List of active French Navy ships
This is a list of active French Navy ships.[1][2][3] The French Navy consists of nearly 100 vessels of the Force d'action navale (Naval action force)[4] and the 9 submarines of the Forces sous-marines (Submarine force). Primary assets include 1 nuclear aircraft carrier, 3 amphibious assault ships, 4 air-defence-focused destroyers, 6 anti-submarine (ASW)/land attack mission-oriented destroyers, 5 general-purpose frigates, and 6 surveillance frigates. The Navy also operates some 15 patrol ships, supplemented by additional coast guard/Maritime Gendarmerie vessels. The surveillance frigates and a significant number of the patrol vessels are based in France's overseas territories.

The submarine force consists of 5 nuclear attack submarines and 4 nuclear ballistic missile submarines.
Integral to supporting the Force d'Action Navale at sea are the French Navy's 2 replenishment oilers, 16 mine countermeasure vessels and 8 support ships. In addition to the above units, the Navy operates 5 survey vessels, 4 experimentation ships, 4 ocean tugboats, 14 training vessels as well as numerous smaller vessels and tugs.
The French Navy does not use the term "destroyer" in vessel names. Instead, surface combatants of the first rank (such as the Aquitaine class) are named "frigates", though they are registered as destroyers (with hull numbers "Dxxx").
Submarine fleet (Forces sous-marines)
Ballistic missile submarines
Class | Boat | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Triomphant class | Triomphant | S616 | 1997 | 14,335 tonnes | Ballistic missile submarine | 4 boats constituting the strategic component of France's nuclear deterrent, the Force de dissuasion |
Téméraire | S617 | 1999 | ||||
Vigilant | S618 | 2004 | ||||
Terrible | S619 | 2010 |
- Téméraire (Triomphant class)
Nuclear attack submarines
Class | Boat | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barracuda class | Suffren | S635[5] | 2020 | 5,300 tonnes | Nuclear attack submarine | Duguay-Trouin (Boat 2) on sea trials as of March 2023;[6] 6 planned in total |
Duguay-Trouin | S636 | Projected 2023 | ||||
Rubis class | Casabianca | S603 | 1987 | 2,660 tonnes | Being phased out and replaced by the Barracuda class. | |
Émeraude | S604 | 1988 | ||||
Améthyste | S605 | 1992 | ||||
Perle | S606 | 1993 |
- Casabianca (Rubis class)
- Suffren (Barracuda class)
Surface fleet (Bâtiments de combat)
Aircraft carrier
Class | Ship | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
— | Charles de Gaulle | R91 | 2001 | 42,500 tonnes | Aircraft carrier | Nuclear powered CATOBAR aircraft carrier |
- Charles de Gaulle
Amphibious warfare
See also: French Navy Landing craft
Class | Ship | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mistral class | Mistral | L9013 | 2006 | 21,500 tonnes | Landing helicopter dock | |
Tonnerre | L9014 | |||||
Dixmude | L9015 | 2012 |
- Dixmude (Mistral class)
Major surface combatants
Class | Ship | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Horizon class | Forbin | D620 | 2008 | 7,050 tonnes | Air-defence destroyer | |
Chevalier Paul | D621 | 2009 | ||||
Aquitaine class | Aquitaine | D650 | 2012 | 6,040 tonnes | Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) destroyer | |
Normandie | D651 | 2020 | ||||
Provence | D652 | 2015 | ||||
Languedoc | D653 | 2017 | ||||
Auvergne | D654 | 2018 | ||||
Bretagne | D655 | 2019 | ||||
Alsace | D656 | 2021 | Air defence/ASW destroyer | Lorraine delivered November 2022; working up to full operational status and commissioning | ||
Lorraine | D657 | Projected 2023[7] | ||||
La Fayette class | La Fayette | F710 | 1996 | 3,900 tonnes | General-purpose frigate | To be replaced in first rank roles by future Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention (FDI)/Amiral Ronarc'h class from 2024[8] |
Surcouf | F711 | 1997 | ||||
Courbet | F712 | |||||
Aconit | F713 | 1999 | ||||
Guépratte | F714 | 2001 | ||||
Floréal class | Floréal | F730 | 1992 | 2,950 tonnes | Surveillance frigate | Class has anti-ship missiles removed and functions in a second-rank "surveillance frigate" role for French overseas territories. |
Prairial | F731 | 1992 | ||||
Nivôse | F732 | |||||
Ventôse | F733 | 1993 | ||||
Vendémiaire | F734 | |||||
Germinal | F735 | 1994 |
- Forbin (Horizon class)
- Aquitaine (Aquitaine class)
- Surcouf (La Fayette class)
- Germinal (Floréal class)
Patrol
Class | Ship | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
— | L'Astrolabe | P800 | 2017 | 4,000 tonnes | Icebreaker/support vessel/offshore patrol | Based in Réunion; co-operated by the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF) Administration and the French Navy. |
D'Entrecasteaux class | D'Entrecasteaux | A621 | 2016 | 2,300 tonnes | Offshore patrol/support vessel | Based in Noumea |
