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Marine Nationale
Naval Ensign of France
Motto: Honneur, Patrie, Valeur, Discipline
(“Honour, Homeland, Valour, Discipline”)
Command
Naval Ministers
Maritime Prefect
Components
Force d'action navale
Force océanique stratégique
Aviation navale
FORFUSCO
Commandos de Marine
Fusiliers de Marine
Gendarmerie Navale
Equipment
Current Fleet
Current deployments
Personnel
Ranks in the French Navy
History
History of the French Navy
Future of the French Navy
Ensigns and pennants
Historic ships

   battleships
   cruisers
   ships of the line
   Sail frigates
Historic Fleets
Awards
Croix de guerre
Médaille militaire
Légion d'honneur
Ribbons

The French Navy, officially the Marine Nationale (National Navy) and often called La Royale (The Royal [Navy]), is the maritime arm of the French military. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group One of France 's Secretaries of State under the Ancien régime was entrusted with control of the French Navy ( Secretary of State of the Navy (France The Préfet Maritime is a servant of the French State who exercises authority over the sea in one particular region (a Préfecture maritime) The Force d'action navale (FAN Naval Action Force is the 12000-man and about 100-ship strong backbone of the French Navy. The Force océanique stratégique (FOST Strategic Oceanic Force is the Ballistic missile submarine force of the French Navy. The Aviation navale ( Naval aviation) of the French Navy includes 162 airplanes (138 of them combat-capable and 6800 men both civilians and military personnel The Naval Commandos (Commandos marine are the Special forces of the French Navy. The Fusiliers Marins (Navy riflemen are units specialised in the protection and defence of key sites of the French Navy on land The Maritime Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Maritime is a component of French gendarmerie under operational control of the chief of staff of the French Navy. This is a (non exhaustive list of currently operating ships of the French Navy. Standing French Navy Deployments is a list of current deployments by the French Navy: Caribbean Fort-de-France, The rank Insignia of the French Navy ( French: Marine Nationale) are worn on shoulder straps of shirts and white jackets Although the History of the French Navy goes back to the Middle Ages when it was defeated by the English at the Battle of Sluys and with Castilian help managed The French Navy is undertaking a significant reinforcement both in modernising and in number under the Projet de loi de programmation militaire 2003-2008 ("Military programme A French ensign is the flag flown at sea to identify a vessel as French. This is a list of traditional French Navy ship names, along with notices for notable units This is a list of French Battleships of the period 1859-1970 Note that the dates given are the ships' launch date cruisers Armorique (1862 Circé (1860 Flore (1869 Cosmao class Cosmao (1861 Dupleix (1861 This is a list of French broadside battleships of the period 1640-1861 Sections stating the ruler in power are provided as chronological references This is a list of French sail frigates from the start of the 1740s Chinese Fleets Beiyang Fleet Nanyang Fleet East Sea Fleet North Sea Fleet South The Croix de Guerre (sometimes lowercase in French Croix de guerre, meaning "Cross of War" is a military decoration of both France and The Médaille militaire (Military Medal is a decoration of the French Republic which was first instituted in 1852. Here stands a list of the ribbons of the French military and civil awards The French Order of Chivalry The principal French military awards The Military of France encompasses an army, a navy, an air force and a military police force. It consists of a full range of vessels, from patrol boats to guided missile frigates, and includes one nuclear aircraft carrier and ten nuclear submarines (four of which are submarine-launched ballistic missile–capable (SNLEs)). An aircraft carrier is a Warship designed with A nuclear submarine is a Submarine powered by Atomic energy. Previously conventional submarines used diesel engines that required air for moving on the Submarine-launched ballistic missiles or SLBM s are Ballistic missiles delivering Nuclear weapons that are launched from Submarines Modern variants

The motto of the French Navy is Honneur, Patrie, Valeur, Discipline ("Honour, Fatherland, Valour, Discipline"). These words are found on the deck of every ship of the Navy.

