Florian Edus at the helm of the frigate Guépratte

The La Fayette-type frigate (FLF) Guépratte has a new commander. The change of command ceremony took place on September 7 in Toulon, under the authority of Vice-Admiral Pierre de Briançon, Chief of Staff of the Force d'Action Navale (FAN).

Capitaine de vaisseau (CV) Florian Edus thus succeeds capitaine de frégate (CF) Raphaël Villermet, who leaves his post after a particularly intense mandate.

A sustained operational record

For nearly 21 months, capitaine de frégate Villermet and his crew were engaged in a sustained operational program. The Guépratte was away from its home port for 270 days, including 193 spent at sea, covering more than 68,000 nautical miles, equivalent to more than three times around the world.

Among the outstanding missions, the ship participated in the fight against drug trafficking in the Mediterranean. It was a key player in the European mission IRINI, whose role is to enforce the United Nations arms embargo on Libya.

Deployed three times in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Guépratte maintained a defensive presence during the '12-day war', keeping a non-belligerent posture while providing France with an independent assessment of the strategic situation in the region.

International cooperation and outreach

Beyond these major commitments, the vessel conducted two maritime surveillance missions, contributing to the security of areas under French and European responsibility and compliance with international regulations. Operational preparation was not left behind, with a sea training period and participation in major exercises alongside allied navies, such as MEDUSA in Egypt and ARGO 25 in Greece.

The crew distinguished itself through notable outreach initiatives. The historic transit of the Corinth Canal was a highlight, as was the participation in the 400 Years of the Marine nationale Challenge. In this context, a delegation from the ship cycled from Toulon to Metz, covering the distance in just six days.

An experienced officer

Born in Besançon in 1983, capitaine de vaisseau Florian Edus is an experienced officer. Entering the École navale in 2003, he specialized as a helicopter pilot, serving in flotillas 34F (on Lynx) then 31F (on Caïman Marine).

His career has taken him to numerous theaters of operations, notably Héraclès, Atalanta, Corymbe, and Chammal. Before taking command of the Guépratte, he held the positions of deputy aviation commander on the amphibious helicopter carrier (PHA) Dixmude and commander of flotilla 33F in Lanvéoc-Poulmic.

After his studies at the École de guerre (2022-2023), he served as executive officer of the PHA Dixmude. More recently, he headed the 'Data – Operational Performance' division of naval aviation, where he led digital transformation and the integration of artificial intelligence.

Chevalier of the Légion d’honneur and of the ordre national du Mérite, capitaine de vaisseau Edus is married and has three children.