Who Are France’s Elite Special Forces Commandos Marine Behind the High-Risk Seizure of a Russian Tanker?.

The interception of a Russian-linked oil tanker last week has drawn attention to France’s Commandos Marine, an elite naval special forces unit rarely seen in public operations. Designed for high-risk maritime missions, the Commandos Marine provide France with a precise and discreet tool to enforce international law at sea.

Following last week’s interception of a Russian-linked oil tanker in the western Mediterranean, attention has turned to the French Commandos Marine, the navy’s elite maritime special forces, whose operations increasingly define France’s assertive maritime strategy. Trained for high-risk shipboardings, coastal raids, counterterrorism, and covert reconnaissance, they operate where conventional forces cannot, providing France with a precise and adaptable instrument to safeguard its maritime interests and uphold international norms.
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French Commandos Marine fast‑rope from a French Navy helicopter during a maritime boarding operation against a Russian‑linked oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea, illustrating France’s naval special forces capability to conduct high‑risk interdiction missions at sea. (Picture source: French MoD)

The French Commandos Marine are the French Navy’s elite special operations forces, created and trained for maritime and amphibious environments. They are not just joint SOF assets but an integral part of the naval force structure, projecting French power through sea-to-land raids, maritime interdiction, underwater sabotage, and worldwide special operations. Embedded within the Force Maritime des Fusiliers Marins et Commandos (FORFUSCO) and under the operational control of the Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (COS), they operate as a naval spearhead. They undertake independent missions or support France’s surface fleet, submarine service, or amphibious units.

Based in Lorient, Brittany, the Commandos Marine inherit a unique tradition, tracing its origins to the Free French Forces, which trained with the British Royal Navy and took part in the Normandy landings under Philippe Kieffer. That legacy shapes their structure and doctrine. They have evolved into a technologically advanced maritime special forces capable of conducting classified operations across air, sea, and land. Yet their core remains unchanged: naval operators trained for conflict where sea power meets strategic need.

What distinguishes the Commandos Marine from other special forces is their seamless integration with the French Navy. They operate from naval platforms such as frigates, amphibious assault ships, and nuclear submarines, and deploy by RHIB, fast-rope from helicopters, parachute into maritime zones, or insert underwater using swimmer delivery vehicles. Their operational tempo matches the fleet. Their missions start at sea, often target threats at sea, and sometimes end on land. That identity makes them unique within the NATO special operations ecosystem.

The force consists of seven independent commando units, each with its own operational focus. While specific numbers and capabilities remain classified, the structure centers on maritime interdiction, amphibious reconnaissance, combat diving, special insertion, electronic warfare, and support to naval operations. Units such as Commando Jaubert and Commando Trepel conduct direct action and boarding operations. Commando Hubert, the most secretive and elite, handles underwater demolitions, special reconnaissance, and hostage rescue, with proven combat diving expertise and frequent submarine-based missions. Other detachments, such as Commando de Montfort, Commando de Penfentenyo, Commando Kieffer, and Commando Ponchardier, provide sniper overwatch, signals intelligence, cyber support, and logistical projection. Each unit is a specialized team operating in support of France’s naval doctrine, not a generalist SOF formation.

Training is intense and unforgiving. Entry to the Commandos Marine starts with selection from among the Fusiliers Marins, the French Navy’s infantry and security branch. Candidates then proceed to the Centre d’Instruction des Commandos in Lorient for advanced physical testing, combat diving, parachuting, small unit tactics, survival in extreme conditions, close-quarters battle, and high-threat maritime insertion. Few succeed. Those who do become operators are ready to insert from a submarine into hostile waters, board moving vessels at night, or provide overwatch for larger amphibious assaults.

Their equipment reflects their mission profile. The Commandos Marine are armed with SCAR-H and HK416 rifles, Glock 17 pistols, suppressed weapons, breaching tools, and night vision systems. For maritime insertion, they use ECUME RHIBs and other high-speed craft capable of operating in high-sea states. NH90 NFH helicopters, often operated by the French Navy’s 31F and 33F squadrons, provide fast-rope and over-the-horizon support. On classified operations, they may also deploy from Rubis or Suffren-class submarines using swimmer delivery vehicles for covert infiltration. Their communications gear and ISR links are encrypted, integrated with French C4ISR architecture, and increasingly tied into NATO special operations networks.

What has changed in recent years is the expansion of their operational environment. The Commandos Marine are no longer tasked solely with classic amphibious operations or counterterrorism. They are now a frontline force in what the French military calls “actions de l’État en mer,” or state actions at sea, where maritime law enforcement (enforcing laws at sea), sanctions enforcement (implementing economic penalties), and strategic interdiction (disrupting illegal or hostile activities) are handled by special forces. The boarding of the Grinch was one such case. It was a hybrid mission requiring precision, legal clarity, and minimal collateral impact. It was not just a show of force but a demonstration of how modern naval special operations have become tools of economic warfare, maritime law, and geostrategic signaling (the transmission of political messages through military actions).

The global footprint of the French Commandos Marine has expanded sharply over the last five years. In the Sahel (the African region south of the Sahara), they played a decisive role in Operation Barkhane (a French-led anti-insurgent mission), providing reconnaissance (intelligence gathering) and direct-action capabilities (offensive operations) in support of counterterrorism operations in Mali and Niger. In the Gulf of Oman, they participated in high-risk interdictions against suspected arms smugglers operating in support of Houthi forces in Yemen. One notable mission in 2022 involved the seizure of a stateless dhow (a traditional sailing vessel without a national flag) transporting a shipment of RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades), AK-type rifles, and explosives destined for conflict zones. In the Eastern Mediterranean, the Commandos Marines contributed to the EMASoH initiative (European-led naval monitoring), operating aboard French and European frigates, conducting boarding inspections under politically charged rules of engagement (conditions for using force) near Iranian naval activity.

Further south, in the Indian Ocean, units were deployed to patrol and secure maritime corridors (sea routes) vulnerable to piracy and trafficking. Based in French overseas territories like Mayotte and Réunion, they operated in coordination with European and regional naval forces to protect France’s expansive maritime economic zone (areas where France has special rights to resources). More recently, they have been forward-deployed in the Red Sea, reinforcing French naval task groups to protect merchant shipping and naval assets from Houthi drone and missile attacks (unmanned aerial attacks). There, they have conducted onboard security operations, threat inspections, and vessel defense in some of the most complex maritime environments in the world.

Each deployment shows the French Navy Commandos Marine are now a strategic asset. Naval command depends on them for security and geopolitical signaling. They deter, reassure, and intervene in sensitive situations to avoid escalation.

The French Ministry of Armed Forces continues to invest in its capabilities. New digital combat systems, satellite communications, integration with unmanned platforms, and advanced combat diving technology are underway. They now train regularly with U.S. Navy SEALs, the British SBS, and Italy’s COMSUBIN, participating in cross-border NATO special operations exercises in the Mediterranean, North Atlantic, and Indo-Pacific. Their ability to deploy quickly, operate discreetly, and achieve effects with legal and political precision makes them a central pillar of France’s strategic doctrine.

As France faces new maritime threats, the Commandos Marine will stay at the forefront. Their heritage, adaptability, and effectiveness make them vital in the 21st century. Whether surfacing from below or boarding rogue vessels, the Commandos Marines define France’s ability to act decisively at sea.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.