French Navy commissions first Barracuda submarine

The French Navy's first-of-class next-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine Suffren was commissioned into service in Brest on 3 June 2022. (French MoD)

The French Navy's first Suffren-class (Barracuda) nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN), Suffren (S 635) , was commissioned into service during a ceremony held in Brest on 3 June, French Minister of Defence Sébastien Lecornu has announced on his official Twitter account.

French shipbuilder Naval Group is building six Barracuda next-generation SSNs under a contract awarded in December 2006. The Suffren class is intended to progressively replace the French Navy's ageing fleet of five remaining Rubis Améthyste-class SSNs.

Laid down on 19 December 2007 and launched on 12 July 2019, Suffren was delivered to the French Navy in November 2020 and since then has been completing a trials programme ahead of its entry into operational service.

The second boat, Duguay-Trouin , was laid down in June 2009 and is completing final outfitting ahead of launch later this year. Construction of the third and fourth boats, Tourville and De Grasse , started in 2011 and 2014, and their respective launches are scheduled for 2023 and 2024. The final pair, Rubis and Casabianca , were ordered in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

According to Naval Group, the plan is to produce a submarine approximately every two years, so that by 2026 it will have delivered the first four units, with the final pair scheduled to enter service by 2030.

Suffren