Contents

The French Navy today

Admiral Alain Oudot de Dainville (left)
Admiral Alain Oudot de Dainville (left)

As of 2006, the French Navy is the largest naval employer in Western Europe, including, among other things, the Marseille Marine Fire Battalion. Admiral Alain Oudot de Dainville (b 15 March 1947 in Marsat ( Puy de Dôme) is a French Navy officer Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' The Marseille Marine Fire Battalion, or in French le Bataillon de marins-pompiers de Marseille or BMPM, is the fire and rescue service for the city The chief of the general staff is Admiral Alain Oudot de Dainville[1]. Admiral Alain Oudot de Dainville (b 15 March 1947 in Marsat ( Puy de Dôme) is a French Navy officer

Branches

The Navy is organised in five branches:

Note that the Troupes de Marine ("Naval Troops"), which comprise the Régiments d'Infanterie de Marine (the famous elite RIMa) are the modern name of the Troupes Coloniales ("Colonial Troops"), and are not part of the Navy, but of the Army. The Maritime Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Maritime is a component of French gendarmerie under operational control of the chief of staff of the French Navy. The fr Troupes de marine, are an arm of the French Army with naval heritage The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre (Land Army is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces and its largest

Ships

landing platform Foudre
landing platform Foudre
Surcouf frigate
Surcouf frigate

Currently, French naval doctrine calls for two aircraft carriers, but the French only have one, the Charles de Gaulle, due to restructuring. Photographs An aircraft carrier is a Warship designed with Development Construction The carrier replaced ''Foch'', a conventionally-powered aircraft carrier in 2001 The Future French aircraft carrier is presently being ordered and is scheduled to be operational by the next major refitting of the Charles de Gaulle. Background The previous French carriers Clemenceau and Foch were completed in 1961 and 1963 respectively

The navy is in the midst of major technological and procurement changes; newer submarines have been ordered on top of the Rafales (the naval version) replacing older aircraft. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

Currently (2007) major ships in service are:

See also: Current French Navy ships

Bases

Frigate division of the French Navy in Toulon harbour
Frigate division of the French Navy in Toulon harbour
The French Indian Ocean force based at Réunion.
The French Indian Ocean force based at Réunion. Development Construction The carrier replaced ''Foch'', a conventionally-powered aircraft carrier in 2001 Missions In peace time Jeanne d'Arc is a teaching and training vessel for the naval officers' application academy and at the same time possesses an aerial group of 2 An amphibious assault ship (also referred to as an amphibious assault carrier or commando carrier) is a type of Helicopter carrier employed to land History French doctrine of amphibious operations in 1997 In 1997 the DCN started a study for a polyvalent intervention ship ( bâtiment d’intervention In naval terminology a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance Warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, Convoy For the bird see Frigatebird. A frigate /ˈfrɪgɪt/ is a warship A corvette is a small maneuverable lightly armed Warship, originally smaller than a Frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft, although many A ballistic missile submarine is a Submarine equipped to launch Ballistic missiles ( SLBMs) A submarine is a Watercraft that can operate independently below water as distinct from a Submersible that has only limited underwater capability This is a (non exhaustive list of currently operating ships of the French Navy. Toulon ( Provençal Occitan: Tolon in classical norm or Touloun in Mistralian norm is a city in southern France and a large Réunion ( French: Réunion or formally La Réunion; previously Île Bourbon) is an island located in the Indian Ocean, east of

As of 2007, the naval bases in use are [2]

Future developments

The French Navy is undertaking a significant reinforcement, both in modernising and in number, under the Projet de loi de programmation militaire 2003–2008 ("Military programme law project 2003–2008")[3] , which notably calls for:

Future French aircraft carrier

Horizon CNGF

FREMM multipurpose frigate

Barracuda class submarine

The equipment will also be modernised, notably

Ranks of the National Navy

Main article: Ranks in the French Navy

The following are the ranks of the French National Navy, showing the French rank, the English translation, and the equivalent in the Royal Navy and the English language rank system of the Canadian Navy. Background The previous French carriers Clemenceau and Foch were completed in 1961 and 1963 respectively History France, Italy and the UK issued a joint requirement in 1992 after the failure of the NATO Frigate Replacement (NFR-90 project Versions Three versions of the frigates are planned one anti-submarine version one anti-aircraft version (FR ''Cassard'' class]] The Exocet is a French -built Anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels submarines and airplanes Aster is a family of surface-to-air missiles manufactured by Eurosam, a European consortium consisting of MBDA France MBDA Italy (combined 66% and the The Sylver (Systeme de Lancement Vertical is a vertical Missile launcher designed by DCNS. Storm Shadow is an Anglo - French air-launched Cruise missile, manufactured by MBDA and used by France Italy and the United Kingdom The rank Insignia of the French Navy ( French: Marine Nationale) are worn on shoulder straps of shirts and white jackets The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) "MARCOM" redirects here For the historical (1936–1950 U

