Construction begins on the first third-generation SSBN

Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group, and Loïc Rocard, CEO of TechnicAtome, kicked off the construction of the first third-generation SSBN. The cutting of the first sheet of steel for the SNLE 3G’s hull took place , at the Cherbourg site on March 20, 2024. This symbolic cutting ceremony, attended by Emmanuel Chiva, General Delegate for Armaments; Admiral Nicolas Vaujour, Chief of Naval Staff; Vincenzo Salvetti, Director of Military Applications at the CEA; and Lieutenant General Vincent Pons, Deputy Chief of Staff for “Plans,” Joint Staff, marks the symbolic start of construction for these submarines, which will contribute to France’s deterrence capability. Production of the main components of the nuclear power plant and propulsion system—notably the pressure vessel for the first 3G SSBN—has already begun at the Nantes-Indret facility.

The 3G SSBN program, intended for the French Navy, brings together the armed forces, the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA)—which serves as the overall project owner— the CEA, which serves as the project owner for the nuclear power plants, and Naval Group, which serves as the prime contractor for the submarines in partnership with TechnicAtome for the nuclear power plants. Among the most complex systems in existence, SSBNs are the cornerstones of France’s strategic oceanic force (FOST) and ensure the continuous presence at sea of the nuclear deterrent.
TechnicAtome, a company with 2,000 employees across eight sites in France, has, since its founding, equipped all French Navy vessels with nuclear propulsion. It is thus designing and building the onboard reactor rooms for the four future 3G SSBNs, which incorporate significant innovations.

Loïc Rocard stated during the ceremony: “Today, together with Naval Group, gathered for this groundbreaking ceremony, we are witnessing a unique event—the kind that occurs only once every 20 or 30 years. And this comes at a time when global tensions have once again become a cause for concern—a moment when our “raison d’être” is expressed in a particularly clear way.”