French Barracuda-class submarine

For other ships of the same name, see Barracuda class submarine.

French Barracuda-class submarine
Profile of the Barracuda type, with her pump-jet propeller and X-shaped stern planes.
Class overview
Name:	Barracuda
Builders:	DCNS
Operators:	French Navy
Preceded by:	Rubis class
Cost:	€9.5bn(FY2012) for six boats €1,192m(FY2012) per unit
Built:	2007-
In commission:	2017- (planned)
Building:	2
Planned:	6
Completed:	0
General characteristics
Type:	Nuclear attack submarine
Displacement:	4,765 t surfaced 5,300 t submerged
Length:	99.4 m (326 ft)
Beam:	8,8 m (28.9 ft)
Draught:	7,3 m (24.0 ft)
Decks:	2
Propulsion:	2 turboreductors groups (10 MW propulsion alternator feeding electric engines) Nuclear reactor K15, 150 MW 2 emergency electric engines One pump jet
Speed:	Over 25 knots (46 km/h) 14 knots (26 km/h), surfaced
Range:	unlimited range, 10 years (nuclear) 70 days of food
Complement:	12 officers 48 petty officers
Sensors and processing systems:	SYCOBS
Armament:	4 × 533 mm tubes including : 12 x MDCN SCALP Naval missiles Exocet SM39 Block2 and missiles 20 x F21 Artemis heavy torpedoes

The Barracuda class (or Suffren class) is a new nuclear attack submarine, designed by the French shipbuilder DCNS for the French Navy, replacing the Rubis-class submarines. Construction began in 2007 and the first unit will be commissioned in 2017.

Barracudas will use technology from the Triomphant class, including pump jet propulsion. This class reportedly produces approximately 1/1000 of the detectable noise of the Redoutable-class boats (submarines), and they are ten times more sensitive in detecting other submarines. They will be fitted with torpedo-tube-launched cruise missiles MDCN SCALP Naval for long-range (well above 1,000 km) strikes against strategic land targets. Their missions will include anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, land attack, intelligence gathering, crisis management and special operations. The Barracuda will use X-shaped stern planes.

The Barracuda class nuclear reactor incorporates several improvements over that of the preceding Rubis. Notably, it extends the time between refuelling and complex overhauls (RCOHs) from 7 to 10 years, enabling higher at-sea availability. In support of special operations missions, Barracudas may also accommodate up to 12 commandos, while carrying their equipment in a mobile pod attached aft of the sail.

On 22 December 2006 the French government placed a €7.9 billion order for six Barracuda submarines with DCN and their nuclear powerplants with Areva-Technicatome. According to the DGA “Competition at the subcontractor level will be open to foreign companies for the first time.” The first submarine will be delivered in 2016. Alain Aupetit, DCN's Barracuda programme director, said “The gap between the delivery of boats one and two will be two-and-a-half years.... After that, we will deliver one boat every two years through to the delivery of the last submarine in 2026.”

Boats

Pennant no.	Name	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned	Homeport
	Suffren	19 December 2007	Expected in 2016	Expected in Dec 2017	Toulon
	Duguay-Trouin	26 June 2009		Expected end 2019	Toulon
	Tourville	28 June 2011		Expected in 2021	Toulon
				Expected in 2023	Toulon
				Expected in 2025	Toulon
				Expected in 2027	Toulon

The names have been selected for the Barracuda class. The first submarine will be called Suffren, and will be followed by the Duguay-Trouin, Dupetit-Thouars, Duquesne, Tourville and De Grasse, the order of these five following submarines being subject to change.

See also

• Astute-class submarine
• Virginia-class submarine
• Yasen-class submarine

External links

• DCN official site

• France unveils plans for new Barracuda SSNs
• France’s Future SSNs: The Barracuda Class at Defense Industry Daily.