Officers

French Rank (in French) French Rank (in English) Equivalent RN Rank
Amiral Admiral Admiral
Vice-amiral d'escadre Squadron Vice-Admiral Vice-Admiral
Vice-amiral Vice-Admiral Rear Admiral
Contre-amiral Counter Admiral Commodore
Capitaine de vaisseau Ship-of-the-Line Captain Captain
Capitaine de frégate Frigate Captain Commander
Capitaine de corvette Corvette Captain Lieutenant-Commander
Lieutenant de vaisseau Ship-of-the-Line Lieutenant Lieutenant
Enseigne de vaisseau de première classe Ship-of-the-Line Ensign First Class Sub-Lieutenant
Enseigne de vaisseau de deuxième classe Ship-of-the-Line Ensign Second Class Acting Sub-Lieutenant
Aspirant Aspirant Midshipman

Majors

Officers mariniers / Non-commissioned Officers

Militaires du rang (équipage)- Junior ranks

History

Main article: History of the French Navy

The French navy is affectionately known as La Royale ("the Royal"). Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations In land armies it is a term referring to a military individual or unit who specializes in supplying and provisioning troops Leading Seaman ( LS or L/S) is a non-commissioned rank or rate in navies, particularly those of the Commonwealth. Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations In land armies it is a term referring to a military individual or unit who specializes in supplying and provisioning troops Royal Navy In the Royal Navy in the middle of the 18th century the term Able Seaman (abbreviated AB) referred to a Seaman with at In the Royal Navy in the middle of the 18th century the term Ordinary Seaman was used to refer to a Seaman with between one and two years' experience at sea Although the History of the French Navy goes back to the Middle Ages when it was defeated by the English at the Battle of Sluys and with Castilian help managed The reason is not well known; some theorise that it is for its traditional attachment to the French monarchy, some others said that before to be named "nationale", the Navy had be named "royale" or simply because of the location of its headquarters, "rue Royale" in Paris. List of Queens and Empresses of France Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below The rue Royale (pronounced /ʁy ʁwajal/ in French) is a short street in Paris, France running between the Place de la Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city The navy did not sport the royal titles common with other European navies like the British Royal Navy. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service)

Middle Ages

The Battle of Sluys.
The Battle of Sluys. The decisive naval Battle of Sluys (slœys in Dutch, but frequently anglicised as /slɔɪz/ was fought on 24 June 1340 as one of the opening

The history of the French Navy goes back to the Middle Ages, when it was defeated by the English at the Battle of Sluys and, with Castilian help, managed to beat the English at the Battle of La Rochelle. The decisive naval Battle of Sluys (slœys in Dutch, but frequently anglicised as /slɔɪz/ was fought on 24 June 1340 as one of the opening The Crown of Castile, as a historic entity is usually considered to have begun in 1230 with the third and definitive union of the two kingdoms of León and Castile The naval Battle of La Rochelle took place on 22 June 1372 between a Castilian-French and an English fleet

The Navy became a consistent instrument of national power around the seventeenth century with Louis XIV. Early years Birth and ancestry Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye on September 5 1638 and bore the Heir apparent Under the tutelage of the "Sun King," the French Navy was well financed and equipped, managing to score several early victories in the Nine Years War against the Royal Navy and the Dutch Navy. The Nine Years' War (1688–97 – often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg – was a major war of the late 17th The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The Koninklijke Marine ( Royal Netherlands Navy) is the Navy of the Netherlands. Financial troubles, however, forced the navy back to port and allowed the English and the Dutch to regain the initiative. Before the Nine Years War, in the Franco-Dutch War, it managed to score a decisive victory over a combined Spanish-Dutch fleet at the Battle of Palermo. The Franco-Dutch War (1672&ndash1678 was a War fought between the Kingdom of France, Münster-->, Cologne--> and Kingdom of England The naval Battle of Palermo took place on 2 June 1676 during the Franco-Dutch War, between a French force led by Abraham Duquesne

18th century

French Navy ships of the line in the Battle of the Chesapeake.
French Navy ships of the line in the Battle of the Chesapeake. Background After a strategically indecisive campaign in the southern states, in the summer of 1781 British troops under Lord Cornwallis headed to the coast at Yorktown
French Navy 120 cannon warship L'Océan. 1st Empire.
French Navy 120 cannon warship L'Océan. Career As the largest ship of the line in the Brest fleet the ship spent much of her early career as the fleet Flagship. 1st Empire.

