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.
List of Ships (Active, Under Construction, and Planned)[edit | edit source]
- Charles de Gaulle-class Aircraft Carrier (2) - 2001
- MN Charles de Gaulle (R91)
- MN Richelieu (R92)
- BATRAL (3) - 1974
- MN Dumont D’Urville (L9032)
- MN Jacques Cartier (L9033)
- MN La Grandière (L9034)
- Mistral-class Amphibious Assault Ship (4) - 2006
- MN Mistral (L9013)
- MN Tonnere (L9014)
- MN Dixmude (L9015)
- MN Typhon (L9016)
- 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)
- Cassard-class Air Defense Destroyer (4) - 1988
- MN Cassard (D614)
- MN Jean Bart (D615)
- MN Courbet (D616)
- MN Durandal (D617)
- Floréal-class Light Frigate (12) - 1992
- MN Floréal (F730)
- MN Prairial (F731)
- MN Nivôse (F732)
- MN Ventôse (F733)
- MN Vendémiaire (F734)
- MN Germinal (F735)
- MN Frimaire (F736)
- MN Thermidor (F737)
- MN Pluviôse (F738)
- MN Messidor (F739)
- MN Fructidor (F740)
- MN Brumaire (F741)
- La Fayette-class Stealth Frigate (6) - 1996
- MN La Fayette (F710)
- MN Surcouf (F711)
- MN Condorcet (F712)
- MN Jauréguiberry (F713)
- MN Guépratte (F714)
- MN Aconit (F715)
- Horizon-class Frigate (4) - 2008
- MN Forbin (D620)
- MN Chevalier Paul (D621)
- MN Jean-Baptiste Colbert (D622)
- MN François Flohic (D623)
- Aquitaine-class Multirole Frigate (7, 2 UC, 5 planned) - 2012
- MN Aquitaine (D650)
- MN Normandie (D651)
- MN Provence (D652)
- MN Languedoc (D653)
- MN Auvergne (D654)
- MN Alsace (D655)
- MN Bretagne (D656) - sea trials
- MN Lorraine (D657) - fitting out
- MN Gascogne (D658) - planned for construction
- MN Picardy (D659) - planned for construction
- MN Flandre (D660) - planned for construction
- MN Corsica (D661) - planned for construction
- MN Roussillon (D662) - planned for construction
- MN Guyenne (D663) - planned for construction
- Admiral Ronarc’h-class Frigate (8 planned) - 2023
- MN Admiral Ronarc’h - under construction
- MN Admiral Louzeau - planned for construction
- MN Admiral Castex - planned for construction
- MN Admiral Nomy - planned for construction
- MN Admiral Cabanier - planned for construction
- MN Admiral Sénès - planned for construction
- MN D'Estienne d'Orves - planned for construction
- MN Admiral Kahn - 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 (3, 4 UC, 1 planned) - 2016
- MN Suffen (S609)
- MN Duguay-Trouin (S610)
- MN Tourville (S611)
- MN Dupetit-Thouars (S612) - fitting out
- MN De Grasse (S613) - under construction
- MN Duquesne (S614) - under construction
- MN Arromanches (S615) - under construction
- MN Joffre (S616) - planned for construction
- Durance-class Replenishment Oiler (5) - 1976
- MN Durance (A629)
- MN Marne (A630)
- MN Somme (A631)
- MN Meuse (A632)
- MN Var (A633)
- Taape-class Supply Tug (1) - 1983
- MN Taape (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)
- Pourquoi Pas?-class Research Vessel (1) - 2005
- MN Pourquoi Pas?
- Alizée-class Diving Support Ship (1) - 2005
- MN Alizée (A645)
- Dupuy de Lôme-class Communications Intellegence Ship (1) - 2006
- MN Dupuy de Lôme (A759)
- Cigale-class Barge (6, 2 UC) - 2017
- MN Cigale
- MN Criquet
- MN Grillon
- MN Fourmi
- MN Scarabée
- MN Araignée
- MN Luciole - under construction
- MN Tianée - under construction
- Loire-class Offshore Support Vessel (4) - 2018
- MN Loire (A602)
- MN Rhône (A603)
- MN Seine (A604)
- MN Garonne (A605)
- Jacques Chevallier-class (Vulcano class) Replenishment Vessel (1 UC, 3 planned) - 2023
- MN Jacques Chevallier - under construction
- MN Jacques Stosskopf - planned for construction
- MN Émile Bertin - planned for construction
- MN Gustave Zédé - planned for construction
- 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)
- 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)
- D'Entrecasteaux-class Patrol Vessel (3, 1 UC) - 2016
- MN D'Entrecasteaux (A621)
- MN Bougainville (A622)
- MN Champlain (A623)
- MN Dumont d'Urville (A624) - fitting out
- La Confiance-class Patrol Vessel (3) - 2017
- MN La Confiance (P733)
- MN La Résolue (P734)
- MN La Combattante (P735)
- L'Astrolabe-class Polar Logistics Support Vessel (1) - 2018
- MN L'Astrolabe (P800)
- Auguste Benebig-class Overseas Patrol Vessel (6 UC) - 2022
- MN Auguste Benebig (P779) - fitting out
- MN Teriieroo a Teriierooiterai (P780) - fitting out
- MN Jean Tranape (P781) - under construction
- MN Auguste Techer (P782) - under construction
- MN Philippe Bernardino (P783) - under construction
- MN Félix Éboué (P784) - under construction
[edit | edit source]
Fixed Wing Aircraft[edit | edit source]
- Dassault Rafale M x 96 (Multirole Fighter)
- Grumman E-2C Hawkeye x 12 (Carrier based AWACS) - tp be replaced by 12 Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes
- Lockheed Viking x 48 (Carrier based ASW)
- Breguet Atlantique 3 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[edit | edit source]
- Westland Lynx Mk.4(FN) x 16 (Maritime Helicopter)
- NHindustries NH90 NFH Caïman 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)