Dry "Launch" of France's First Barracuda/Suffren SSN - K15 Reactor?

On July 12, 2019 (Naval Group advises) a ceremony, presided over by French President Macron (above), "launched" the first Barracuda named Suffren. Suffren is the first of 6 Barracuda SSNs being built in Cherbourg for the French Navy. The 6 Barracudas will replace the 6 much smaller Rubis class SSNs (operating since 1983).

COMMENT

The "launch" of first of class vessels (including subs) is a highly political act (hence the French President participated). The first is generally "launched" remaining on dry land (wheeled out of its shed for the ceremony - then back in the shed again after the ceremony) not truly launched into the water. This is for a variety of reasons, including: safety, need for continued assemblage inside the sub (including fully installing the reactor). Many other technical issues (eg. electronics software and hardware and weapon systems) would still need resolution. 

First of class submarines typically take between 2 and 5 years from launch till full commissioning/operating in a navy. Commissioning follows all necessary tests and resolution of the many inevitable technical problems - especially the reactor. So Suffren might not be fully commissioned into the French Navy until 2023-24 if major problems are encountered.

ARTICLE

At the Barracuda/Suffren (hereinafter called "SSN") launch ceremony Hervé Guillou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Naval Group, thanked all the entities involved in building the SSN, including the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA) and
 TechnicAtome. 

COMMENT

These 2 French naval reactor builders may have resolved the main reason for the program's delay, ie. the development of the miniaturised (for SSN) version of the existing K15 naval reactor (mainly in Cadarache, southeast France (see map)). See Submarine Matters' previous articles on the K15 problem here and, much more detailed, here. The K15 has presumably been fitted into the SSN. Guillou said the K15 reactor will first be tested (run critical?) in Cherbourg shipyard "in the coming weeks".   

The long delayed [Suffren was laid down 2007] launch is reassuring for builders of the Australian Attack-class (was the "Shortfin") conventional diesel-electric (SSK) version of the SSN. Reassuring because many of the hydrodynamic efficiency and acoustic stealth characteristics for the SSK must be first tested during the SSN's full scale submerged trials (which may begin 2021-22). Also many of the Naval Group staff (managers, designers and builders) hitherto assigned to SSN development will gradually become available for Australia's SSK development. Although we must keep in mind that many of the Naval Group's SSN staff will now also be reassigned to the new SSBN program (known as 3rd Generation SSBN - known as 3G SNLE (or SNLE 3g)) to replace France's Triomphant SSBNs (operating since 1997).]

ARTICLE - Technical Characteristics
  
The technical characteristics of the Barracuda Suffren-class SSNs, provided by Naval Group's 12 July 2019 Media Release, are:

• Surface displacement: 4,700 tonnes
• Diving [submerged] displacement: 5,300 tonnes
• Length: 99 metres
• Diameter [beam]: 8.8 metres
• Armament: naval cruise missiles, F21 heavy-weight wire-guided torpedoes, modernised Exocet SM39 anti-ship missiles, [mines, weaponised UUVs and Naval Cruise Missiles (NCM - MdCN) for long range land attack, armed Special Forces - divers using wet or dry diver delivery vehicles/minisubs].
• Hybrid propulsion: [propulsor-pumpjet with a secret structure, hence shrouded at launch ceremony] and pressurised water reactor derived from the [K15 (150 MW) reactors on board the Triomphant-class SSBNs [see right sidebar] and Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier [right sidebar], two propulsion turbines, two turbo generators and two electric motors
• Crew: 65 crew members + commandos [Special Forces]
• Availability: > 270 days per year [K15s need refueling every 7 to 10 years. There is also shorter term and longer term "deep" maintenance for many other parts of the SSNs generally.]
  
  
• YOUTUBE

Above is an excellent (less than 7 minute) Youtube with commentary (1 minute, 3 seconds in) by Xavier Vavasseur, Chief Editor, Naval News. As well as the French President and officials Xavier mentions the presence of the Australian Defence Minister [Senator Linda Reynolds] and Australian military.

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Pete