French Navy

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-	==Personnel==	+	The '''French Navy''', officially the '''Marine Royale''' (French: ''Royal Navy''), is the maritime arm of the French military. It consists of a full range of vessels, from patrol boats to guided missile frigates, and includes three nuclear aircraft carriers and thirty nuclear submarines (twelve of which are SLBM-capable).
-	* Active: 226,000	+
-	* Reserve: 85,000	+
-	==The fleet==	+	The motto of the ''French Navy is Honneur, Patrie, Valeur, Discipline'' ("Honour, Homeland, Valour, Discipline"). These words are found on the deck of every ship of the Navy. The Chief of the General Staff is Admiral Alain Oudot de Dainville.
-	===Aircraft carriers===	+
-	* 1 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_R._Ford_class_aircraft_carrier Louis XIV class] supercarrier	+
-	** 50 Rafale M multirole fighters	+
-	** 20 Super Étendard strike fighters	+
-	** 5 EA-6 Prowler electronic warfare aircraft	+
-	** 5 C-12 Huron reconnaissance aircraft	+
-	** 4 E-2 Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning aircraft	+
-	** 6 Eurocopter AS 565 SA/SB Panther ASW helicopters	+
-	** 2 ES-3S Viking ELINT aircraft	+
-	** 2 C-2 Greyhound COD aircraft	+
-	** 6 Eurocopter AS 565 MA/MB Panther naval search and rescue helicopters	+
-	* 2 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimitz_class_aircraft_carrier Henri de la Rochejaquelein class] supercarriers	+
-	** 45 Rafale M multirole fighters	+
-	** 15 Super Étendard strike fighters	+
-	** 5 EA-6 Prowler electronic warfare aircraft	+
-	** 5 C-12 Huron reconnaissance aircraft	+
-	** 4 E-2 Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning aircraft	+
-	** 6 Eurocopter AS 565 SA/SB Panther ASW helicopters	+
-	** 2 ES-3S Viking ELINT aircraft	+
-	** 2 C-2 Greyhound COD aircraft	+
-	** 6 Eurocopter AS 565 MA/MB Panther naval search and rescue helicopters	+
-	* 5 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_de_Gaulle_%28R_91%29 Charles XI class class] carriers	+
-	** 20 Rafale M multirole fighters	+
-	** 8 Super Étendard strike fighters	+
-	** 2 E-2 Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning aircraft	+
-	** 10 Eurocopter Dauphin transport/utility helicopters	+
-	===Projection and command vessels===	+	==Organization==
-	* 20 Mistral class landing platform docks	+	As of 2006, the French Navy is the largest naval employer in Western Europe, including, among other things, the Marseille Marine Fire Regiment.
-	** 35 Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopters	+
-	*3 Richelieu class battleships	+
-	*8 Orleans class cruisers	+
-	===Helicopter carriers===	+	The Navy is organised in five branches:
-	* 18 Jeanne d'Arc helicopter carriers	+
-	** 4 Westland Super Lynx 300 maritime attack helicopters	+
-	** 2 Aérospatiale Puma utility helicopters	+
-	** 2 Aérospatiale Gazelle utility/attack helicopters	+
-	** 2 Aérospatiale Alouette III light utility helicopters	+
-	===Submarines===	+	*The ''Force d'Action Navale'' ("Naval Action Force"), surface fleet
-	* 5 Le Redoutable class ballistic missile submarines	+	*The ''Forces Sous-marines'' ("Submarine Forces"), strategic nuclear deterrent fleet based at Île Longue
-	* 10 Le Triomphant class ballistic missile submarines	+	*The ''Aviation Navale'' ("Naval Air Force"), ground and sea-based planes and helicopters
-	* 6 Rubis class nuclear attack submarines	+	*The ''Fusiliers de Marine'' ("Naval Fusiliers", ground forces used to secure naval installations) and ''Commandos de Marine'' (amphibious assault and other special operations), collectively known as FORFUSCO
-	* 4 Barracuda class nuclear attack submarines	+	*The ''Gendarmerie Navale'', police operations and coast guard
-	* 30 Scorpène class diesel-electric attack submarines	+
-	===First rank frigates (destroyers)===	+	===Force d'Action Navale===
-	* 12 Cassard class anti-air frigates	+	The ''Force d'Action Navale'' (FAN) is the 36,000-man and about 300-ship strong backbone of the French Navy. As of 2007, it is commanded by Vice-Admiral d’Escadre Philippe Sautter.
-	* 10 Suffren class anti-air frigates	+
-	* 14 Georges Leygues class anti-submarine frigates	+
-	* 11 Tourville class anti-submarine frigates	+
-	===Second rank frigates===	+	The ships are divided into seven categories:
-	* 30 La Fayette class light multi-mission frigates	+
-	* 15 Floréal class light frigates	+
-	===Patrol ships===	+	*The aeronaval group, which has aircraft carriers for backbone
-	* 30 P400 class patrol vessels	+	*The amphibious group, based around the "Projection and Command vessels" (Mistral class landing platform dock, Foudre and Ouragan class landing platform dock class ships)