The eighteenth century saw the beginning of Royal Navy domination, which managed to inflict a number of significant defeats on the French. However, the French Navy continued to score various successes, as in the campaigns led in the Atlantic by Picquet de la Motte. Count Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte (born 1 November 1720 in Rennes; died 10 June 1791 in Brest) was a French In 1766, Bougainville led the first French circumnavigation. Louis-Antoine comte de Bougainville ( November 12 1729 Paris - August 31 1811 Paris) was a French navigator and military

During the American War of Independence the French Navy played a decisive role in supporting the American side. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" In a very impressive effort, the French under de Grasse managed to defeat a British fleet at the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781, thus ensuring that the Franco-American ground forces would win the ongoing Battle of Yorktown. François Joseph Paul marquis de Grasse Tilly comte de Grasse (1722 – January 14 1788 in Paris) was a French Admiral. Background After a strategically indecisive campaign in the southern states, in the summer of 1781 British troops under Lord Cornwallis headed to the coast at Yorktown

In India, Suffren managed impressive campaigns against the British (1770-1780), successfully contending for supremacy against Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes. Admiral comte Pierre André de Suffren de Saint Tropez bailli de Suffren ( July 17 1729 - December 8 1788) - French Sir Edward Hughes RN (c 1720-1794 was an Admiral of the British Royal Navy.

The French Revolution, in eliminating numerous officers of noble lineage (among them, Charles d'Estaing), all but crippled the French Navy. Jean Baptiste Charles Henri Hector Comte d'Estaing ( November 24, 1729 &ndash April 28, 1794) was a French Admiral. Efforts to make it into a powerful force under Napoleon were dashed by the death of Latouche Tréville in 1804, and the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, where the British all but annihilated a combined Franco-Spanish fleet. Louis-René Levassor de Latouche Tréville ( June 3, 1745 – August 19, 1804) was a French admiral and a hero of the American The Battle of Trafalgar ( 21 October 1805) was a historic sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the The disaster guaranteed British naval domination until World War II.

The only French Naval victory against the British during the Napoleonic Wars was the 1810 Battle of Grand Port, a frigate action in the Indian Ocean won by Admiral Duperré. The naval Battle of Grand Port took place on 20 August 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars in the Harbour of Grand Port. For the bird see Frigatebird. A frigate /ˈfrɪgɪt/ is a warship The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface Guy-Victor Duperré ( La Rochelle, 20 February 1775 &ndash Paris, 2 November 1846) was a French Admiral

19th century revival

Abel Aubert Dupetit Thouars taking over Tahiti on September 9, 1842.
Abel Aubert Dupetit Thouars taking over Tahiti on September 9, 1842. Abel Aubert Dupetit Thouars ( 3 August, 1793 - 16 March 1864) was a French naval officer important in France's anexation of Tahiti is the largest Island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the Archipelago of Society Islands in the Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Year 1842 ( MDCCCXLII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common

Global interventions

In a speech in 1852, Napoleon III famously proclaimed that "The Empire means peace" ("L'Empire, c'est la paix"), but actually he was thoroughly determined to follow a strong foreign policy to extend France's power and glory. Around that time, the French Navy was involved in a multitude of actions around the world.

Oceania

In 1842, the French Navy took over Tahiti under Admiral Abel Aubert Dupetit Thouars. Tahiti is the largest Island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the Archipelago of Society Islands in the Abel Aubert Dupetit Thouars ( 3 August, 1793 - 16 March 1864) was a French naval officer important in France's anexation of French activity in those parts would continue throughout the 19th century, as his nephew Abel-Nicolas Bergasse Dupetit Thouars went on pacifying the Marquesas Islands in 1880. Abel-Nicolas Georges Henri Bergasse Dupetit Thouars ( March 23, 1832 – March 14, 1890) was a French sailor and vice-admiral

The Crimean War

Napoleon's challenge to Russia's claims to influence in the Ottoman Empire led to France's successful participation in the Crimean War (March 1854–March 1856). Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish The Crimean War, also known in Russia as the Eastern War (Восточная война Vostochnaya Vojna) (March 1854–February 1856 was fought During this war Napoleon successfully established a French alliance with Britain, which continued after the war's close. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927

