No French SSNs for Australia Possible: Part One.

Even if France wanted to part or completely build Suffren SSNs for Australia nuclear labour shortages in France would prevent this. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffren-class_submarine. In any case France opposes supplying SSNs to Australia - the subject of Part Two. 

The same type of labour shortage problem impacting the US nuclear submarine  industry is effecting France's nuclear submarine industry. 

France is suffering a national shortage of skilled workers in its heavy industries. Within this the nuclear submarine sector is experiencing a shortage of skilled workers and probably designers.

The skilled labour shortage contributed to a 5 year delay in the Suffren-class SSN program. Suffren’s (laid down 2007) twice delayed entry into service slipped from late 2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffren-class_submarine#Development to 2022 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffren-class_submarine#Boats. This is worse than the UK Astute's record (laid down 2001, commissioned 2010 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astute-class_submarine#Boats_in_the_class ). 

France’s limited nuclear sub construction force also need to complete 3 more Suffrens out to 2029/30 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffren-class_submarine#Boats. 

The labour shortage will cause delays in France’s future new SSBN program which will make construction of subsequent Suffren SSNs, after 2030, impossible.

France's only submarine builder, Naval Group (NG), winning the Netherland’s Walrus replacement project in March 2024 is also significant. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orka-class_submarine#Winning_bid This is for four newly designed diesel-electric submarines. This new project is putting added pressure on the limited NG designer and skilled sub-building  workforce. https://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2024/03/orka-class-specifications-table-dutch.html

The first of France’s four new (ie. 3rd generation) SSBNs (known as SNLE 3G) is expected to join the fleet from 2035. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNLE_3G. Work began on the first SNLE 3G (no boat name yet) on March 20. 2024 https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/cherbourg-naval-group-decoupe-la-premiere-tole-du-prochain-snle-francais

The final three SNLE 3Gs will be completed at five year intervals in 2040, 2045 and 2050. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNLE_3G#Design_and_operation

NG may then be able to concentrate on new SSN production, from 2050, which is likely to be much later than the UK commissioning the first SSN-AUKUS.

A SIGNIFICANT ARTICLE

See “Europe's Nuclear Revival Lacks a Key Ingredient: Skilled Workers” of July 3, 2024, at https://www.energyconnects.com/news/renewables/2024/july/europe-s-nuclear-revival-lacks-a-key-ingredient-skilled-workers/ :

“…Atomic power producers in France, the UK and Sweden are having trouble finding the hundreds of thousands of welders, engineers and planners needed for reactors they’re building now and ones they’re eyeing for mid-century…

[There is] a labor shortage so dire some French companies hire back retirees…

France finds itself lacking talent after [reactor builder Électricité de France] EDF ended a decades-long building spree in the early 2000s, turning the industry into a dead-end career path. The workforce of about 220,000 is now aging out while potential replacements look elsewhere…

That’s a recipe for lengthy construction delays and massive cost overruns — failings the industry already is notorious for…

In the port of Cherbourg, where French nuclear submarines are built, [large French engineering firm] Probent frequently offers retired welders and metal workers jobs in the shipyard…”