On Friday, July 4, French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu visited the city of Toulon to inaugurate the new Missiessy Dock, the second of its kind built there and capable of hosting the new Barracuda-class nuclear-powered submarines. On this occasion, the third unit of the class to equip the French Navy was officially commissioned into service, namely the submarine SNA Tourville.
Regarding the arrival of a new Barracuda-class submarine, part of a broader program to modernize France’s naval capabilities, Minister Lecornu stated: “The Tourville represents a prodigious technological and therefore operational leap forward. If we had to highlight just one feature, it would be its ability to be deployed for twice as long.” It is worth noting that this vessel is part of the Navy’s efforts to replace its aging Rubis-class submarines, which have been in service since the 1980s, with the goal of completing this transition by 2030.
Looking more closely at the current status of the program, with the arrival of the SNA Tourville, the French Navy now possesses half of the planned submarines. The preceding units were the SNA Suffren (delivered in 2022) and the SNA Duguay-Trouin (delivered in 2024). The remaining three submarines are expected to be incorporated in a staggered manner by 2030, with the SNA De Grasse scheduled for 2026, the SNA Rubis for 2028, and the SNA Casabianca for 2030. As for the first of these, its manufacturer Naval Group reported in May that it is preparing to launch it in the near future.
Finally, reviewing the technical features of the platform, these submarines measure 99.5 meters in length and displace around 5,300 tons when submerged. Each is capable of reaching speeds of up to 25 knots while submerged and depths of up to 350 meters, with an endurance of up to 70 days according to the manufacturer. They also feature a significantly reduced sonar signature, making them harder to detect. In terms of weaponry, the class is equipped with F21 heavy torpedoes, FG-29 mines, SM-39 Exocet submarine-launched missiles, and cruise missiles, along with the added capability to deploy special operations forces — a feature lacking in their predecessors.
Images used for illustrative purposes only.
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