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Old 07-11-19, 03:03 PM   #1
Rufus Shinra
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Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: The land of the free with a glorious military history (France)
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Default First Suffren SSN to be inaugurated on July 12th.






The Suffren nuclear attack submarine will be set to water tomorrow in presence of the French president and his minister for armed forces. It is the lead class of its namesake class (Barracuda programme) and will have a 5,400 tonnes displacement, twice as much as the Rubis class submarines it replaces - the SSN featured in Wolf's Call, for the moviegoers here.


Using a hybrid nuclear-electric propulsion (running electric at low speeds and using its nuclear reactor for propulsion at higher speeds), it's going to be a revolution for the French MN, bringing its SSN to the most modern standards out there (an attention given to SSBN before with the Triomphant class). Much quieter, cruise-missile capable (using the French-made MdCN), faster and deeper-diving, it will replace the Saphir that just got retired from service a few weeks ago (built in 1984):





Among the improvements, there'll be the pump-jet propulsion, the X-shaped dive controls as well as the option for a hangar to host a diver submarine propulsion system. The first crew, led by Commander Axel Roche, will take over the ship for trials in the next few days.


The seas welcome another boat.


EDIT: there's a very nice diaporama here. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-na...-idUKKCN1U61YR

Last edited by Rufus Shinra; 07-11-19 at 03:24 PM.
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