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Suffren-class Sub Brief
🕑 Added 2024-04-16 19:19:46 +0000 UTCCorrection: The tonnage slide has the surfaced and submerged values swapped. The tonnage is accurate, but the Submerged value is the 5K+ number.
The Suffren-class submarine, also known as the Barracuda class, represents the latest generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines designed by the French Naval Group for the French Navy. Launched into service beginning with the lead ship, Suffren, these submarines are set to replace the older Rubis-class submarines. The class is designed for a broad range of missions, including anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare, special forces operations, intelligence gathering, and land attack capabilities.
Characterized by significantly enhanced acoustic discretion and combat capabilities, the Suffren-class submarines are equipped with cutting-edge technologies. They feature a hydrodynamically efficient hull design and are powered by a pressurized water reactor, which affords them extended range and the ability to remain submerged longer than conventional diesel-electric submarines. These submarines are armed with naval cruise missiles, torpedoes, and mines, offering formidable firepower. The integration of modern sensors and communication systems allows for superior detection capabilities, making the Suffren-class a cornerstone of France's naval strategy in the 21st century.
Comments
Phoa Yew Hui
To add, the seawater AgO-Al batteries are used on operational warshot torpedoes. Practice torpedoes use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries as they are recovered for analysis and reuse.
Phoa Yew Hui
As I recall from memory, the publicly-known German submarine SAM is an IRIS-T variant (decent, tube-launched, quaintly wire-guided!), while the older French one is a Mistral variant (on a mast!). If the ASW helo does not launch on you while you ready your Mistral at periscope depth (and that would be very slow and sloppy ASW work), a Mistral SAM would likely mean a real bad day at the office for the chopper crew. But you might have orders to intercept a transiting MPA, or a transport or AEW aircraft that has no way to know you are there...
