French Naval Might Grows with Arrival of Third Advanced Suffren-Class Submarine
With the commissioning of the Tourville, Naval Group has successfully transferred 3 out of the 6 Suffren nuclear attack submarines planned for the French Navy to the DGA within a timeframe of 4 years.
The introduction of the Tourville follows the earlier deliveries of the SSN Suffren in 2020 and the Duguay-Trouin in 2023, while the remaining three submarines in the project – the De Grasse, Rubis, and Casabianca – are currently in various construction phases at Naval Group’s Cherbourg facilities. The De Grasse is anticipated to be moved to the launch site in the spring of 2025.
This series of 6 SSNs plays a crucial role in the Barracuda project overseen by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) in conjunction with the Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA), which manages the nuclear reactors, and aims to replace the current generation of Rubis-class SSNs in service with the French Navy.
Naval Group is responsible for the production of this series of submarines, overseeing all aspects from design to shipbuilding, fabricating the primary elements of the nuclear reactors in collaboration with TechnicAtome, and delivering logistical support and vessel upkeep in Toulon.
This milestone is the result of close partnership with our associates, benefiting from insights gained during the operations of the Suffren and Duguay-Trouin. The delivery of the Tourville signifies the final phase preceding operational evaluations and integration into active service by the French Navy, following a 4-month sea trials campaign that began on July 12. These assessments were conducted after the commissioning of the nuclear reactor compartment in April 2024, and the dockside tests performed post-transfer of the submarine to its launch system on July 20, 2023. Activities executed in the dry dock integration bay, and subsequently in the water, facilitated rigorous testing of systems and equipment.
With the induction of the Tourville into service, the French Navy will enjoy a higher count of Suffren-class submarines compared to Rubis vessels.
The technical specifications of the Suffren-class submarines
- Surface displacement: 4,700 t
- Underwater displacement: 5,200 t
- Length: 99 meters
- Width: 8.8 meters
- Armament: naval cruise missiles, F21 heavyweight wire-guided torpedoes, enhanced Exocet SM39 anti-ship missiles
- Hybrid propulsion: pressurized water reactor derived from the reactors aboard the Triomphant-class SSBN and Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier, two propulsion turbines, two turbo generators, and two electric motors
- Crew: 65 crew members + commandos
- Operational availability: > 270 days per year
