First naval cruise missile firing by French nuclear attack submarine Suffren.

Prepared by teams from the DGA, the French Navy, and the MBDA and Naval Group manufacturers, this test firing of the MdCN naval cruise missile is the latest milestone in a series of tests which has made it possible to verify correct operation weapons and, more generally, the combat system of the Suffren.
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SNA Suffren (Picture source: Twitter account of French Navy chief of staff)

With a range of several hundred kilometers, the MdCN (Missile de Croisière Naval, naval cruise missile) is suited to destruction missions of high strategic value infrastructure. After the Multi-Mission Frigates (FREMM), the SNA Suffren is the first class of French submarines equipped with this conventional deep strike capability. The ability to implement the MdcN from a submarine poses the constant and undetected threat of a strike from the sea on inland targets. It very significantly increases the penetration capacity of French weapons in theaters of operations.

During its tests in the Mediterranean, the Suffren also successfully carried out, off the DGA Missile Tests site based on the Île du Levant (Var), a test firing of an Exocet SM39-type anti-ship missile. She also carried out several test fires of the F21 heavy torpedo. This new generation weapon is ultimately intended for all French Navy submarines.

The MdCN is tailored for missions against infrastructures of high strategic value (Picture source: MBDA)

The qualification of the entire Suffren weapons system paves the way for the end of sea trials and its overall qualification. This will authorize its delivery to the French Navy for the verification of its military characteristics and then its admission to active service.

The Barracuda class (or Suffren class) is a nuclear attack submarine, designed by the French shipbuilder Naval Group (formerly known as DCNS and DCN) for the French Navy. It is intended to replace the Rubis-class submarines. For the record, the submarine was launched in 1998 with construction beginning in 2006. It is powered by a nuclear propulsion system using new hybrid design that provides electric propulsion for economical cruise speeds and turbo-mechanical propulsion for higher speeds. The armament of the Suffren-class submarine includes with four 533mm torpedo tubes and and 20 storage racks for various weapons including F21 Artemis heavy torpedoes, Exocet SM.39 Block 2 anti-ship missiles with a range of 50 km, SCALP naval cruise missiles with a range of over 1 000 km, and FG29 mines. Two mines can be carried per weapon rack.

With Suffren, Duguay Trouin, Tourville, De Grasse, Rubis and Casabianca currently in different phases of construction, the French Navy will be able to gradually retire and decommission its first generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines.