French Navy's third Suffren-class submarine commissioned into service

The French Navy has commissioned its third Suffren-class nuclear-powered attack submarine into service.

Measuring nearly 100 metres long and capable of a maximum submerged speed of over 25 knots, Tourville 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 is 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 final three Suffren-class submarines are under various stages of construction at the facilities of French shipbuilder the Naval Group. These are scheduled for delivery to the French Navy between 2026 and 2031 and will 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, also known as the Barracuda-class, will have a service life of over 30 years.

The first two Suffren-class boats, Suffren and Duguay-Trouin, were commissioned into service in 2020 and 2023, respectively.