French shipbuilder Naval Group rolled out France’s second Suffren-class (Barracuda) nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN), Duguay-Trouin , during an official ceremony at its yard in Cherbourg, Normandy, on 26 November.
Duguay-Trouin was transferred from the construction hall at Laubeuf shipyard via 24 walkers to the Cachin infrastructure launch site, where it will now undergo final outfitting work and testing ahead of its official launch “in the coming months”, a Naval Group spokesperson told Janes.
“With this step, and given the progress of the following submarines, we are now firmly in the second half of the [Barracuda] programme and in series production,” the spokesperson said. “The aim now is to produce a submarine approximately every two years, so by 2026 Naval Group will have delivered the first four units.”
Naval Group is building six new-generation SSNs for the French Navy under the Barracuda programme.
© 2021, GDC. © GDC and www.globaldefensecorp.com. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.globaldefensecorp.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.