
 * Floréal-class Light Frigate (6) - 1992
 * MN Floréal (F730)
 * MN Prairial (F731)
 * MN Nivôse (F732)
 * MN Ventôse (F733)
 * MN Vendémiaire (F734)
 * MN Germinal (F735)
 * La Fayette-class Stealth Frigate (5) - 1996
 * MN La Fayette (F710)
 * MN Surcouf (F711)
 * MN Courbet (F712)
 * MN Aconit (F713)
 * MN Guépratte (F714)
 * Horizon-class Multirole Frigate (2) -2007
 * MN Forbin (D620)
 * MN Chevalier Paul (D621)
 * MN Jean-Baptiste Colbert (D622)
 * MN François Flohic (D623)
 * Aquitaine-class Multirole Frigate (11) - 2012
 * MN Aquitaine (D650)
 * MN Normandie (D651)
 * MN Provence (D652) - under construction
 * MN Languedoc (D653) - under construction
 * MN Auvergne (D654) - under construction
 * MN Alsace (D655) - under construction
 * MN Bretagne (D656) - under construction
 * MN Lorraine (D657) - under construction
 * MN Unnamed (D658) - planned for construction
 * MN Unnamed (D659) - planned for construction
 * MN Unnamed (D660) - planned for construction
 * MN Unnamed (D661) - planned for construction
 * MN Unnamed (D662) - planned for construction
 * MN Unnamed (D663) - planned for construction
 * MN Unnamed (D664) - planned for construction
 * MN Unnamed (D665) - planned for construction
 * MN Unnamed (D666) - planned for construction
 * MN Unnamed (D667) - planned for construction
 * MN Unnamed (D668) - planned for construction
 * MN Unnamed (D669) - planned for construction


