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Naval Action Force

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Naval Action Force
Force d'action navale
Active1992[1]- present
CountryFrance
BranchFrench Navy
TypeSurface warship force
Garrison/HQToulon

TheForce d'action navale(FAN, Naval Action Force) is the 9,600-man and about 100-ship force of surface warships of theFrench Navy.As of August 2023, it is commanded by L’amiral Nicolas Vaujour.

The ships are divided into seven categories:

  • The aeronaval group, which has the aircraft carrierCharles de Gaulleat its core
  • Theamphibiousgroup, directed by "Projection and Command vessels" (currently ships of theMistralclass)
  • 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, hydrographic and oceanographic vessels

The aeronaval group

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The aeronaval group is the main French Navy power projection force. It is also one of the components of the nuclear deterrence forces, since the embarkedSuper ÉtendardandRafaleplanes have nuclear capabilities.

At minimum, it contains a single aircraft carrier,Charles de Gaulle,an anti-airfrigate,and a support vessel. Typically, this group also includes several anti-air and anti-submarine frigates,nuclear attack submarines(Rubis-class submarinesorBarracuda-class submarines), and possibly additional support ships.

The carrier air group can include up to 40 aircraft:Rafale,Super ÉtendardandE-2 Hawkeyeplanes;NH90 Caïman Marine,AS365 DauphinandAS565 Pantherhelicopters. This composition varies according to the mission and the tactical environment, and can include aircraft of theALAT(Army)or theArmée de l'Air(Air Force).

Like any naval force, the aeronaval group can be assisted by land-basedBreguet Atlantiqueaircraft.

The aircraft carrierClemenceauformed the core of the French Navy's battle force for many years.[2]

One of the aeronaval group's deployments was to take part in the initial attacks onAl-Qaedaand theTalibaninAfghanistanas part of what became theWar in Afghanistan,in response to theSeptember 11 attacks.The group, designatedTask Force473 for the operation, comprised 2,900 men under the command ofContre-AmiralFrançois Cluzel and sailed in December 2001. It consisted of the nuclear aircraft carrierCharles De Gaulle,frigatesLa Motte-Picquet,Jean de Vienne,Jean Bart,the nuclear attack submarineRubis,the tankerMeuse,and theD'Estienne d'Orves-classavisoCommandant Ducuing.TheIndian Oceanregion deployment lasted for seven months before the group returned toFrancein mid-2002.

The number 473 seems to be semi-permanently assigned toCharles de Gaulleand its task group, being used again duringOperation Agapanthein 2004.[3]

During the2011 Libyan civil war,the French carrier battle group commanded fromCharles de Gaullewas designated Task Force 473 and was under the command of Vice-Admiral Phillippe Coindreau.[4]Coindreau was promoted to contre-amiral in September 2009, and he was named deputy commandant of the aéro-maritime force of rapid réaction atToulon.In English-language reports, he was described as deputy commander of the High Readiness Force Maritime Headquarters.

On 29 December 2013, Task Force 473, led by the aircraft carrierCharles de Gaulle,and comprising the destroyerForbin,frigateJean de Vienne,and the replenishment oilerMeusemetCarrier Strike Group Tenfor an exercise in theGulf of Oman.[5]Carrier Strike Group Ten comprises the aircraft carrierUSSHarry S. Truman,guided-missile cruisersUSSGettysburgandUSSSan Jacintoand guided-missile destroyersUSSBulkeley,USSCarney,USSHopper,andUSSMason.

In November 2015, Task Force 473 sailed again to strike Islamic State targets in Syria and Iraq. The composition of the task force is French, however, the British destroyerHMSDefenderand a frigate from the Belgian Navy,Leopold I,sailed as part of the group.[6]

The amphibious group

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Mistral-class landing platform assaultTonnerre

The French Navy operates three large amphibious ships (Mistral-classamphibious assault ships), which contain smaller landing craft. Aboard are helicopters, troops, and land vehicles.

The force also operates smaller landing craft which are either carried on board theMistral-class ships or based in overseas territories. 14 EDA-S Amphibious Standard Landing Craft (Engins de Débarquement Amphibie – Standards) have been ordered to replaceCTM landing craftcarried on theMistral-class helicopter assault shipsand to restore a light amphibious transport capability to French naval forces protecting certain of its overseas territories (Mayotte,New Caledonia,MartiniqueandFrench Guiana) and for operations aroundDjibouti.[7][8]Deliveries of these landing craft were initiated in 2021 and will continue up to 2025.[9]

The amphibious groups include one or several landing craft (EDAR and CTM) which allow the projection of inter-arm groups with troops, vehicles and helicopters. They can carryPuma,CougarandNH-90 Caïman Marinetransport helicopters orGazelleandTigrecombat helicopters, theCommandos Marine,minesweeping units, or Army units.

