French Navy
The French Navy (French: Marine nationale, lit. 'National Navy'), informally La Royale, is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in the world recognised as being a blue-water navy.[4][5][6] The French Navy is capable of operating globally and conducting expeditionary missions, maintaining a significant overseas presence. The French Navy is one of eight naval forces currently operating fixed-wing aircraft carriers,[Note 1] with its flagship Charles de Gaulle being the only nuclear-powered aircraft carrier outside the United States Navy, and one of two non-American vessels to use catapults to launch aircraft.[7][8]
This article is about the military of France. For the 2009 single by Camera Obscura, see My Maudlin Career.French Navy
1624
37,000 personnel (2021)[1] and 7,000 civilians (2021)
180 ships[2]
178 aircraft[3]
- FAN
- FSM
- AVIA
- FORFUSCO
- Marins Pompiers
- Gendarmerie Maritime
- Service de soutien de la Flotte
Main: Brest, Île Longue, Toulon
Secondary: Cherbourg, Lorient
French overseas territories: Fort de France, Degrad des Cannes, Port des Galets, Dzaoudzi, Nouméa, Papeete
Overseas: Dakar, Djibouti, Abu Dhabi
La Royale
Honneur, patrie, valeur, discipline
("Honour, homeland, valour, discipline")
Blue, white, red
-
Anglo-French War (1627–1629)
Franco-Spanish War (1635–59)
Second Anglo-Dutch War
Franco-Dutch War
Nine Years' War
War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
Seven Years' War
American Revolutionary War
Anglo-French War (1778–1783)
French Revolutionary Wars
Napoleonic Wars
French conquest of Algeria
Battle of the Tagus
Pastry War
Crimean War
Second French intervention in Mexico
Sino-French War
French conquest of Morocco
World War I
World War II
Indochina War
Korean War
Algerian War
Operation Musketeer
Bizerte crisis
Lebanese Civil War
Gulf War
Yugoslav Wars
Kosovo War
1999 East Timorese crisis
War on Terror
War in Afghanistan
Opération Harmattan
Amiral Nicolas Vaujour
Vice-amiral d'escadre Stanislas Gourlez de la Motte
Founded in the 17th century, the French Navy is one of the oldest navies still in continuous service, with precursors dating back to the Middle Ages. It has taken part in key events in French history, including the Napoleonic Wars and both world wars, and played a critical role in establishing and securing the French colonial empire for over 400 years. The French Navy pioneered several innovations in naval technology, including the first steam-powered ship of the line, first seagoing ironclad warship, first mechanically propelled submarine, first steel-hulled warship, and first armoured cruiser.
The French Navy consists of six main components: the Naval Action Force, the Submarine Forces (FOST and ESNA), French Naval Aviation, the Navy Riflemen (including Naval Commandos), the Marseille Naval Fire Battalion, and the Maritime Gendarmerie. As of 2021, the French Navy employed 44,000 personnel (37,000 military and 7,000 civilian), more than 180 ships, 200 aircraft, and six commandos units;[9] as of 2014, its reserve element numbered roughly 48,000.[10]
It operates a wide range of fighting vessels, including various aeronaval forces, attack and ballistic missile submarines, frigates, patrol boats and support ships, with aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle serving as the centerpiece of most expeditionary forces.
The history of French naval power dates back to the Middle Ages, and had three loci of evolution:
Names and symbols[edit]
The first true French Royal Navy (French: la Marine Royale) was established in 1624 by Cardinal Richelieu, chief minister to King Louis XIII. During the French Revolution, la Marine Royale was formally renamed la Marine Nationale. Under the First French Empire and the Second French Empire, the navy was designated as the Imperial French Navy (la Marine impériale française). Institutionally, however, the navy has never lost its short familiar nickname, la Royale.
The original symbol of the French Navy was a golden anchor, which, beginning in 1830, was interlaced by a sailing rope; this symbol was featured on all naval vessels, arms, and uniforms.[11] Although anchor symbols are still used on uniforms, a new naval logo was introduced in 1990 under Naval Chief of Staff Bernard Louzeau, featuring a modern design that incorporates the tricolour—by flanking the bow section of a white warship with two ascending red and blue spray foams—and the inscription "Marine nationale".
Winter Uniform (22)
Summer Uniform (26)
Overseas (25)
Light Duty Firefighter Suit