Bougainville | A622 | Based in Papeete | ||||
Champlain | A623 | 2017 | Based in Réunion | |||
Dumont d'Urville | A624 | 2020 | Based in Fort-de-France[9] | |||
D'Estienne d'Orves class | Premier-Maître L'Her | F792 | 1981 | 1,250 tonnes | Offshore patrol vessel | Originally entered service as avisos (sloops / light corvettes), reclassified as OPVs in 2012.[10] To be replaced from 2026 as part of the acquisition of a new class of patrol vessels (“Patrouilleurs Hauturiers” - PH).[11][12] |
Commandant Blaison | F793 | 1982 | ||||
Enseigne de Vaisseau Jacoubet | F794 | |||||
Commandant Ducuing | F795 | 1983 | ||||
Commandant Birot | F796 | 1984 | ||||
Commandant Bouan | F797 | |||||
Confiance class | La Confiance | P733 | 2017 | 700 tonnes | Based in Guiana | |
La Résolue | P734 | |||||
La Combattante | P735 | 2020 | Based in Fort-de-France | |||
Félix Éboué (POM) class | Auguste Bénébig | P779 | Projected Spring 2023[13] | 1,300 tonnes | Arrived in Noumea April 2023;[14] 5 additional vessels to enter service 2023–2025 |
- L'Astrolabe
- D'Entrecasteaux (D'Entrecasteaux class)
- Commandant Bouan (D'Estienne d'Orves class)
- La Résolue (La Confiance class)
- Illustration: Patrouilleur Outre-mer - POM (Félix Éboué class)
Coastguard
See also: Maritime Gendarmerie
Class | Boat | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
— | Le Malin | P701 | 1997 | 1,300 tonnes | Coastal patrol vessel | An ex-trawler based in La Reunion. To be replaced by a Patrouilleur Outre-mer (POM)-class patrol vessel[15][16] |
Lapérouse class | Arago | P675 | 1988 | 980 tonnes | An ex-hydrographic survey vessel. Extension of role in French Polynesia until 2024 pending arrival of POM-class OPVs.[18] | |
— | Fulmar | P740 | 1991 | 550 tonnes | An ex-trawler based in Saint Pierre | |
Flamant class | Flamant | P676 | 1997 | 390 tonnes | Patrol boat | To be replaced from 2026 as part of the acquisition of new class of "PH" patrol vessels. |
Cormoran | P677 | |||||
Pluvier | P678 |
- Le Malin
- Arago (Lapérouse class)
- Fulmar
- Flamant (Flamant class)
Mine countermeasures
Class | Boat | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Éridan class | Andromède | M643 | 1984 | 615 tonnes | Minehunter | To be replaced by Système de lutte anti-mines futur (SLAM-F) starting in 2023[19] |
Pégase | M644 | 1985 | ||||
Orion | M645 | 1986 | ||||
Croix du Sud | M646 | |||||
Aigle | M647 | 1987 | ||||
Lyre | M648 | |||||
Céphée | M652 | |||||
Capricorne | M653 | |||||
Sagittaire | M650 | 1996 | ||||
Vulcain class | Vulcain | M611 | 1986 | 490 tonnes | Clearance diving | To be replaced by SLAM-F |
Pluton | M622 | 1986 | ||||
Styx | M614 | 1987 | ||||
Achéron | A613 | |||||
Antarès class | Antarès | M770 | 1993 | 340 tonnes | Sonar towing vessel | To be replaced by SLAM-F |
Altaïr | M771 | |||||
Aldébaran | M772 | 1994 | ||||
Ophrys class | Ophrys | Y6040 | 2022 | 105 tonnes | Diving support vessel (VSP) | Part of SLAM-F program, total of eight units planned up to 2026.[20][21][22] |
- Former Cassiopée (Éridan class)
- Achéron (Vulcain class)
- Antarès (Antarès class)
Auxiliary fleet (Bâtiments de soutien)
Replenishment
Class | Ship | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jacques Chevallier (BRF) class | Jacques Chevallier | A725 | Projected Mid-2023[23] | 31,000 tonnes | Replenishment oiler | Delivered to the Navy in March 2023; continuing post-acceptance sea trials;[24] two additional ships planned to enter service by 2027; fourth projected after 2030[25][26][27] |
Durance class | Marne | A630 | 1987 | 17,900 tonnes | Being replaced by Jacques Chevallier class | |
Somme | A631 | 1990 |
- Somme (Durance class)
- Illustration: Bâtiment ravitailleur de forces - BRF (Jacques Chevallier class)
Intelligence, research and experimentation
Class | Boat | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
— | Monge | A601 | 1992 | 21,040 tonnes | Tracking ship | |
— | Dupuy de Lôme | A759 | 2006 | 3,600 tonnes | SIGINT | |
— | Alizé | A645 | 2005 | 1,600 tonnes | DGSE diving support | Also used to test new equipment and diving procedures |
Lapérouse class | Thétis | A785 | 1988 | 1,050 tonnes | Mine-warfare experimentation | To be replaced by SLAM-F |
- Monge
- Dupuy de Lôme
- Thétis (Lapérouse class)
Survey
Class | Boat | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
— | Pourquoi Pas? | — | 2005 | 6,600 tonnes | Oceanographic survey | Operated by IFREMER (55%) and the French Navy (45%) with civilian crew.[28] |
— | Beautemps-Beaupré | A758 | 2003 | 3,600 tonnes | ||
Lapérouse class | Lapérouse | A791 | 1988 | 980 tonnes | Hydrographic survey | To be replaced from 2025 to 2027 by 2 new hydro-oceanographic vessels. |
Borda | A792 | |||||
Laplace | A793 | 1989 |
- Pourquoi pas?
