Following successful sea trials, the first Barracuda-class submarine SNA Suffren was delivered to the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), at a ceremony held in Toulon.
The sea trials were launched in April this year and were conducted in the English Channel, Atlantic, and the Mediterranean confirming the robustness and efficiency of the submarine before its delivery to the navy.
The nuclear attack submarine is intended for the French Navy and is the first of six ships from the series being built by Naval Group to replace the ageing Rubis-class.
[ #SUFFREN ] ⚓️ Après le succès de ses essais à la mer, Naval Group livre aujourd’hui le #SNA Suffren à la @DGA . ? Destiné à la @MarineNationale , le Suffren est le 1er de la série des #Barracuda , la nouvelle génération de SNA qui remplacera progressivement les Rubis. ?? pic.twitter.com/UHe9rsXVp5
The handover reception was held on November 6, just a few weeks after the successful firing of the first naval cruise missile (MdCN) by the Suffren , which marked the completion of testing of the ship’s entire weapons system.
The French Navy will now be able to begin the operational test phase of the Suffren before it commissions the ship into service, which is expected to take place in 2021.
Deliveries of the five other submarines of the Barracuda program ( Duguay-Trouin, Tourville, de Grasse, Rubis, and Casabianca ), currently in different stages of construction, will be spread out until 2030.
The second submarine from the series, the Duguay-Trouin, is currently in the completion phase and its handover is scheduled for 2022.
Crewed by 90 sailors, Suffren-class submarines will carry the next-generation type F21 heavyweight torpedoes, SM39 anti-ship missiles and MdCN-type naval cruise missiles. The boats will also be fully equipped for missions with NATO naval forces and special operations.
The new generation of submarines will be able to spend up to 70 days at sea.