Commander French Maritime Forces (COMFRMARFOR) advises ALFAN, the Admiral in command of the Naval Action Force, and when operational at sea commands from the TCDs.[10]

Destroyers and frigates

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La Fayette-classfrigate
Main article:List of French current frigates

The destroyers and frigates are the backbone of the French surface fleet. The French Navy does not officially use the term "destroyer" but rather classifies these vessels as "first-rate frigates". Nevertheless, they are identified with the NATO "D" designation which ranks them in the destroyer class, instead of ranking them with an "F" designation as frigates. As of 2023, all French warships are having their hull numbers removed in order to reduce the ability to identify individual ships.[11][12]

Destroyers/frigates 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 amphibious groups, submarines or civil ships). As of 2024 the principal surface combatants of the force consisted of:

  • The four anti-air destroyers/frigates: TwoHorizonand twoAquitaineair defence variant of the FREMM-class of frigate are designed to protect the aeronaval group against air threats. The final two of a total of eightAquitaine-class frigates are built with enhanced air defence capabilities but drop the land-attack capabilities of the ASW variants. Nevertheless, they retain the ASW sensors and capabilities of this class of vessel.
  • The six anti-submarine (ASW) variant destroyers/frigates of theAquitaine(FREMM) class: They carry both hull-mounted and towed sonars andNH-90 Caïman MarineorEurocopter AS565 Pantherhelicopters, and have anti-ship, land-attack and anti-air capabilities.
  • The fiveLa Fayette-classfrigates are used primarily as presence ships, to patrol national and international waters, and to take part in operations outside of Europe. They can therefore act in cooperation with international intervention, protection, special operation or humanitarian missions. They carry AS565 Panther helicopters.
  • The sixFloréal-classfrigates are used primarily for patrolling the territorial waters of France's overseas territories. While the ships themselves do not carry anti-submarine sensors, they are able to carry a single AS565 Panther for anti-submarine warfare if required and available.

Minesweepers

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Commandos de Marine
Dassault Rafalefighter aircraft

The minesweepers secure major French harbours, especially for theballistic missile submarines(Strategic Oceanic Force) inBrest,and theattack submarinesinToulon.They also stay available to secure access toToulon,Marseille,any of the harbours of the Atlantic coast, and any Allied harbour simultaneously.

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

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

This force includes 1,100 men and:

  • 9 minehunters
  • 3 minesweeping diver groups for shallow waters.
  • Several sonar ships which secure the area around Brest harbour
  • One command and support ship

Sovereignty vessels

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These 65 vessels (as of 2019) patrol harbors, territorial waters, and the world's largestexclusive economic zone(EEZ), including enforcing fishing, environmental, and criminal laws, and conducting or supporting recovery operations.

SixFloréal-class frigatesperform sovereignty tasks, mainly by controlling the large French EEZ, carrying out police action, and monitoring fishing activities. They operate in low-risk environments. All six are based overseas (two at Réunion, two at Martinique, one in French Polynesia, and one in New Caledonia)

TheA-69 avisoswere originally designed to counter conventional submarines, especially in coastal defence. Instead of decommissioning all 17 as planned, by 2011, nine were stripped of heavy weaponry and converted to offshore patrol vessel (Patrouilleur de haute-meror PHM). While based in metropolitan France, they conduct routine deployments to the Gulf of Guinea, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean, replacing eight of the original P400-class OPVs. As of 2024, five of the PHMs remain in service, with replacements (the “Patrouilleurs Hauturiers” - PH) being designed to enter service from 2026 and operate primarily in the waters of Metropolitan France.[13][14]

Prior to 2011, ten P400-class OPVs operated in pairs at Réunion, Martinique, French Guiana, French Polynesia, and New Caledonia. All have been retired as of 2023. They are being replaced in the waters of France's overseas territories in the Pacific and Indian Ocean by a new class of vessel, thePatrouilleur Outre-mer(POM class) which is entering service between 2023 and 2025.[15][16]

Three vessels:Flamant,Cormoran,andPluvierfill similar roles of patrolling beyond territorial waters out of metropolitan France. They are to be replaced in these roles from 2026 by the PH-class vessels.

