Naval Group delivers the fourth Barracuda-class nuclear attack submarine (SSN)

Paris, 26 June 2026 – On 24 June 2026, Naval Group delivered the De Grasse, fourth in a series of six nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) built in Cherbourg for the French Navy under the Barracuda program managed by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA).

Benefiting from feedback gained from the first three submarines of the program, the delivery of the SSN De Grasse comes exactly four months after the submarine’s first sea trials. Since being rolled out of its construction hall in May 2025, the SSN De Grasse has successively completed its dockside trials, the commissioning of its nuclear boiler room in December 2025, and a four-month sea trials campaign that began on February 24, 2026.

This delivery marks an important milestone in the Barracuda program for which the first three SSNs have already entered active service (Suffren in June 2022, Duguay-Trouin in April 2024, and Tourville in July 2025). The final two submarines of the program (Rubis and Casabianca) are currently under construction at various stages of completion, with deliveries scheduled through the end of the decade.

This series of six SSNs is part of the Barracuda program led by French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) in partnership with the the Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA)) for nuclear boilers, aims to replace the generation of Rubis-class SSNs in service within the French Navy.

Naval Group, in cooperation with its partners, is responsible for the production of this series of submarines, from design to shipbuilding, for manufacturing the main components of the nuclear boilers which are developed and produced with TechnicAtome. Naval Group is also in charge of providing logistical support and maintaining the submarines in Toulon.

Technical characteristics

• Surface displacement: 4,700 t
• Underwater displacement: : 5,200 t
• Length: 99 metres
• Diameter: 8.8 metres
• Armament: naval cruise missiles (NCM), F21 heavyweight torpedoes, modernised Exocet SM39 anti-ship missiles
• Hybrid propulsion: pressurised water reactor derived from the reactors on board the Triomphant-type SSBN and Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier, one propulsion turbine, two turbo generators and two electric motors
• Crew: 65 crew members + commandos
• Availability: > 270 days per year

photo courtesy Naval Group