Captain Hugues Vallette

Admitted to the Naval Academy in 1996, Captain Hugues Vallette started his career onboard the landing craft transport “Ouragan”.

In 2000, he joined the submarine forces onboard the SSN “Améthyste”, followed by the SSN “Saphir”. He then participated in four operational cycles, including the “Agapanthe” mission in the Indian Ocean, escorting the aircraft carrier “Charles de Gaulle”.

He embarked as the training officer on the anti-submarine destroyer “Georges Leygues” accompanying the helicopter carrier “Jeanne d’Arc” in 2006, before becoming chief engineer of the SSN “Perle” in 2007. He was assigned to the amphibious helicopter carrier “Tonnerre”, in charge of setting up the naval officers’ training academy. During this mission, he participated in Operation “Atalanta” to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia.

After serving as deputy operations officer on the SSN “Perle” for three operational tours, he was appointed executive officer of the SSN “Casabianca” in 2012, before returning to the SSN “Perle” in the same position. During this assignment, he participated in the “Bois Belleau” mission to combat terrorism and piracy in support of the aircraft carrier “Charles de Gaulle”.

First nuclear engineer chosen to command a nuclear-powered submarine, he took command of the SSN “Saphir” in 2014, which was deployed in particular during the “Arromanches 2” mission, escorting the aircraft carrier “Charles de Gaulle”. He was then assigned as executive officer of the SSBN “Le Terrible” and led two deterrence patrol, before taking command of the SSBN “Le Triomphant” for two operational missions.

He joined the Nuclear Forces division of the Joint Staff, in charge of the major program of the third-generation SSBN. Then, he joined the Directorate-General for International Relations and Strategy (DGRIS) of the Ministry of Defence and held the position of deputy director for counter-proliferation and arms control.

Since August 2025, Captain Vallette has been the Deputy to the Assistant Chief of French Navy for Operations, in charge of the seabed warfare.

Captain Vallette was a student of the War College in the United Kingdom (Advanced Command and Staff Course) in 2016-2017, graduated with a Master of Arts in Defense Studies from King’s College London in 2017, and attended the NATO Defense College in Italy in 2021.