France Begins Work on Barracudas

摘要

France kicked off its Barracuda-class nuclear submarine program with a "first cut" ceremony at DCNS's Cherbourg yard Dec. 19. The first unit of the class, Suffren, will be commissioned in 2016. The entire class will consist of six units that will enter service through 2027. Construction of the second unit of the class, Duguay-Trouin, likely will begin in 2009. The Barracuda class will replace the six Rubis Amethyste-class submarines that were commissioned from 1983 through 1993.