The new Barracuda-class nuclear attack submarine, the Duguay-Trouin, has entered service with the French Navy, according to an announcement made on Thursday, April 4.

Naval Group delivered the second Barracuda nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) to the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) and the French Navy (Marine Nationale) on July 28, 2023, and it has been undergoing sea trials since then.

[#Admission ✔️] Service actif

Le 10 août 2023, la DGA le receptionnait.

Aujourd'hui, l'amiral Nicolas Vaujour @CEMM_FR a prononcé l'admission au service actif du sous-marin nucléaire d'attaque #SNA Duguay-Trouin@MarineNationale @Armees_Gouv @navalgroup https://t.co/uTO0H50HuS

— Direction générale de l'armement 🇫🇷 (@DGA) April 4, 2024

The advanced Duguay-Trouin has a displacement of 4,500 tons and is capable of launching Missile De Croisière Naval – MdCN cruise missiles. Moreover, it is the second Barracuda-class submarine expected to replace the Ruby-class submarines currently in service with the French Navy.

J’ai prononcé aujourd’hui l’admission au service actif du Duguay-Trouin, deuxième sous-marin de la classe Suffren. Plus rapide, plus endurant, plus polyvalent, plus discret. Dans les mains de nos équipages, il deviendra un chasseur hors-pair pour les opérations à venir. pic.twitter.com/MzCIvoZHp3

— Chef d'état-major de la Marine (@CEMM_FR) April 4, 2024

Barracuda-class submarine technical characteristics:

• Length: 99.5 m 
• Beam: 8.8 m 
• Draught: 7.3 m 
• Propulsion: K15 nuclear reactor 150 MW (200,000 hp)
• Speed: > 25 kn 
• Operational range: unlimited 
• Endurance: typically 70 days 
• Test depth: > 350 m 
• Complement: 60 officers
• Armament in 4 × 533 mm tubes: 20 storage racks for MdCN cruise missiles / Exocet SM39 Mod2 anti-ship missiles / A3SM (VL MICA) surface-to-air missiles / F21 Artemis heavy-weight torpedoes / FG29 multi-influence mines

The remaining four Barracuda-class submarines are in various stages of development. The Tourville, de Grasse, Rubis and Casabianca nuclear-powered submarines are to be delivered by 2030 and will be in service with the Navy until the 2060s.

Also read: Netherlands | Supply of Naval Group’s Blacksword submarines