The French Navy said it has raised the operational availability of its frigates and destroyers to around 80%, following a series of changes in maintenance management, crews and logistical support for the fleet.
France’s plans had already been detailed by Admiral Nicolas Vaujour, Chief of Staff of the French Navy, during the Paris Naval Conference 2025, according to a report by Naval News.
To achieve this result, one of the main measures adopted was the use of dual crews on some first-line ships. The system allows the same vessel to spend more time in operation without overloading sailors, increasing the annual number of days at sea from around 120 to up to 180 days.
In addition to reorganizing crews, the French Navy has also invested in improvements to maintenance processes and technical support, seeking to reduce periods of unavailability in shipyards. The goal is to maintain a constant naval presence amid growing strategic pressure, especially in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific.
The increase in availability comes during a period of intense operational activity for France. According to Naval News, more than 80% of France’s major surface ships have operated simultaneously in recent missions and exercises, including the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier strike group, Mistral-class amphibious ships and frigates deployed for operations in the Red Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.
The French strategy contrasts with the difficulties faced by other European navies in keeping vessels available. In the United Kingdom, for example, the Royal Navy saw its number of active frigates fall to just five units after new problems involving Type 23-class ships.
At the same time, France continues to expand its future escort fleet through the FDI frigate program (Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention). The French government has already confirmed the order for the fifth unit of the class, while updated versions of the design will receive greater missile capacity and new electronic warfare systems aimed at countering drones and saturation attacks.
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Photo: French Armed Forces | X @navalgroup. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