ThreePatrouilleur Antilles Guyane(PAG), are based in French Guiana and Martinique replacing the former P 400s.

There are also three unique patrol vessels (Le Malinat Réunion,Aragofor French Polynesia, andFulmarfor Saint Pierre and Miquelon) which are ex-trawlers fulfilling patrol missions in their respective areas.Le MalinandAragoare to be replaced by 2025 by POM-class vessels.

The patrol boats of theGendarmerie Maritimecarry out law enforcement operations primarily in ports and coastal waters. These include six 32-metre (105 ft) coastal patrol boats (Patrouilleur côtier de Gendarmerie maritimeor PCGM), based in Cherbourg (2), Lorient, Toulon, Guadeloupe, and French Polynesia. There are twenty-four 20-metre (66 ft) coastal surveillance launches (vedette côtière de surveillance maritime), nineteen deployed around metropolitan France and five deployed overseas, generally responding to both maritime and departmental prefects for law enforcement in coastal waters. Eight 12-metre (39 ft) launches (vedette de sûreté maritime et portuaire), are located in Le Havre, Cherbourg, Brest, Marseilles, and Toulon.

Four overseas support and assistance vessels (bâtiments de soutien et d'assistance outre-mer) of theD'Entrecasteauxclasshave been constructed and deployed to New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Réunion, and Martinique.

Four home support and assistance vessels (bâtiments de soutien et d'assistance métropolitains) of theLoireclass have been constructed and deployed to Brest and Toulon (with two in each port).

Support ships

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Dupuy de Lôme
Monge

The support ships allow the French naval forces to be present anywhere on the planet, regardless of the remoteness of their bases. These ships operate independently or are integrated into tactical groups. They shuttle between harbours and fleets, giving them months of operational capabilities by feeding fuel, ammunition, food, water, spare parts and mail. A class of up to four new underway support ships, theJacques Chevallier-class, began service entry in 2023.

There is also one permanent mechanics ship,Jules Verne,which can repair other ships. The spy shipDupuy de Lômeis used forintelligence gatheringand the tracking shipMongeis used to develop new weapon systems, especially those related to nuclear deterrence.

Hydrographic and oceanographic vessels

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One hydro-oceanographic and three 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 are operated by theservice hydrographique et océanographique de la marine(SHOM).

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^"30 ans de la Force d'action navale".YouTube.
  2. ^"CV Clemenceau".ffaa.net.Retrieved6 May2021.
  3. ^"Historique du Charles de Gaulle (année 2004)"(in French). netmarine.net. 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 29 November 2014.Retrieved22 November2014.
  4. ^Azarro, Cecile (26 March 2011)."Libya op in full swing on French aircraft carrier".Mysinchew.com.Retrieved22 November2014.
  5. ^"U.S., French Navies Work Together to Ensure Security, Stability".NNS140104-01.USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) Public Affairs. 4 January 2014.Retrieved4 January2014.
  6. ^"Mission Arromanches 2: Déploiment du GAN en Méditerranée orientale et dans l'Océan Indien".colsbleus.fr(in French). 18 November 2015.Retrieved19 November2015.
  7. ^"French Navy receives two EDA-S Amphibious Standard Landing Crafts".
  8. ^"First Two EDA-S Next Gen Amphibious Landing Craft Delivered to French DGA".25 November 2021.
  9. ^"French Navy EDA-S landing craft successfully conclude end-user evaluations".
  10. ^Ministère de la Défense[dead link]
  11. ^Groizeleau, Vincent (17 March 2023)."Marine nationale: l'anonymisation n'ira pas jusqu'aux bâchis".Mer et Marine.Retrieved31 July2023.
  12. ^Groizeleau, Vincent (6 March 2023)."Deux frégates du type FREMM anonymisées l'une à côté de l'autre, trouvez les différences!".Mer et Marine.Retrieved31 July2023.
  13. ^Groizeleau, Vincent (13 March 2023)."La Marine nationale n'obtiendrait que 7 nouveaux patrouilleurs hauturiers au lieu des 10 prévus".Mer et Marine.
  14. ^"Euronaval: First Details Of The Patrouilleurs Océanique (PO) Platform Unveiled".Naval News.23 October 2020.Retrieved21 May2021.
  15. ^"La livraison du premier patrouilleur d'outre-mer repoussée à 2023".Mer et Marine(in French). 21 May 2021.Retrieved21 May2021.
  16. ^"SOCARENAM Begins Construction On French Navy's POM OPV".Naval News.9 October 2020.Retrieved21 May2021.
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