East Asia
The ironclad floating battery Lave in 1854 during the Crimean War.
The ironclad floating battery Lave in 1854 during the Crimean War. An ironclad was a steam-propelled Warship of the later 19th century protected by Iron or Steel armor plates The Crimean War, also known in Russia as the Eastern War (Восточная война Vostochnaya Vojna) (March 1854–February 1856 was fought

Napoleon took the first steps to establishing a French colonial influence in Indochina. He approved the launching of a naval expedition in 1858 to punish the Vietnamese for their mistreatment of French Catholic missionaries and force the court to accept a French presence in the country. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially An important factor in his decision was the belief that France risked becoming a second-rate power by not expanding its influence in East Asia. Also, the idea that France had a civilising mission was spreading. This eventually led to a full-out invasion in 1861. By 1862 the war was over and Vietnam conceded three provinces in the south, called by the French Cochin-China, opened three ports to French trade, allowed free passage of French warships to Cambodia (which led to a French protectorate over Cambodia in 1867), allowed freedom of action for French missionaries and gave France a large indemity for the cost of the war. Cochin China is also a type of domestic fowl. Cochinchina, from Cochin-China (see note below (known locally as Nam

The French frigate Guerrière commanded by Admiral Roze was the lead ship in the French Campaign against Korea, 1866. Here the ship is photographed in Nagasaki harbour, circa 1865.
The French frigate Guerrière commanded by Admiral Roze was the lead ship in the French Campaign against Korea, 1866. The French campaign against Korea of 1866 is also known as Byeong-in yangyo ( Western disturbance of the byeong-in year) Here the ship is photographed in Nagasaki harbour, circa 1865. ( is the Capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan.

In China, France took part in the Second Opium War along with Great Britain, and in 1860 French troops entered Beijing. The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war of the United Kingdom See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands China was forced to concede more trading rights, allow freedom of navigation of the Yangzi river, give full civil rights and freedom of religion to Christians, and give France and Britain a huge indemnity. This combined with the intervention in Vietnam set the stage for further French influence in China leading up to a sphere of influence over parts of Southern China.

In 1866, French Navy troops made an attempt to colonise Korea, during the French Campaign against Korea. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. The French campaign against Korea of 1866 is also known as Byeong-in yangyo ( Western disturbance of the byeong-in year) The French Navy also had a significant presence in Japan with the Bombardment of Shimonoseki in 1863. The Bombardment of Shimonoseki (Japanese下関戦争/馬関戦争 Shimonoseki Sensō/Bakan Sensō) refers to a series of military engagements fought in 1863-64, by joint naval In 1867-1868, some level of presence in Japan was maintained around the actions of French Military Mission to Japan, and the subsequent Boshin war. The was a Civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the

In the Sino-French War (1884-1885), the French Navy obliterated the Chinese navy at the Battle of Foochow. The Sino-French War ( Chinese:, French: Guerre franco-chinoise, Vietnamese: Chiến tranh Pháp-Thanh) was a limited conflict fought

Mexico

The French Navy conducted a successful blockade of Mexico in the Pastry War of 1838. The Pastry War (Guerra de los pasteles was an invasion of Mexico by French forces in 1838. It was then heavily involved in French intervention in Mexico (January 1862–March 1867). The French intervention in Mexico, also known as the Maximilian Affair and The Franco-Mexican War, was an invasion of Mexico by the army of the Napoleon, using as a pretext the Mexican Republic's refusal to pay its foreign debts, planned to establish a French sphere of influence in North America by creating a French-backed monarchy in Mexico, a project which was supported by Mexican conservatives tired of the anti-clerical Mexican republic.

Technological innovations (19th century)

Le Napoléon (1850), the first steam battleship in history.
Le Napoléon (1850), the first steam battleship in history. Technological context Before the experimental adoption of the screw in warships in the 1840s the only available steam technology was that of the Paddle wheels A battleship is a large heavily armored Warship with a main battery consisting of the largest Calibre of Guns Battleships were

In the nineteenth century, the navy recovered and became the second finest in the world after the Royal Navy. The French Navy, eager to challenge British naval supremacy, took a leadership role in many areas of warship development, with the introduction of new technologies.

