Quote:
Originally Posted by UglyMowgli
You didn't see any TA on french SSBN or SSN for one good reason, they are deployed / retrieved by a specialized ship called "Caudataires" when the sub leave or come back to l'ile Longue (base of the french SNLE) or Toulon (base of the SSN).
There is 2 of this specialized ship in service the Phaéton (Y 656) and Machaon (Y 657)
The system TA called ETBF in french is made by ECA group. Here what they look like.
A new system exist (there is not known photo just a drawing) it should equip the SSBN (retrofit) and new SSN (Suffren class)
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I didn't know about this system, however, I have a correction to add, after some quick check, in that it seems the ETBF isn't a towed sonar array, but a towed radio antenna, which is also mounted on other French-made boats.
Source:
https://envelopmer.blogspot.com/2014...haeton-et.html
EDIT: second correction, it might be that the system can work with multiple kind of towed antennas, but I have issues finding clear sources saying it does it, most detailed sources talk about ETBF being for a VLF radio antenna but I guess it could also be used for a towed array sonar.