French fire up Duguay-Trouin SSN’s nuclear reactor
Suffren-class SSN Duguay-Trouin. (Photo: Naval Group)
The first controlled reaction has occurred inside the nuclear reactor aboard the submarine Duguay-Trouin.
France’s Suffren-class SSN project took another step forward on 3 October with the firing up of the nuclear reactor aboard the second-in-class boat Duguay-Trouin.
Starting up the submarine's nuclear boiler room involved triggering the first controlled nuclear reaction in the submarine’s nuclear reactor.
The nuclear start-up will be followed by sea trials of the boat ahead of its delivery to the French Navy in 2023.
France is building six new Suffren-class submarines under a project to replace its Rubis-class boats.
The first-in-class Suffren joined the French fleet in 2022.
According to Shephard Defence Insight, the Suffren-class SSNs will have a surface displacement of 4,700t and a dived displacement of 5,300t, a length of 99.5m, a beam of 8.8m and a draft of 7.8m.
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