The French Navy also became an active proponent of the "Jeune École" doctrine, calling for small but powerful warship using torpedoes and shell guns to annihilate the British fleet. The Jeune École ( "Young School") was a French naval school of thought developed during the 19th century The modern torpedo (historically called an automotive automobile locomotive or fish torpedo is a self-propelled explosive Projectile weapon launched above or below

Her conceptual and technological edge proved attractive to the newly industrialising Japan, when the French engineer Émile Bertin was invited for four years to design a new fleet for the Imperial Japanese Navy, which led to her success in the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Louis-Émile Bertin (1840-1924 was a French naval engineer one of the foremost of his time and a proponent of the " Jeune École " philosophy of using light For Combined Fleet, please see that article For Carrier Striking Task Force, please see that article The First Sino-Japanese War ( 日清戦争 Romaji: Nisshin Sensō ( 1 August 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a war fought between

Plongeur (1876). Plongeur (French for "Diver" was a French Submarine launched on 16 April 1863

La Gloire (1863). See also French ship ''Gloire'' for eponymous ships

20th century

The development of the French Navy slowed down in the beginning of 20th century, and as a result, it was outnumbered by the German and US Navies, which were also technically superior. It was late to introduce new battleships - dreadnoughts and light cruisers and it entered World War I with relatively few modern vessels. The dreadnought was the predominant type of Battleship of the 20th century A light cruiser is a Warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light Armoured cruiser " describing a small ship that carried armour in the same way During the war, the main French effort was on land, so not many new warships were built. Despite it, it performed well in World War I. The main operation of the French Navy was Dardanelles Campaign. The naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign of the First World War were mainly carried out by the Royal Navy with substantial support from the French Most significant losses during the war were four pre-dreadnought battleships.

A number of major ships of the French Navy at the outbreak / end of World War I[2]

The first proto-aircraft carrier

The invention of the seaplane in 1910 with the French Le Canard led to the earliest development of ships designed to carry airplanes, albeit equipped with floats. The dreadnought was the predominant type of Battleship of the 20th century Pre-dreadnought battleship is the general term for all of the types of sea going Battleships built between the mid-1890s and 1905 The armored cruiser, or armoured cruiser (see spelling differences) is a type of Cruiser, a naval warship. Protected cruisers were a type of naval Cruiser of the late 19th century so known because their deck armour offered protection for vital machine spaces from shrapnel caused In naval terminology a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance Warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, Convoy A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval Ship designed to carry Torpedoes into battle A submarine is a Watercraft that can operate independently below water as distinct from a Submersible that has only limited underwater capability A seaplane is a Fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing (alighting on water WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout In 1911 appears the French Navy La Foudre, the first seaplane carrier. A seaplane tender (or seaplane carrier) is a Ship that provides facilities for operating Seaplanes These ships were the first Aircraft carriers She was commissioned as a seaplane tender, and carried float-equipped planes under hangars on the main deck, from where they were lowered on the sea with a crane. La Foudre was further modified in November 1913 with a 10 metre flat deck to launch her seaplanes. [3]

Fleet Construction Between the World Wars

After the World War I, the French Navy remained the 4th in the world, after the British, US and Japanese navies, but the Italian Navy, considered as the main enemy, was close. This order of fleets, with the French Navy equal to the Italian Navy, was sanctioned by the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty. The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, limited the naval armaments of its five signatories the United States of America, the

Every naval fleet consists of a variety of ships of different sizes, and no fleet has enough resources to make every vessel supreme in its class. Nonetheless, different countries strive to excel in particular classes. Between the world wars, the French fleet was remarkable in its building of small numbers of ships that were "over the top" with relation to their equivalents of other powers.

For example, the French chose to build "super-destroyers" which were deemed during the Second World War by the Allies as the equivalent of light cruisers. The Le Fantasque class of destroyer is still the world's fastest class of destroyer. In naval terminology a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance Warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, Convoy The Surcouf submarine was the largest and most powerful of its day. Early career The Washington Naval Treaty had placed strict limits on naval construction by the major naval powers but submarines had been omitted The Dunkerque class battleships, designed specially to fight the German so-called pocket battleships, were, in spite of their relatively small size, very well-balanced designs and precursors of a new fast battleship generation in the world. Description German capital ships were restricted by the Treaty of Versailles to a displacement of 10000 tons for "armoured ships" The Richelieu class full-size battleships are considered by some experts as most successful battleships, built under displacement limits of Washington Treaty in the world. Design Derived from the ''Dunkerque'' class Richelieu and ''Jean Bart'', as well as the unfinished Clemenceau and Gascogne, [4]

