A 1987 graduate of the French naval school, RDML de Rupilly is a specialist in operations, artillery and missile systems. Following several assignments as head of the weapons department on board ships of different classes, he was appointed commanding officer of the patrol boat La Railleuse, based in Papeete (French Polynesia), in 1997.
In 2003 he passed the selection exam for the 11th session of the War College in Paris. After completing the course he was assigned to the naval headquarters in Paris where he was in charge of the operations department (EMO/N3).
In 2006 he was appointed commanding officer of the surveillance frigate Prairial, based in Papeete (French Polynesia). Between 2007 and 2009 he participated in the construction and commissioning of DDG Forbin, a then new class of anti-air warfare destroyers in the French navy.
Between 2009 and 2012 he was in charge of operations (ACOS N3) for the French Maritime Forces Command (FRMARFOR). He deployed for a variety of combat training as a member of the NATO High Readiness Force (HRF) staff within FRMARFOR and on operational deployments as the chief of staff of the Charles De Gaulle Carrier Strike Group. With the CSG, he was involved in support of ISAF, Afghanistan, and in HARMATTAN / Op. Unified Protector, in Libya.
In 2012, Captain de Rupilly took the head of the operations office at the naval headquarters in Paris. In 2015 he attended the Senior Course at the NATO Defense College in Rome and was later appointed to Allied Command Transformation, Norfolk in the French Liaison Representative’s Office. Back to the French Operations Strategic Command in Paris (Centre de Planification et de Conduite des Opérations, CPCO) in 2018, he was in charge of strategic studies for the Middle East, Indian Ocean, Asia and Pacific areas until 2020. He then offered some of his experience to the officers at the War College until 2022.
RDML Frédéric de Rupilly is an officer of the National Order of Merit and an officer of the French Legion of Honor.
When operations allow for leave, he is keen to fly to Tahiti for some diving activities. He is married to Sophie and they live in Virginia Beach.