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Marine Nationale

French Navy
Marine nationale
Logo of the French Navy (Marine Nationale).svg
Active 1624 – present
Country  France
Type Navy
Size 36,331 personnel (2016)
90 ships
179 aircraft
Garrison/HQ 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
Nickname(s) La Royale
Motto(s) Honneur, patrie, valeur, discipline
("Honour, Homeland, Valour, Discipline")
Colours Blue, white, red
Ships Current Fleet
Website www.defense.gouv.fr/marine
Commanders
Chief of staff Admiral Christophe Prazuck
Major-Général Admiral Denis Béraud
Insignia
Insignia Ranks in the French Navy
Naval Ensign
Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svg
Aircraft flown
Attack Rafale M
Electronic
warfare
Hawkeye
Fighter Rafale M
Helicopter NH90, Eurocopter Lynx, Panther, Dauphin
Utility helicopter Alouette III
Patrol Atlantique 2, Falcon 50, Falcon 200
Trainer Mudry CAP 10, MS-88 Rallye, Falcon 10, Xingu

The French Navy (French: Marine nationale, "national navy"), informally La Royale, is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces. Tracing foundation along with the Ministère de la Marine dating back to 1624, La Royale is one of the world's oldest naval forces and historically played a key part in establishing the French colonial empire. Since the early foundings, its roles have been defined as maintaining intelligence, protecting populations, preventing crises, intervening wherever necessary to reestablish peace, and dissuading any threats against vital French interests. The Marine nationale consists of four branches: the Force d'Action Navale, the Forces Sous-marines, the Aéronavale and the Fusiliers Marins (including Commandos Marine). As a blue-water navy the Marine nationale operates a wide range of fighting vessels, including a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, nuclear-powered submarines, frigates, patrol boats and support ships. The French Navy does not use prefixes of the names of its ships (such as the Royal Navy uses HMS, for instance). Foreign commentators sometimes use the prefixes "FS" (for "French Ship") or FNS (for "French Navy Ship"); these are not official, however.


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