page_title: Common Security and Defence Policy
section_title: Naval forces
hierarchical_section_title: Common Security and Defence Policy / Forces / National / Naval forces
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Der französische Flugzeugträger Charles De Gaulle (R91) im Jahr 2009. English: The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) underway in 2009. Français&#160;: Le porte-avions français Charles de Gaulle (R91) en 2009.
context_page_description: The Common Security and Defence Policy is the European Union's course of action in the fields of defence and crisis management, and a main component of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy.
  The CSDP involves military or civilian missions being deployed to preserve peace, prevent conflict and strengthen international security in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter. Military missions are carried out by EU forces established with secondments from the member states' armed forces. The CSDP also entails collective self-defence amongst member states as well as a Permanent Structured Cooperation in which 25 of the 27 national armed forces pursue structural integration. The CSDP structure — headed by the Union's High Representative, Josep Borrell, and sometimes referred to as the European Defence Union in relation to its prospective development as the EU's defence arm — comprises:
  the European Commission's Defence Industry Directorate-General
  the External Action Service's Crisis Management and Planning Directorate and permanent Operation Headquarters for command and control at the military/civilian strategic level, i.e. the MPCC and CPCC.
context_section_description: The combined component strength of the naval forces of member states is some 513 commissioned warships. Of those in service, 4 are fleet carriers. The EU also has 4 amphibious assault ships and 20 amphibious support ships in service. Of the EU's 49 submarines, 10 are nuclear-powered submarines while 39 are conventional attack submarines.
  Operation Atalanta (formally European Union Naval Force Somalia) is the first ever (and still ongoing) naval operation of the European Union. It is part of a larger global action by the EU in the Horn of Africa to deal with the Somali crisis. As of January 2011 twenty-three EU nations participate in the operation.
  France and Italy have blue-water navies.
  Guide to table:
  Ceremonial vessels, research vessels, supply vessels, training vessels, and icebreakers are not included.
  The table only counts warships that are commissioned (or equivalent) and active.
  Surface vessels displacing less than 200 tonnes are not included, regardless of other characteristics.
  The "amphibious support ship" category includes amphibious transport docks and dock landing ships, and tank landing ships.
  Frigates over 6,000 tonnes are classified as destroyers.
  The "patrol vessel" category includes missile boats.
  The "anti-mine ship" category includes mine countermeasures vessels, minesweepers and minehunters.
  Generally, total tonnage of ships is more important than total number of ships, as it gives a better indication of capability.
caption: Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier is one of the largest commissioned warships in the European Union.
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