France starts construction of a new generation nuclear submarine
21 March, 2024 Rendering of the French SNLE-3G SNLE-3G project submarine. Photo credits: Naval Group The Naval Group shipyard hosted a steel-cutting ceremony for the construction of a new generation nuclear-powered submarine with ballistic missiles of the SNLE-3G project.
Naval News reported on this. The ceremony took place at the Naval Group shipyard in Cherbourg, Normandy. "We are proud that today, together with the DGA, the French Navy, the Atomic Energy Commission, and Technicatome, as well as all our government and industrial partners, we are launching the construction of the hull of the first third-generation SSBN," Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group, shared.
Steel cutting ceremony for the construction of the SNLE-3G project type ship.
Photo credits: Naval Group
Currently, the company is building separate sections of the submarine, which is scheduled to be assembled in 2026-2027. The launch of the first submarine is planned for the 2030s, with the commission by the French Navy after 2035. The SNLE-3G project nuclear submarines were designed to replace the Triomphant-type SSBN in the French Navy.
Three other nuclear submarines will be commissioned into the French fleet by 2050, which will allow them to be used until 2090.
Schematic representation of the SNLE-3G project submarine. Photo credits: Naval News
The displacement of the submarine will be about 15 thousand tons, and the main weapon will be 16 vertical launchers with M51.3 intercontinental ballistic missiles. Missiles of this type are equipped with 10 TNO nuclear warheads with a yield of 100 kilotons each.
In addition, the boat will be equipped with four 533-mm torpedo tubes for launching F21 torpedoes and Exocet anti-ship missiles.
Militarnyi previously reported that the Netherlands selected the French shipbuilding giant Naval Group for the assembly of new submarines.
The French company has already decided on local partners, including RH Marine, Thales Nederland, OPTICS11, MARIN, TNO, and Royal IHC.