French Navy's fourth Suffren-class submarine rolled out for launching

French shipbuilder the Naval Group recently rolled the future nuclear-powered submarine De Grasse out of its construction hall to be transferred to the a floating platform-type shiplift.

The submarine is the fourth to be built under the Suffren-class, six examples of which will be acquired by the French Navy. The first two boats, Suffren and Duguay-Trouin, were commissioned into service in 2020 and 2023, respectively, while Tourville (pictured), the third boat, was handed over late last year.

Measuring nearly 100 metres long and capable of a maximum submerged speed of over 25 knots, the future De Grasse will be used primarily for anti-surface warfare and strike warfare. The submarine's armament will include torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, land attack cruise missiles, and mines.

The submarine will be equipped with a centralised and automated control system that enhances underwater manoeuvrability. It will also be capable of discreetly deploying and recovering small teams of special operations troops for clandestine missions.

The future De Grasse and the final two Suffren-class submarines are under various stages of construction at the Naval Group's facilities. These are scheduled for delivery to the French Navy between 2026 and 2031 to replace the service's last three Rubis-class nuclear-powered boats, which have been in operation since the late 1980s.

The Naval Group expects that each boat in the Suffren-class will have a service life of over 30 years.