-	* 20 Flamant class patrol vessels	+	*Frigates, which act either as protection for the strategic groups, or alone in monitoring, survey, presence, rescue or deterrence missions
		+	*Minesweepers
		+	*"Sovereignty" ships, which are deployed overseas and act as presence and prevention forces
		+	*Support vessels
		+	*Public service ships, and hydrographic and oceanographic vessels
-	===Minesweepers===	+	====Aeronaval group====
-	* 18 Tripartite class minehunters	+	The aeronaval group is the main vector for French Navy force projection. It is also one of the components of the nuclear deterrence forces, since the embarked Super Étendard and Rafale planes have nuclear capabilities.
-	===Auxillaries===	+	====Amphibious group====
-	* 9 Foudre LPD (Landing Platform Dock)	+	The French Navy operates eighteen large amphibious ships, which contain smaller landing craft. Aboard are helicopters, troops, and land vehicles.
-	* 16 BATRAL light transport ships	+
-	* 25 Sabre class landing craft	+
-	* 12 Abeille Flandre class high sea tugs	+
-	* 5 Dupuy de Lôme class intelligence ships	+
-	* 4 Lapérouse class oceanography ships	+
-	* 3 Jules Verne mobile mechanics ships	+
-	* 10 Durance class tankers	+
-	* 14 BSM class support ships	+
-	[[Category:Military of France|Navy]]	+	This force also operates fifteen smaller craft which are based in Fort de France, Toulon, Papeete, Nouméa, and La Réunion.
-	[[Category:Navies]]	+
		+	The amphibious groups include one or several landing ships containing landing craft which allow the projection of inter-arm groups with troops, vehicles and helicopters, and one or several light transport ships which carry motorized infantry companies up to the beaches themselves. They can carry Aérospatiale Puma and Eurocopter Cougar transport helicopters or Aérospatiale Gazelle combat helicopters, the Commandos de Marine, minesweeping units, or Army units.
		+
		+	The landing craft also carry field hospitals fitted with operation blocks. They may also carry a full headquarters for any national or international command.
		+
		+	====Frigates====
		+	The frigates are the backbone of the French surface fleet. They secure aero-naval space and allow free action to the other components of the Navy. They are specialised according to the threat, typically escorting other forces (aeronaval or ampihbious groups, submarines or civil ships).
		+
		+	====Minesweepers====
		+	The minesweepers secure major French harbors, especially for the ballistic-missile submarines in Brest, and the attack submarines in Toulon. They also stay available to secure access to Toulon, Marseille, any of the harbors of the Atlantic coast, and any Allied harbor simultaneously.
		+
		+	They are designed to be used within a larger group, interallied or international, in case of mine risks near coasts.
		+
		+	In peace time, these units can bring help and assistance to civilian ships, or search wrecks.
		+
		+	This force includes 3,300 men and:
		+
		+	*39 minesweepers
		+	*9 minesweeping diver groups for shallow waters
		+	*Several sonar ships which secure the area around Brest harbor
		+	*3 command and support ships
		+
		+	====Sovereignty vessels====
		+	These vessels secure access to harbors and carry out police missions.
		+
		+	There are eighteen Floreal class frigates to perform these tasks, mainly by controlling the large French Exclusive Economic Zone, patrolling ocean waters, carrying out police action, and monitoring fishing activities. They are designed to operate in low-risk environments. Five are presently based overseas.
		+
		+	The patrol boats of the Gendarmerie Maritime carry out police actions at sea.
		+
		+	The fifteen ''bâtiments de transports légers'' (BATRAL) are also used to carry supplies in the DOM/TOM.
		+
		+	====Support ships====
		+	The twelve support ships allow the French naval forces to be present anywhere on the planet, regardless of the remoteness of their bases.
		+
		+	These ships are integrated into tactical groups. They shuttle between harbors and fleets, giving them months of operational capabilities by feeding fuel, ammunitions, food, water, spare parts and mail.
		+
		+	There are also four permanent mechanics ships which can repair other ships.
		+
		+	====Hydrographic and oceanographic vessels====
		+	Three hydrooceanographic and twelve hydrographic ships help carrying out mapping and research operations, as well as gathering intelligence which could prove useful to the deployment of naval forces and their weapon systems. They operate under the ''service hydrographique et océanographique de la marine'' (SHOM).
		+
		+	The ''Monge'' class trial and measurement ships are used to develop new weapon systems, especially those related to nuclear deterrence.

