Submarine forces (France)



The submarine forces of France (Forces sous-marines or FSM) is the submarine component of the French Navy.

It is a self-sufficient command - providing the maintenance and support of its own vessels - served by 3,300 personnel and made up of two components:
 * the force océanique stratégique (FOST), made up of four ballistic missile submarines, based at île Longue
 * the escadrille des sous-marins nucléaires d'attaque (ESNA), the nuclear attack submarines squadron made up of 6 SSNs, based at the Toulon arsenal

The commander of FOST (ALFOST) is also in overall command of the whole submarine force, under the authority of the chef d'état-major de la marine.