France’s Naval Group launched the first of six new French Navy nuclear-powered attack submarines during a ceremony on Friday, presided over by French president Emmanuel Macron.
During the July 12 ceremony, the company launched the Suffren, which will be the lead vessel in the new Barracuda-class submarines.
The Barracudas are designed to replace the current Rubis-class vessels. Naval Group is the lead contractor for the design and construction of the submarines, information systems, and manufacturing main components of the nuclear boiler rooms.
TechnicAtome is the prime contractor for the nuclear reactor in the vessels while the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA in French) is in the lead for the overall program.
The Naval Group site at Cherbourg manages the program, where the submarines are also assembled and tested. The company’s Toulon site will be in charge for maintenance of the Suffren and eventually the entire class.
“We are proud to have presented to the President of the French Republic the first submarine of the Barracuda-class, a symbol of our exceptional know-how and our ability to master the most advanced technologies and the most complex products,” Hervé Guillou, chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Naval Group, said during the ceremony.
“Now, we are all focused on finalizing the Suffren tests at the shipyard, with the start-up of the nuclear boiler room in the coming weeks, but also on producing the complete series. Maintaining our knowledge and adapting to new technologies are among our main priorities,” he added.
Naval Group noted the Barracuda-class submarines will feature the F21 heavy-weight wire-guided torpedoes, MBDA-built Exocet SM39 anti-ship missiles, discreet deployment of special forces underwater with a divers’ hatch, and an optional dry deck shelter that can deploy underwater vehicles.
The submarine will have a crew of 65-plus commandos, is 325 feet long and 29 feet in diameter.
The vessel will also feature a hybrid propulsion system consisting of a pressurized water reactor derived from reactors on the Triomphant-class French nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines and Charles De Gaulle aircraft carrier, two propulsion turbines, two turbo generators, and two electric motors.
Naval Group expects the Suffren and its sister vessels to be available for more than 270 days per year.