 * Rubis-class Nuclear Attack Submarine (8) - 1983
 * MN Rubis (S601)
 * MN Saphir (S602)
 * MN Casabianca (S603)
 * MN Émeraude (S604)
 * MN Améthyste (S605)
 * MN Perle (S606)
 * MN Turquoise (S607)
 * MN Diamant (S608)
 * Triomphant-class Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine (4) - 1997
 * MN Triomphant (S616)
 * MN Temeraire (S617)
 * MN Vigilant (S618)
 * MN Terrible (S619)
 * Suffren-class Nuclear Attack Submarine (8) - 2016
 * MN Suffen (S609) - under construction
 * MN Duguay-Trouin (S610) - under construction
 * MN Tourville (S611) - under construction
 * MN Dupetit-Thouars (S612) - planned for construction
 * MN De Grasse (S613) - planned for construction
 * MN Duquesne (S614) - planned for construction
 * MN Arromanches (S615) - planned for construction
 * MN Joffre (S616) - planned for construction
 * Durance-class Fleet Replenishment Oiler (5) - 1976
 * MN Durance (A629)
 * MN Marne (A630)
 * MN Somme (A631)
 * MN Meuse (A632)
 * MN Var (A633)
 * Lapérouse-class Hydrographic Survey Vessel (3) - 1988
 * MN Lapérouse (A791)
 * MN Borda (A792)
 * MN Laplace (A793)
 * Thetis-class Mine Countermeasures Vessel (1) - 1988
 * MN Thestis (A785)
 * Monge-class Missile Tracking Ship (1) - 1992
 * MN Monge (A601)
 * Beautemps-Beaupré-class Oceanographic Survey Vessel (1) - 2003
 * MN Beautemps-Beaupré (A758)
 * Alizée-class Diving Support Ship (1) - 2005
 * MN Alizée (A645)
 * Dupuy de Lôme-class Communications Intellegence Ship (1) - 2006
 * MN Dupuy de Lôme (A759)
 * Éridan-class Minehunter (13) - 1981
 * MN Éridan (M641)
 * MN Cassiopée (M642)
 * MN Andromède (M643)
 * MN Pégase (M644)
 * MN Orion (M645)
 * MN Croix du Sud (M646)
 * MN Aigle (M647)
 * MN Lyre (M648)
 * MN Persée (M649)
 * MN Sagittaire (M650)
 * MN Verseau (M651)
 * MN Céphée (M652)
 * MN Capricorne (M653)
 * Vulcain-class Mine "Clearance Divers" Support Vessel (4) - 1986
 * MN Vulcain (M611)
 * MN Achéron (M613)
 * MN Styx (M614)
 * MN Pluton (M622)
 * Antarès-class Sonar Towing Vessel (3) - 1993
 * MN Antarès (M770)
 * MN Altaïr (M771)
 * MN Aldébaran (M772)
 * Albatros-class Patrol Vessel (1) - 1967
 * MN Albatros (P681)
 * Athos-class Patrol Boat (2) - 1980
 * MN Athos (P712)
 * MN Aramis (P713)
 * L'Audacieuse-class Patrol Vessel (10) - 1987
 * MN La Audacieuse (P682)
 * MN La Boudeuse (P683)
 * MN La Capricieuse (P684)
 * MN La Fougueuse (P685)
 * MN La Glorieuse (P686)
 * MN La Gracieuse (P687)
 * MN La Moqueuse (P688)
 * MN La Railleuse (P689)
 * MN La Rieuse (P690)
 * MN Tapageuse (P691)
 * Grebe-class Patrol Vessel (1) - 1990
 * MN Grebe (P679)
 * Arago-class Patrol Vessel (1) - 1991
 * MN Arago (P675)
 * Jonquille-class Patrol Boat (2) - 1995
 * MN Jonquille (P721)
 * MN Jasmin (P723)
 * Geranium-class Patrol Boat (2) - 1996
 * MN ''Geranium (P720)
 * MN Violette (P722)
 * Flamant-class Offshore Patrol Vessel (3) - 1997
 * MN ''Flamant (P676)
 * MN Cormoran (P677)
 * MN Pluvier (P678)
 * Fulmar-class Patrol Vessel (1) - 1997
 * MN Fulmar (P740)
 * Elorn-class Patrol Boat (24) - 2003
 * MN Elorn (P601)
 * MN Verdon (P602)
 * MN Adour (P603)
 * MN Scarpe (P604)
 * MN Vertonne (P605)
 * MN Dumbéa (P606)
 * MN Yser (P607)
 * MN Argens (P608)
 * MN Hérault (P609)
 * MN Gravona (P610)
 * MN Odet (P611)
 * MN Maury (P612)
 * MN Charente (P613)
 * MN Tech (P614)
 * MN Penfeld (P615)
 * MN Trieux (P616)
 * MN Vésubie (P617)
 * MN Escaut (P618)
 * MN Huveaune (P619)
 * MN Sèvre (P620)
 * MN Aber Wrac'h (P621)
 * MN Esteron (P622)
 * MN Mahury (P623)
 * MN Organabo (P624)
 * L'Adroit-class Offshore Patrol Vessel (1) - 2012
 * MN L'Adroit (P725)

Fixed Wing Aircraft

 * Dassault Rafale x 96 (Multirole Fighter)
 * Grumman E-2C Hawkeye x 12 (Carrier based AWACS)
 * Lockheed S-3 Viking x 48 (Carrier based ASW)
 * Breguet Atlantic x 24 (Maritime Patrol)
 * Dassault Falcon 20 x 10 (Survellance)
 * Dassault Falcon 50 x 8 (Surveillance)
 * Embraer EMB 121 Xingu x 11 (Support and Training)
 * Mudry CAP 10 x 7 (Support and Training)
 * MS-88 Rallye x 9 (Support and Training)

Helicopters

 * Westland Lynx x 26 (Maritime Helicopter)
 * NHI NH90 x 46 (Multimission Helicopter)
 * Eurocopter Panther x 16 (ASW Helicopter)
 * Eurocopter Dauphin x 18 (SAR Helicopter)
 * Eurocopter EC225 x 8 (SAR Helicopter)
 * Aérospatiale Alouette III x 25 (Training and Utility Helicopter)