- Beautemps-Beaupré
- Laplace (Lapérouse class)
Ocean tugboats
Class | Boat | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UT515 | Abeille Bourbon | - | 2005 | 4,600 tonnes | Oceangoing tug | Operated under charter |
Abeille Liberté | - | |||||
VS-491 CD | Abeille Normandie | - | 2010 | 3,978 tonnes | ||
Abeille Méditerrannée | - |
- Abeille Liberté
- Abeille Normandie
Port and coastal tugboats
Class | Ship | No. | Commissioned | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RPC12 class | Fréhel | A675 | 1989 | 220 tonnes | Harbour tugboat | |
Saire | A676 | |||||
Armen | A677 | 1991 | ||||
La Houssaye | A678 | 1992 | ||||
Kéréon | A679 | |||||
Sicié | A680 | 1994 | ||||
Taunoa | A681 | 1996 | ||||
Lardier | Y638 | 1995 | ||||
Giens | Y639 | 1994 | ||||
Mengam | Y640 | |||||
Balaguier | Y641 | 1995 | ||||
Taillat | Y642 | |||||
Nividic | Y643 | 1996 | ||||
Port Cros | Y649 | 1997 | ||||
Le Four | Y647 | 1998 | ||||
Eckmühl | Y646 | — | ||||
Rascas | A682 | 2003 | ||||
RPC30 class | Céladon | Y6051 | 2023 | 275 tonnes | Harbour tugboat | 18 additional vessels planned; replacing RPC12 boats[29][30] |
Zinzolin | A6652 | |||||
Maito class | Maito | A636 | 1984 | 228 tonnes | Harbour tugboat | Maito based in Fort de France; Maroa and Manini in Pape'ete[31][32] |
Maroa | A637 | 1985 | ||||
Manini | A638 | 1984 | ||||
- Le Four (RPC 12 class)
Support
Class | Boat | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
— | Argonaute | — | — | ~4,000 tonnes | Support and pollution control | Operated under charter |
Jason | — | |||||
Pionnier | — | |||||
Sapeur | — | |||||
Loire class | Loire | A602 | 2018 | 2,960 tonnes | Offshore support and assistance | |
Rhône | A603 | 2019 | ||||
Seine | A604 | |||||
Garonne | A605 | 2020 |
- Jason
- Loire (Loire class)
Training
Class | Boat | No. | Comm | Displacement | Type | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UT712 class | Rebel | — | — | 2,900 tonnes | Training ship | Operated under charter |
UT745 class | Partisan | — | — | 2,340 tonnes | ||
Léopard class | Léopard | A748 | 1982 | 470 tonnes | ||
Panthère | A749 | |||||
Jaguar | A750 | |||||
Lynx | A751 | |||||
Guépard | A752 | 1983 | ||||
Chacal | A753 | |||||
Tigre | A754 | |||||
Lion | A755 | |||||
Glycine class | Glycine | A770 | 1992 | 295 tonnes | Navigation training | |
Églantine | A771 | |||||
Paimpolaise class | Étoile | A649 | 1932 | 275 tonnes | Sail training | Schooner |
Belle Poule | A650 | |||||
- Partisan
- Rebel
- Guépard (Léopard class)
- Glycine (Glycine class)
- Belle Poule (Paimpolaise class)
For a complete list of Bâtiments de soutien (Auxiliaries) see Bâtiments de soutien at the official Marine Nationale website.