In spite of proposals of the French inventor Clément Ader in 1909 to build a ship with a flat deck to operate airplanes at sea, similar to modern aircraft carriers, the French Navy built its first aircraft carrier only in 1920s and did not go further in developing aircraft carriers before World War II. Clément Ader ( April 2 1841 &ndash March 5 1925) was a French engineer born in Muret, Haute Garonne remembered In 1920, Paul Teste achieved the first carrier landing of the history of the French Navy, aboard the Béarn. Paul Marcel Teste ( Lorient, 2 October 1892 — Villacoublay, 13 June 1925) was a French Navy officer aviator Description The Béarn was a conversion of a ''Normandie''-class battleship hull converted during 1923-1927

Major ships of the French Navy at the beginning of German attack in May 1940:[5]

Apart from these, there was one modern battleship advanced in construction; the second battleship, one aircraft carrier, numerous submarines and several destroyers were in different stages of construction. Description The Béarn was a conversion of a ''Normandie''-class battleship hull converted during 1923-1927 The heavy cruiser was a type of Cruiser, a naval Warship designed for long range high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 8in in calibre A light cruiser is a Warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light Armoured cruiser " describing a small ship that carried armour in the same way In naval terminology a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance Warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, Convoy

World War II

At the outset of the war, the French Navy was involved in a number of operations against the Axis Powers, participating in the Battle of the Atlantic, the Allied campaign in Norway, and the bombarding of Genoa in Italy. The Axis powers also known as the Axis alliance Axis nations Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those Countries This article describes Allied operations in Norway during World War II Genoa ( Genova, ˈdʒɛːnova in Italian; Zena in Genoese and Ligurian; Genua in Latin and archaically in English The French surrender and its armistice terms, however, completely changed the situation: the French fleet immediately withdrew from the fight.

The British perceived the French fleet as a potentially lethal threat, should the French become formal enemies or, more likely, should the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) gain control. The Kriegsmarine (English "War navy" was the name of the German Navy between 1935 and 1945 during the Nazi regime superseding the It was essential that they should be put out of action. Some vessels were in British-controlled ports in Britain or Egypt. These ships were either persuaded to re-join the Allies as part of the Free French Navy (Forces navales françaises libres, FNFL) or they were boarded and disarmed. Les Forces Navales Françaises Libres ("Free French Naval Forces" were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. Les Forces Navales Françaises Libres ("Free French Naval Forces" were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War.

However, the bulk of the French fleet remained in Mers-el-Kebir or Dakar. Mers-el-Kébir (المرسى الكبير “the Great Harbor” is a port town in northwestern Algeria, located by the Mediterranean Sea near Oran For the Dakar Rally see Dakar Rally. For the Israeli submarine see INS Dakar. The Royal Navy delivered an ultimatum to the French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir. But, on 3 July 1940, the British opened fire and sank or damaged much of the fleet when agreement proved impossible (Operation Catapult). Events 324 - Battle of Adrianople Constantine I defeats Licinius, who flees to Byzantium. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Attack on Mers-el-Kébir, also known as Operation Catapult, was a hostile engagement off the coast of French Algeria where a British Royal Navy In September, an attempt to take Dakar ended in victory for the Vichy French (Battle of Dakar). For the Dakar Rally see Dakar Rally. For the Israeli submarine see INS Dakar. The Battle of Dakar, also known as Operation Menace, was an unsuccessful attempt in September 1940 by the Allies to capture the strategic port of Dakar These actions soured Anglo-French relations and inhibited further defections to the Allies.

In November 1942, the Allies invaded French North Africa (Operation Torch). France was a dominant empire in the world from the 1600s to the late 1960s possessing many colonies in various locations around the world Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British - American invasion of French North Africa in World War II In response, the Germans occupied Vichy France (Case Anton). Vichy France, or the Vichy regime are the common terms used to describe the government of France from July 1940 to August 1944 During World War II the German authorities codenamed the occupation of Vichy France Case (or Operation) Anton. The German occupation included the French naval port of Toulon where the main part of the surviving French fleet lay. Toulon ( Provençal Occitan: Tolon in classical norm or Touloun in Mistralian norm is a city in southern France and a large This was a major German objective and forces under SS command had been detailed to capture them (Operation Lila). This eventually resulted in the scuttling of the French fleet in Toulon. The French fleet in Toulon was Scuttled on 27 November 1942 on the order of the Admiralty of Vichy France to avoid capture by No French capital ships and few others were taken in reparable condition [4]. A few ships fled Toulon and joined the Allies, notably the submarine Casabianca. Phony War Vichy France and Escape from Toulon During the Phony War, the Casabianca undertook uneventful cruises in the North Sea and off Norway

