France has launched the first Barracuda class nuclear-powered attack submarine Suffren.
France's President Emmanuel Macron, France's top naval officer Admiral Christophe Prazuck
and other dignitaries were in attendance during the ceremony held on July 12, 2019.
It was held in manufacturer- Naval Group's shipyard in Cherbourg on the English Channel
Suffren is years behind schedule, it was laid down in 2007.
The French Navy expects to commission the boat next year.
Naval Group touts the new Barracuda class as very stealthy.
According to Defense News, Vincent Martinot-Lagarde, the company's director
of the Barracuda program, claims the boats are no louder than the "sound of the ocean"
or "the noise made by shrimp,"
In this video Defense Updates, reports on the launch of Suffren Barracuda class nuclear-powered
attack submarine.
Let’s get started.
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The Barracuda class (or Suffren class) is a nuclear attack submarine class.
Design & Development of the submarines began in 1998.
Suffren is the first of the class.
Suffren and the upcoming vessels of this class will replace France's first-generation nuclear
attack submarines, the Rubis class
The design incorporates several features leveraged from French Navy's Triomphant class nuclear
ballistic missile submarines like the advance pump-jet propulsion.
The vessels of this class will have a displacement of 5,300 t when submerged and have a length
of 99.5 m or 326 ft.
The submarine has a speed of over 25 kn or 46 km/h.
Being nuclear powered it has practically unlimited range.
It will have much better sensors and is touted to have detection capability which is 10 times
more when compared to Rubis class.
According to the French government, the total budget for the 6 submarine program is approximately
$10.2 billion.
The price is reasonable when we compare it with submarines being manufactured by other nations.
Barracuda class is longer and wider and displace nearly twice as much when submerged, compared
to Rubis class.
This added internal space will be used to carry more weapons.
Barracuda class will have four 533mm torpedo tubes which are same as Rubis class but it
will have 20 storage racks for torpedoes which is four more.
These torpedo tubes will not only enable Barracuda class to shoot F17 torpedoes but also allow
it to fire tube-launched Exocet anti-ship cruise missiles & SCALP land-attack cruise missile.
* F17 torpedoes have a range of 18 km or 11 miles, speed of 35 knots and 250kg (551 lbs)
High Explosive warhead.
* Exocet anti-ship cruise missiles have a range of 70–180 km or 38–97 nmi, speed
of Mach 0.92 and 165 kg (364 lb) warhead.
* SCALP land-attack missile is also expected to be integrated.
It has a range of 560 km or 300 nm, speed of Mach 0.92 and 450 kg (990 lb) warhead
It is also able to carry a small team of 12 special operations forces.
Suffren's launch represents a major step forward for France when it comes to modernization
of its submarine fleet.
Naval Group expects to deliver 3 more of the submarines by 2025 and the last two in 2030.
With the arrival of Barracuda class, the French Navy will begin to phase out the 6 Rubis class subs.
French authorities expect Barracuda class to serve into the 2060s and these 6 submarines
certainly be a major component of country's submarine capabilities going into the future.
The low signature of the submarine will make sure that it will be hard to detect and this
will enable it to sneak into enemy submarine and warships.
This aspect was emphasized by Admiral Christophe Prazuck who at the at Suffren's launch ceremony
said "This is not just a patrol submarine, It’s
a hunter.”
Considering all the aspect, it can be said that the Barracuda class will be a potent
addition to France’s military assets.