Aéronautique Navale

French Navy

History Ships News Tracking

The Aéronavale was created in 1912. Nowadays is a full blue-water navy including nuclear-powered submarines, a nuclear aircraft carrier and many amphibious assault ships.

The French Naval Aviation is headquartered in Toulon naval base and operates from 4 main naval bases and many detachments in foreign countries or French overseas territories.

In 2017, France signed a Joint Statement of Enhanced Strategic Partnership with Australia.

French Navy CESSAN underwater escape training HUET

French Navy helicopters 2025

Units

		Abrev	From	To
Military Forces
Groupe d'Helicopteres de l'Aeronautique Navale 1	Naval Helicopter Group 1	GHAN-1	1957	-1
Flottille 31F	31F Air Naval Squadron	31F	1956
Flottille 32F	32F Air Naval Squadron	32F	1958
Flottille 33F	33F Air Naval Squadron	33F	1956
Flottille 34F	34F Air Naval Squadron	34F	1974
Flottille 35F	35F Air Naval Squadron	35F	1969
Flottille 36F	36F Air Naval Squadron	36F	1995
Escadrille 10S	10S Squadron	10S	2001
Escadrille 12S	12S Squadron	12S	1940	2000
Escadrille 20S	20S Squadron	20S	1956	1991
Escadrille 22S	22S Squadron	22S	1946	2021
Escadrille 23S	23S Squadron	23S	1954	1999
Escadrille 27S	27S Squadron	27S	1967	1980
Escadrille 58S	58S Squadron	58S	1951

Locations

2013-	Arsenal de Cherbourg
1997-	Aeroport de La Rochelle-Île de Re	LFBH
1993-1997	Aéroport de Rochefort	LFDN
1979-	Le Palyvestre Aeroport de Toulon Hyeres	LFTH
1974-	Faa'a	NTAA
1966-1976	Hao (BA185)	NTTO
1964-	Base d'Aéronautique Navale Lanvéoc	LFRL
1956-1962	Tafaraoui	DAOL
1956-1978	Maison Blanche BA 149 / Dar El Beïda	DAAG
1954-1991	Fréjus Saint-Raphaël	LFTU
1951-	CCMAR Mediterranee	LFTR
	Aéroport de Cherbourg - Maupertus	LFRC

Models

2028-	Airbus H160M
2026-	Airbus VSR700
2023-	Airbus H160B
2010-2016	Eurocopter EC225LP
2010-	NH Industries NH90 NFH
2008-	Schiebel Camcopter S-100
1995-	Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin 2
1984-	Aerospatiale SA365 Dauphin 2
1978-1983	Aerospatiale SA360 Dauphin
1977-2020	Westland Lynx
1966-2010	Sud Aviation SE3210 Super Frelon
1962-2022	Aerospatiale Alouette III
1957-1979	Sud Aviation HSS-1 Seabat
1956-1960	Piasecki H-21
1956-1960	Sikorsky H-19D Chickasaw
1955-??	Agusta AB47G
1955-1960	Agusta AB47
1955-1997	Aerospatiale Alouette II
1953-1965	Piasecki HUP-2 / UH-25B Retriever
1951-1955	Sikorsky S-51 / R-5 / H-5

Operations

14 Jul 20262026		Quatorze Juillet 2026
14 Dec 20242024	--	Cyclone Chido relief effort
19 Feb 20242024	--	Operation Aspides
14 Jul 20232023		Quatorze Juillet 2023
15 May 20212021	03 Jun 20212021	Formidable Shield 2021
17 Mar 20202020	--	EUNAVFOR MED IRINI
24 Feb 20202020	--	Dynamic Manta 2020
05 Oct 20192019	17 Oct 20192019	Exercise Joint Warrior 19-2
26 Feb 20192019	08 Mar 20192019	Dynamic Manta 2019
23 May 20182018	06 Jun 20182018	APROC 2018
06 Sep 20172017	--	Hurricanes Irma, Jose and Maria Relief Operations
09 Nov 20162016	--	Operation Sea Guardian
03 Oct 20162016	14 Oct 20162016	Exercise Emerald Move 2016
26 Jan 20162016		Modern Express Rescue
03 Oct 20152015	06 Nov 20152015	Exercise Trident Juncture 2015
03 Oct 20152015	16 Oct 20152015	Exercise Joint Warrior 15-2
22 Jun 20152015	01 Apr 20202020	Operation Sophia
05 Jun 20152015	20 Jun 20152015	BALTOPS 15
11 Apr 20152015	24 Apr 20152015	Exercise Joint Warrior 15-1
14 Sep 20142014	--	Opération Chammal
14 Jul 20142014		Quatorze Juillet 2014
06 Jun 20142014	21 Jun 20142014	BALTOPS 14
31 Mar 20142014	11 Apr 20142014	Exercise Joint Warrior 14-1
03 Oct 20132013	11 Oct 20132013	International Fleet Review Sydney 2013
14 Jul 20132013		Quatorze Juillet 2013
14 Jul 20122012		Quatorze Juillet 2012
01 May 20122012	02 May 20122012	AirMed and Rescue 2012
17 Apr 20122012	23 Apr 20122012	NOLA Navy Week
14 Jul 20112011		Quatorze Juillet 2011
18 May 20112011	20 May 20112011	IMDEX Asia 2011
27 Mar 20112011	31 Oct 20112011	Operation Unified Protector
14 Jul 20102010		Quatorze Juillet 2010
12 Jun 20102010	02 Jul 20102010	Fleet Review: 100th anniversary of Canadian Navy
12 Jan 20102010	--	Operation Panlake
14 Jul 20092009		Quatorze Juillet 2009
08 Dec 20082008	--	Operation Atalanta
04 Oct 20082008	17 Oct 20082008	Exercise Joint Warrior 08-2
26 Jun 20082008	27 Jun 20082008	SAR Meet 2008
18 Jan 20072007		MSC Napoli rescue
24 Jun 20052005	28 Jun 20052005	Fleet Review: Trafalgar 200
05 May 20022002	--	Combined Task Force 150
24 Aug 20012001	27 Aug 20012001	International Festival of Sea 2001
12 Dec 19991999	13 Dec 19991999	Rescue from mv Erika
02 Sep 19991999	28 Feb 20002000	INTERFET
12 Jun 19991999	--	KFOR (kosovo force)
24 Oct 19981998	01 Nov 19981998	Operation Tellar
15 Jun 19931993	02 Oct 19961996	Operation Sharp Guard
03 Jan 19911991	13 Jan 19911991	Opération Bérénice
21 May 19901990	--	Operation Corymbe
26 Sep 19881988	04 Oct 19881988	Fleet Review: Australia Bi-centennial Naval Salute
30 Jul 19871987	--	Operation Prometheus
04 Oct 19861986	05 Oct 19861986	Fleet Review: 75th anniversary of RAN
17 Jan 19861986	24 Jan 19861986	Operation Balsac
05 Nov 19831983	26 Mar 19841984	Operation Offcut
27 Jun 19771977	28 Jun 19771977	Fleet Review: Silver Jubilee of HM The Queen
08 Jun 19571957	17 Jun 19571957	International Fleet Review, Virginia 1957
31 Oct 19561956	06 Nov 19561956	Operation Musketeer

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