Following this, more French moved to the Allies, including ships interned in Egypt, and there were French FNFL warships supporting the Allied landings in southern France (Operation Dragoon) and Normandy (Operation Neptune). Les Forces Navales Françaises Libres ("Free French Naval Forces" were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France, on 15 August, 1944, as part of World War II. The Normandy Landings were the first operations of the Allied Invasion of Normandy, also known as Operation Neptune and Operation Overlord, during

France's Le Fantasque, the fastest destroyer class ever built.

Seaplane carrier La Foudre.

Customs

Prefixes

The French Navy does not use prefixes of the names of its ships (such as the Royal Navy uses HMS, for instance). A ship prefix is a combination of letters usually abbreviations used in front of the name of a civilian or naval Ship. His or Her Majesty's Ship ( HMS) is the Ship prefix used for ships of the navy in some monarchies either formally or informally Foreign commentators sometimes use the prefixes "FS" (for "French Ship") or FNS (for "French Navy Ship"); these are not official, however.

Addressing officers

Unlike in the French army and air force, one does not prepend mon to the name of the rank when addressing an officer (that is, not mon capitaine, but simply capitaine). The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre (Land Army is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces and its largest The French Air Force ( French: Armée de l'Air (ALA literally Air Army) is the Air force of the French Armed Forces. [5]

This custom is sometimes said to date back to the Battle of Trafalgar, when Napoleon decided that French Navy officers did not deserve to be called "monsieur" (mon being here elliptical for monsieur). The Battle of Trafalgar ( 21 October 1805) was a historic sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe.

Addressing a French Navy lieutenant de vaisseau (for instance) with a "mon capitaine" will attract the traditional answer "Dans la Marine il y a Mon Dieu et mon cul, pas mon capitaine !" ("In the Navy there are My God and my arse, no 'my captain'!").

Famous French Naval Officers

Corsairs

Heroes of the First Republic

Explorers

Other important French naval officers

Notes

  1. ^ epicos.com
  2. ^ S. Louis Marie-Julien Viaud ( January 14, 1850 - June 10, 1923) was a writer who used the Pseudonym Pierre Loti. A. Balakin: VMS Francyy 1914-1918, Morskaya Kollekcya 3/2000 (in Russian)
  3. ^ Descriptionand photograph of Foudre
  4. ^ W. H. Garzke, R. O. Dulin: Battleships. Axis and Neutral Battleships in World War II, Naval Institute Press, 1985, ISBN 0-87021-101-3
  5. ^ V. V. Ivanov: Korabli Vtoroy Mirovoy voyny: VMS Francyy (Корабли Второй Мировой войны: ВМС Франции), Morskaya Kollekcya 11/2004 (in Russian)

Gallery

French Military

Components
French Air Force
French Army
French Navy
French Gendarmerie
Ranks
Ranks in the French Army
Ranks in the French Navy
History of the French Military
Military History of France
La Grande Armée


Navy officers on the bridge of the frigate La Motte-Picquet

The French frigate Floréal, stationed in Bora-Bora lagoon (in French Polynesia). The Military of France encompasses an army, a navy, an air force and a military police force. The French Air Force ( French: Armée de l'Air (ALA literally Air Army) is the Air force of the French Armed Forces. The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre (Land Army is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces and its largest See Gendarmerie for similar forces in other countries In France, the National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale is the national Rank insignia in the French army except for general officers depends on whether the soldier belongs to a "foot arm" or a "horse arm" The rank Insignia of the French Navy ( French: Marine Nationale) are worn on shoulder straps of shirts and white jackets The military history of France encompasses an immense panorama of conflicts and struggles extending for more than 2000 years across areas including modern France, greater Bora-Bora is a commune of French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. French Polynesia ( French: Polynésie française, Tahitian: Pōrīnetia Farāni) is a French Overseas collectivity in the

See also

External links

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