Fitting-out for trial of the submarine “De Grasse”

On Friday, October 10, a new milestone was reached for the Barracuda program: the fitting-out for trial on SSN “De Grasse.” Following the transfer of the vessel to the launching facility on May 27—which marked the start of the completion phase—this step signifies the beginning of the final adjustments prior to the sea testing campaign scheduled for early 2026.

TechnicAtome is responsible for the design and construction of the nuclear reactor, which provides the submarine with increased availability, power capacity, and nuclear safety compared to previous generations.

“De Grasse” is the fourth of six SSN submarines in the Barracuda program, which was launched in 1998. The first in the series, the Suffren, entered active service in June 2022, while the Duguay-Trouin and the Tourville entered service on April 4, 2024, and July 4, 2025, respectively. The modular construction approach allows for simultaneous progress on the construction of multiple reactor compartments.