Marking a new and important step toward forming its fleet of new nuclear submarines, the Marine Nationale announced that the fourth unit of the Barracuda-class submarine has begun its first sea trials, making it possible to foresee its entry into service in the coming months. According to a brief post published on the institution’s social media, the event took place on February 24 in the waters near the town of Cherbourg, with the participation of both service personnel and the collaboration of the manufacturer Naval Group and the Direction generale de l armement (DGA).
Without providing too many details about the activity, the Marine Nationale stated: “Sea trials begin, the verification of technical and operational capabilities by the DGA and Naval Group with a view to its delivery to the Navy in 2026.” It would therefore be the stage known as “Alpha Trial,” where the submarine must begin to demonstrate its new qualities that differentiate it from the first three units belonging to the Barracuda class, among which a new combat management system known as SYCOBS and a new-generation electronic warfare system stand out.
It should be recalled in this regard that each of these submarines displaces about 4,700 tons on the surface, contained within a length of about 99 meters and a diameter of 8.8 meters. It is also known that they are capable of reaching maximum speeds of around 25 knots, which is possible thanks to their hybrid propulsion system that includes a pressurized water reactor of about 150 MW, a propulsion turbine, two electric motors, and two turbogenerators; having an endurance of about 70 days at sea before requiring supplies. Operated by a crew of 63 personnel (with the possibility of transporting teams of up to 15 additional commandos), the submarine will have cruise missiles, F21 heavy torpedoes, modernized Exocet SM39 anti-ship missiles, and the capability to deploy FG-29 mines.
In the particular case of this fourth submarine, it should be mentioned that it bears the name SSN De Grasse, which seeks to be a recognition of the career of Francois Joseph Paul de Grasse. He was a former officer who served, among other things, as lieutenant general of the French Naval Armies, while also being Count of Grasse and Marquis of Grasse-Tilly, and standing out in military history for his participation in the Battle of the Chesapeake of 1781 within the framework of the American War of Independence; where he defeated a force of the Royal Navy.
On the other hand, it is useful to mention that the submarine was able to begin undergoing these first sea trials after overcoming what is known as “Divergence,” a stage in which the ship’s boilers are ignited in order to then leave them permanently active and monitored until the vessel ceases to provide service. In this stage, the presence of personnel belonging to the company TechnicAtome, which was in charge of the design and construction of its nuclear reactor, was also noted, while supervision by personnel sent by the Commissariat a l energie atomique (CEA) was also observed to guarantee the safety of the procedure.
Finally, and expanding on the current status of the Barracuda program of the French Navy, it is necessary to mention that after SSN De Grasse there would still remain two additional submarines (the SSN Rubis and the SSN Casabianca) to complete the fleet planned by the institution; with the objective of replacing the already outdated Rubis-class submarine. Looking to the future, the force celebrated during the month of January a report indicating the possibility that it could receive the units in question up to one year earlier than originally planned, that is, in 2029 and not in 2030. Meanwhile, it should be highlighted that the SSN Suffren, Duguay-Trouin, and Tourville are already in active service.
*Image credits: @MarineNationale on X
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