Barracuda Program’s Suffren-Class Submarine Rubis Moved onto Floating Platform Ahead of Launch, 17 Months After De Grasse.
Rubis, the Suffren-class submarine of the Barracuda program, has left its construction facility and been moved onto a floating lift platform in preparation for launch, 17 months after De Grasse. Naval Group announced that the fifth Suffren-class nuclear attack submarine, Rubis, was transferred onto a DME-type floating lift platform during a ceremony held on October 16, 2026, attended by French Minister for the Armed Forces and Veterans Catherine Vautrin. Once its remaining outfitting work is complete, Rubis will undergo harbor and sea trials before being delivered to the French Navy.
Barracuda Programme Targets Six Submarines
The Barracuda programme, managed by the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), aims to replace the six Rubis-class nuclear-powered attack submarines that entered service with the French Navy from the 1980s onwards with a new generation of submarines. The programme is being carried out in cooperation with the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) for the nuclear reactor section.Under the programme, six nuclear-powered attack submarines are scheduled to be delivered by 2030. The Rubis Barracuda submarine series includes four vessels delivered between November 2020 and June 2026.
New Milestone in Rubis Production
Naval Group Chairman and CEO Pierre Éric Pommellet stated that transferring Rubis, the fifth Suffren-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, to the launching platform marks an important milestone for the programme. He noted that Rubis reached this stage just 17 months after the De Grasse submarine. In short, the submarine Rubis, part of the Barracuda project, highlights how these nuclear platforms represent major technological achievements. Pommellet emphasised that, in an extremely challenging operational environment, manufacturers must fulfil their responsibilities and deliver the vessels sailors need to carry out their missions. He also highlighted the importance of delivering the platforms required by naval forces on schedule. Pommellet stated that cooperation between the DGA, industrial partners and submarine crews has played a key role in the programme’s success.
Production and Cooperation in the Barracuda Programme
The programme is being carried out across Naval Group facilities, TechnicAtome’s industrial infrastructure and a network of partners. In addition to submarine design and construction, Naval Group is responsible for the development and production of key nuclear reactor system components in cooperation with TechnicAtome. The company also provides maintenance and logistical support services for the submarines in Toulon. Among the different collaborative projects, the expertise brought by Rubis Barracuda submarine engineering is particularly significant.
Hundreds of companies from the French defence industry contribute to the Barracuda programme. Approximately 3,000 people are involved in the design and production of the submarines, including 800 working for Naval Group’s subcontractors. Therefore, it is clear that the construction of the Barracuda submarine Rubis involves an extensive industrial effort.
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Source: C4Defence – Naval Group