Silhouettes
Silhouettes of major fleet units:
![]() Charles de Gaulle |
![]() Mistral |
![]() Tonnerre |
![]() Dixmude |
![]() Forbin |
![]() Chevalier Paul |
![]() Aquitaine |
![]() Normandie |
![]() Provence |
![]() Languedoc |
![]() Auvergne |
![]() Bretagne |
![]() Alsace |
![]() Lorraine |
![]() La Fayette |
![]() Surcouf |
![]() Courbet |
![]() Aconit |
![]() Guépratte |
![]() Triomphant |
![]() Téméraire |
![]() Vigilant |
![]() Terrible |
![]() Suffren |
![]() Casabianca |
![]() Émeraude |
![]() Améthyste |
![]() Perle |
See also
References
- "Forces sous-marines" (in French). defense.gouv.fr. 12 March 2012. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- "Liste des bâtiments de combat de la Marine nationale par unité" (in French). defense.gouv.fr. 19 November 2014. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- "Liste des bâtiments de soutien par unité" (in French). defense.gouv.fr. 21 October 2014. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
- "Force d'action navale".
- Vavasseur, Xavier (27 November 2021). "Naval Group Rolls Out 2nd Barracuda Type Submarine". Naval News. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
- Vavasseur, Xavier (28 March 2023). "France's 2nd Barracuda Type Submarine Aces Alpha Trials". Naval News. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
- Vavasseur, Xavier (27 April 2023). "How A Not-Yet-Commissioned Frigate Played A Key Role In Sudan Evacuation Operations". Naval News. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
- "France accelerates the FDI frigates program".
- Vavasseur, Xavier (20 April 2020). "French Navy Final D'Entrecasteaux-Class BSAOM Vessel 'Dumont D'Urville' Enters Active Service". Naval News. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- Between 2011 and 2017 heavy armaments have been removed.
- Groizeleau, Vincent (13 March 2023). "La Marine nationale n'obtiendrait que 7 nouveaux patrouilleurs hauturiers au lieu des 10 prévus". Mer et Marine.
- Vavasseur, Xavier (25 June 2020). "French Navy Ageing PHMs And PSPs Patrol Vessels To Be Replaced With 10 New OPVs". Naval News. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- "Départ de l'Auguste Bénébig, premier des six POM, pour Nouméa; Ministère des Armées". 18 January 2023.
- "EN IMAGES. L'arrivée du patrouilleur "Auguste-Bénébig" à Nouméa". nouvellecaledonie (in French). 3 April 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- Groizeleau, Vincent (21 May 2021). "La livraison du premier patrouilleur d'outre-mer repoussée à 2023". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- "Patrouilleurs de la Marine nationale - Sénat". www.senat.fr. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
- "Extension of patrol vessel Arago's operations in French Polynesia until 2024". Archived from the original on 2020-10-21.
- Vavasseur, Xavier (6 November 2020). "France Launches SLAMF Mine Warfare Program but Many Questions Remain". Naval News.
- Groizeleau, Vincent (20 March 2023). "Plongeurs-démineurs : Merré lance la construction en série des VSP". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 20 March 2023.
- Groizeleau, Vincent (6 September 2022). "La nouvelle vedette de support à la plongée en route pour la base navale de Toulon". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- "Le Fauteuil de Colbert: Marine nationale : Chantier de la VSP n°1 « Ophrys » (2021 - 2022)". May 2022.
- "ANTARES - Dernier ravitaillement à la mer entre le BCR Marne et le porte-avions Charles de Gaulle". Ministère des Armées (in French). 28 February 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- "Chantiers de l'Atlantique delivers first new logistic support ship to French Navy". Janes. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
- Groizeleau, Vincent (13 April 2023). "Dernière navigation pour le BCR Marne, qui passe le flambeau au BRF Jacques Chevallier". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 13 April 2023.
- "Marine nationale : Le BRF Jacques Chevallier sera livré en 2023". 14 April 2021.
- "Construction Begins for French Navy's Next Gen Replenishment Tanker Chevallier-class 'BRF'". 18 May 2020.
- Forces de surface - Les bâtiments hydrographiques et océanographiques Archived 2013-08-03 at the Wayback Machine, defense.gouv.fr, Retrieved 28 June 2014
- "Piriou Wins Contract To Deliver 20 Harbor Tugs To The French Navy". Naval Technology. 22 May 2020. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
- "DGA : Réception du Céladon, premier remorqueur portuaire 30 tonnes". asafrance.fr (in French). 9 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
- "Livret de la flotte" (PDF). ecole.nav (in French). 2021. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
- "Remorqueur côtier Maito". netmarine (in French). 2012. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
External links
- (in English) French Navy - Guide Book 2011
- (in English) French Navy - Facts & Figures 2011
- (in French) Marine Nationale - List of ships
- (in French) Marine Nationale - Blogs for individual ships
- (in French) Net Marine
- (in French) Alabordache