Breaking News: French Navy Intelligence Ship Dupuy de Lôme Begins First Baltic Sea Operation to Track Russian Fleet.

On May 21, 2025, according to information reported by several media outlets including NEXTA and regional defense observers, the French Navy deployed its intelligence ship Dupuy de Lôme (A759) to the Baltic Sea for the first time, launching a high-priority surveillance mission aimed at intercepting and analyzing Russian maritime communications. Specially developed as an Electromagnetic Research Ship (Navire de recherches électro-magnétiques), Dupuy de Lôme is a key asset in France’s naval intelligence arsenal.
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On May 20, 2025, the French Navy’s signals intelligence ship FS Dupuy de Lôme (A759) was photographed docked in Helsinki, Finland, ahead of its first operational deployment in the Baltic Sea to monitor Russian maritime activities. (Picture source:  Toni Mikkola X account)

Operated by the French Directorate of Military Intelligence (DRM), the ship is tasked with collecting and processing signals intelligence (SIGINT) in support of joint military operations. Launched in March 2004, commissioned in October 2005, and based in Brest since July 1, 2006, this deployment highlights France’s deepening involvement in NATO’s maritime security initiatives and its commitment to countering illicit Russian operations in Northern Europe.

The French Navy Dupuy de Lôme intelligence ship’s mission in the Baltic is sharply focused: to monitor the operations of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”, a network of aging, covertly operated oil tankers used to bypass international sanctions. These vessels often operate under false flags, with opaque ownership structures and without adequate insurance or identification, posing substantial threats to maritime security and the environment. With its sophisticated SIGINT capabilities, Dupuy de Lôme is tasked with identifying radio communications, radar signatures, and other electromagnetic emissions that could expose these clandestine logistics operations.

The deployment was first reported by Belarusian media outlet NEXTA and visually confirmed by defense observer Toni Mikkola, who photographed Dupuy de Lôme in port at Helsinki on May 20, 2025. The move comes amid mounting regional tensions. On the same day, the Kremlin declared its intent to defend Russian vessels in the Baltic “by all means,” following an Estonian attempt to seize a suspected shadow tanker. In retaliation, Russia temporarily detained a Greek-owned oil tanker that had departed from Estonia. Meanwhile, the Polish Navy responded to suspicious maneuvers by a sanctioned Russian vessel near an undersea power cable between Poland and Sweden, dispatching the ORP Heweliusz to investigate.

France’s deployment is a key element of NATO’s “Baltic Sentry” initiative, which focuses on protecting maritime infrastructure and enforcing sanctions through real-time intelligence and monitoring. In this context, Dupuy de Lôme operates as a floating surveillance hub, offering NATO an advanced platform for strategic situational awareness across one of the most contested maritime zones in Europe.

Technically, Dupuy de Lôme is a 101.75 m-long vessel with a beam of 15.85 m and a draft of 4.91 m. It displaces 3,100 t under normal conditions and up to 3,600 t fully loaded. The ship has a transit speed of 16 kn, a range of 3,400 nmi at that speed, and an endurance of up to 30 days at sea. Propulsion is provided by two MaK 9 M 25 diesel engines generating a combined 2,990 kW (4,065 hp), supported by two bow thrusters and a comprehensive auxiliary power system, including Caterpillar diesel-alternators and shaft generators delivering up to 2,720 kW in total.

The vessel is equipped with two DRBN-38 radar systems and one ARBR-21 electronic countermeasure detector. While lightly armed with two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns for self-defense, its primary strength lies in its comprehensive electronic warfare and surveillance systems. Operated by a reduced naval crew of just 30 personnel, the ship also carries up to 80 specialized intelligence technicians. The onboard systems include integrated command architecture and a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), enabling efficient operations and rapid diagnostics.

With its deployment to the Baltic, French Navy intelligence ship Dupuy de Lôme significantly strengthens NATO’s surveillance capabilities at a time of elevated geopolitical tensions. The intelligence ship embodies France’s technological edge and strategic commitment to safeguarding European maritime security. As shadow fleet operations and maritime provocations persist, Dupuy de Lôme’s mission reinforces the vital role of electromagnetic intelligence in defending international norms and ensuring the integrity of NATO's maritime domain.