---

Revision as of 23:01, 5 October 2007

The French Navy, officially the Marine Royale (French: Royal Navy), is the maritime arm of the French military. It consists of a full range of vessels, from patrol boats to guided missile frigates, and includes three nuclear aircraft carriers and thirty nuclear submarines (twelve of which are SLBM-capable).

The motto of the French Navy is Honneur, Patrie, Valeur, Discipline ("Honour, Homeland, Valour, Discipline"). These words are found on the deck of every ship of the Navy. The Chief of the General Staff is Admiral Alain Oudot de Dainville.

Contents 1 Organization 1.1 Force d'Action Navale 1.1.1 Aeronaval group 1.1.2 Amphibious group 1.1.3 Frigates 1.1.4 Minesweepers 1.1.5 Sovereignty vessels 1.1.6 Support ships 1.1.7 Hydrographic and oceanographic vessels

Organization

As of 2006, the French Navy is the largest naval employer in Western Europe, including, among other things, the Marseille Marine Fire Regiment.

The Navy is organised in five branches:

• The Force d'Action Navale ("Naval Action Force"), surface fleet
• The Forces Sous-marines ("Submarine Forces"), strategic nuclear deterrent fleet based at Île Longue
• The Aviation Navale ("Naval Air Force"), ground and sea-based planes and helicopters
• The Fusiliers de Marine ("Naval Fusiliers", ground forces used to secure naval installations) and Commandos de Marine (amphibious assault and other special operations), collectively known as FORFUSCO
• The Gendarmerie Navale, police operations and coast guard

Force d'Action Navale

The Force d'Action Navale (FAN) is the 36,000-man and about 300-ship strong backbone of the French Navy. As of 2007, it is commanded by Vice-Admiral d’Escadre Philippe Sautter.

The ships are divided into seven categories:

• The aeronaval group, which has aircraft carriers for backbone
• The amphibious group, based around the "Projection and Command vessels" (Mistral class landing platform dock, Foudre and Ouragan class landing platform dock class ships)
• Frigates, which act either as protection for the strategic groups, or alone in monitoring, survey, presence, rescue or deterrence missions
• Minesweepers
• "Sovereignty" ships, which are deployed overseas and act as presence and prevention forces
• Support vessels
• Public service ships, and hydrographic and oceanographic vessels

Aeronaval group

The aeronaval group is the main vector for French Navy force projection. It is also one of the components of the nuclear deterrence forces, since the embarked Super Étendard and Rafale planes have nuclear capabilities.

Amphibious group

The French Navy operates eighteen large amphibious ships, which contain smaller landing craft. Aboard are helicopters, troops, and land vehicles.

This force also operates fifteen smaller craft which are based in Fort de France, Toulon, Papeete, Nouméa, and La Réunion.

The amphibious groups include one or several landing ships containing landing craft which allow the projection of inter-arm groups with troops, vehicles and helicopters, and one or several light transport ships which carry motorized infantry companies up to the beaches themselves. They can carry Aérospatiale Puma and Eurocopter Cougar transport helicopters or Aérospatiale Gazelle combat helicopters, the Commandos de Marine, minesweeping units, or Army units.

The landing craft also carry field hospitals fitted with operation blocks. They may also carry a full headquarters for any national or international command.

Frigates

The frigates are the backbone of the French surface fleet. They secure aero-naval space and allow free action to the other components of the Navy. They are specialised according to the threat, typically escorting other forces (aeronaval or ampihbious groups, submarines or civil ships).

Minesweepers

The minesweepers secure major French harbors, especially for the ballistic-missile submarines in Brest, and the attack submarines in Toulon. They also stay available to secure access to Toulon, Marseille, any of the harbors of the Atlantic coast, and any Allied harbor simultaneously.

They are designed to be used within a larger group, interallied or international, in case of mine risks near coasts.

In peace time, these units can bring help and assistance to civilian ships, or search wrecks.

This force includes 3,300 men and:

• 39 minesweepers
• 9 minesweeping diver groups for shallow waters
• Several sonar ships which secure the area around Brest harbor
• 3 command and support ships

Sovereignty vessels

These vessels secure access to harbors and carry out police missions.

There are eighteen Floreal class frigates to perform these tasks, mainly by controlling the large French Exclusive Economic Zone, patrolling ocean waters, carrying out police action, and monitoring fishing activities. They are designed to operate in low-risk environments. Five are presently based overseas.

The patrol boats of the Gendarmerie Maritime carry out police actions at sea.

The fifteen bâtiments de transports légers (BATRAL) are also used to carry supplies in the DOM/TOM.

Support ships

The twelve support ships allow the French naval forces to be present anywhere on the planet, regardless of the remoteness of their bases.

These ships are integrated into tactical groups. They shuttle between harbors and fleets, giving them months of operational capabilities by feeding fuel, ammunitions, food, water, spare parts and mail.

There are also four permanent mechanics ships which can repair other ships.

Hydrographic and oceanographic vessels

Three hydrooceanographic and twelve hydrographic ships help carrying out mapping and research operations, as well as gathering intelligence which could prove useful to the deployment of naval forces and their weapon systems. They operate under the service hydrographique et océanographique de la marine (SHOM).

The Monge class trial and measurement ships are used to develop new weapon systems, especially those related to nuclear deterrence.