French navy
Introduction
The Marine Nationale (French Navy) is the second-largest Western European navy (the largest being the Royal Navy). It operates a full range of vessels, from patrol boats to guided missile frigates, one aircraft carrier (at present) and strategic missile submarines (SSBNs).
Normally a two carrier force, the current Navy aircraft carrier is named Charles de Gaulle.
The Navy also comprises Naval fusiliers (ground forces, used to secure naval installations) and Naval commandos (amphibious assault and other special operations), collectively known as FUSCO.
Current ships of the French Navy
Aircraft carriers
Training/Helicopter cruiser
Landing Platform Dock (LPD)
- Ouragan class - 2 ships
- Foudre class - 2 ships
- Mistral class - 2 ships planned
Destroyers
- Suffren class - 1 ship
- Tourville class - 2 ships
- Forbin (Horizon) class - 2 ships planned
Frigates
- Cassard class - 2 ships
- Georges Leygues class - 7 ships
- La Fayette class - 5 ships
Small patrol frigate and corvettes
- Floreal class - 6 ships
- D'Estienne D'Orves class - 9 ships
Patrol ships
- Albatross - 1 ship
- Fulmar - 1 ship
- L'Audacieuse class - 10 ships
- Sterne - 1 ship
- Grebe - 1 ship
- Flamant class - 3 ships
Submarines
