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 🤢
I don’t think many can to be honest.
Let’s focus on Whisky and avoid any contentions topic 😉
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
What bad signs are you seeing?
America being as unreliable as it is and hinting that Aukus isn’t sustainable for it as congress studies whether to go forward with the program
I’m just relieved we’ve got an Astute on ops.
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
I think a fur coat with or without is a winner
It’s not the fur coat that’s the winner it’s who’s wearing it.
Indeed
You should never trust the French and yet… Even though they got completely stiffed, here they are covering our arse.
Should only all French be Normans, we might actually get on much better 😉
I’ve never met a Frenchman called Norman 🤔
While that might be true in your case, I have never met someone called English or British – but they claimed to be from England and Britain; strange?
However, true Normans did visit the UK isles in a highly memorable event, and yet, I forget the year although seem to recall about an arrow in an eye or something… You might know better.
I know of a John French, 1st earl of Ypres
Not sure I can help, reckon I was away somewhere when the Normans visited.
Did they come in small boats ?
Not sure, probably camper vans weren’t in vogue either.
Excuse me but, I wouldn’t be seen dead in one of those tiny little Campers, especially one of those terrible Vee Dub things with a tent as a roof.
A Class all the way.
Battle of the wits. Tense stuff!
I was here first !
Funny that.
Come to think of It, hmmmm
Johnny English?
Bit of a rogue agent by all accounts.
Does this mean the French Navy is protecting the UKs shipping lanes, since our solitary SSN has been sent to the other side of the planet for 6 months to prop-up a totally over-ambitious defence pact ?