Pierre-François Forissier
Encyclopedia
Pierre-François Forissier (born 29 December 1951, Lorient
) is a French admiral. He was notable as a former head of the French Navy
, chef d'état-major de la marine, a post he took up on 4 February 2008 and leave on 12 September 2011.
, Marseille
and Toulon
, he then attended the Lycée naval
at Brest
(1968-1971) and the École Navale
(1971-1975). He left the naval academy as enseigne de vaisseau de première classe to join the French submarine forces in 1975. He served on all types of operational submarine
s, notably commanding the nuclear attack submarine Rubis
and the ballistic missile submarine
Tonnant. He also served as a surface officer as second officer of the 20th minesweepers division, second officer of the minesweeper Glycine and manoeuvring-officer of the carrier Foch
.
He entered the naval staff in the material division then moved to its maps division. He was then second in command of the Brest Naval Training Centre
and was promoted to general rank in 2001. He became the territorial admiral to the commander of the Atlantic maritime region then admiral in command of France's submarine forces and the Force Océanique Stratégique
, before finally being made major général de la marine in 2005.
On 16 January 2008 he was named chef d'état-major de la marine to the conseil des ministres and took up his responsibilities on 4 February 2008.
He married Brigitte Desbrest on 24 June 1978 at Bonnetan
, and they have had 4 children.
Lorient
Lorient, or L'Orient, is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.-History:At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis...
) is a French admiral. He was notable as a former head of the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
, chef d'état-major de la marine, a post he took up on 4 February 2008 and leave on 12 September 2011.
Life
After taking his secondary education in NiceNice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
and Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
, he then attended the Lycée naval
Lycée naval
The Lycée naval or Collège naval is one of France's six military lycées. It is part of the Brest Naval Training Centre...
at Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
(1968-1971) and the École Navale
École Navale
The École Navale is the French Naval Academy in charge of the education of the officers of the French Navy.The academy was founded in 1830 by the order of King Louis-Philippe...
(1971-1975). He left the naval academy as enseigne de vaisseau de première classe to join the French submarine forces in 1975. He served on all types of operational submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s, notably commanding the nuclear attack submarine Rubis
Rubis (S 601)
The Rubis is a first-generation nuclear attack submarine of the French Navy, named after the French submarine Rubis which distinguished herself during the Second World War....
and the ballistic missile submarine
Ballistic missile submarine
A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine equipped to launch ballistic missiles .-Description:Ballistic missile submarines are larger than any other type of submarine, in order to accommodate SLBMs such as the Russian R-29 or the American Trident...
Tonnant. He also served as a surface officer as second officer of the 20th minesweepers division, second officer of the minesweeper Glycine and manoeuvring-officer of the carrier Foch
Foch (R 99)
Foch was the second of the French Navy. She was the second warship named in honour of Marshal Ferdinand Foch, after a heavy cruiser commissioned in 1932, and scuttled in Toulon on 27 November 1942....
.
He entered the naval staff in the material division then moved to its maps division. He was then second in command of the Brest Naval Training Centre
Brest Naval Training Centre
The Brest Naval Training Centre is one of the main training centres for the French Navy...
and was promoted to general rank in 2001. He became the territorial admiral to the commander of the Atlantic maritime region then admiral in command of France's submarine forces and the Force Océanique Stratégique
Force Océanique Stratégique
The Force océanique stratégique is the ballistic missile submarine force of the French Navy. It is one of the two components of the submarine forces of the French Navy and the sea-based component of the French nuclear deterrent.- History :The FOST was created in the early 1960s, around the need...
, before finally being made major général de la marine in 2005.
On 16 January 2008 he was named chef d'état-major de la marine to the conseil des ministres and took up his responsibilities on 4 February 2008.
He married Brigitte Desbrest on 24 June 1978 at Bonnetan
Bonnetan
Bonnetan is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.In 2002, the Tour de France went through the town.-Population:-External links:*...
, and they have had 4 children.