07/27/2026

Commander Laurent Falhun takes command of the SNA Tourville

On September 9, at Fort Saint-Louis in Toulon, Captain Matthieu Delafoy, commander of the Escadrille des sous-marins nucléaires d'attaque (ESNA)...

RGBy Rédaction Gazette du VarJournalist 3 October 2024 Reading time: 1 min
Le capitaine de frégate Laurent Falhun aux commandes du SNA Tourville
Le capitaine de frégate Laurent Falhun aux commandes du SNA Tourville© La Gazette du Var
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Barracuda. The blue crew, under the command of CF Egret (recognized as commander of the Tourville, blue crew, on December 4, 2023), is currently conducting trials (alongside and at sea) of this submarine built in Cherbourg. CF Falhun will be the first commander of the red crew of the Tourville. With his crew, he will take charge of the submarine at the end of the year, in Toulon, after having completed qualification training on simulators, to continue the acceptance trials phase of the submarine by the Marine nationale. This showcase of the submarine capability renewal of the Marine nationale. These SNAs, whose first two units (Suffren and Duguay Trouin) are currently in service. The Tourville is the third SNA of the force program (since 2022 and 2023 respectively), have deeply modernized capabilities, and are the demonstration of a combat, cutting-edge, and talented navy. This third SNA was named in tribute to Anne Hilarion de Costentin, comte de Tourville, vice-admiral and Maréchal de France in the 18th century, who notably won the victories of Béveziers (1690) and La Hougue (1692).

Le capitaine de frégate Laurent Falhun aux commandes du SNA Tourville

Commander Laurent Falhun was born in Toulon on August 19, 1986. He joined the Marine nationale in 2006, entering the École Navale after a classic curriculum of scientific preparatory classes in Grenoble. On September 9, 2024, he took command of the nuclear attack submarine Tourville, red crew, the third submarine of the Suffren class. He is married and the father of four children.

Photo: Marine nationale.