A French Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine has sailed into the River Clyde.
Images shared online show a Suffren-class boat on the surface, the newest in French service, with the first entering operational duty in 2020.
It may be the same submarine whose previous visit to Scotland was reported by the UK Defence Journal recently, although that has not been confirmed. The French Navy declined to comment, as is customary in matters concerning submarine movements.
Built by Naval Group, the Suffren class replaces the ageing Rubis-class attack submarines and will form the backbone of France’s conventional nuclear-powered undersea fleet. Six boats are planned, with three now in service.
At just under 100 metres in length and displacing more than 5,000 tonnes submerged, the submarines are powered by a K15 nuclear reactor driving a pump-jet propulsor. Speed is reported to exceed 25 knots. Like other nuclear-powered submarines, they are not limited by fuel range; patrol length is determined largely by provisions and operational requirements, typically around 70 days.
The class is equipped with Naval Group’s SYCOBS combat management system and a Thales sonar suite incorporating hull-mounted, flank array and towed array systems, alongside mine and obstacle avoidance sonar. Electronic countermeasures are provided by the NEMESIS system.
Weapons are launched through four 533mm torpedo tubes, with space for up to 20 munitions. These include F21 heavyweight torpedoes, Exocet SM39 anti-ship missiles and the MdCN naval cruise missile, giving the boats a land-attack capability as well as anti-submarine and anti-surface roles. Mines can also be carried.
Faslane regularly hosts allied submarines, reflecting close operational ties between the Royal Navy and its NATO partners.
This is a bad idea.
I don’t think their sensitive French palates will be able to cope with Scottish cooking 🤢
Just read that HMS Anson has arrived Down Under. Good news to see AUKUS progressing, as I see this trilateral security partnership as the only realistic way we will increase numbers going forward. But in the short term, our only available attack sub is in Western Australia. Fair play to the French, we took Australia away from them and created AUKUS, and they are still ‘covering our six’ 😀
I personally lost hope for Aukus, i really hope it doesn’t fall through but bad signs everywhere
Its impressive how the French can maintain fleet availability given the need to refuel compared to the terrible availability of Virginia and Astute which are more advanced designs that should require less maintenance.
Industrial strategy and planning Trumps Gucci technology
All fur coat and no nickers