TechnicAtome places an order with Arcys for future nuclear balistic missile submarines

More than 200 so-called “sensitive” suppliers are involved in the 3G SNLE program; some were consulted very early in the design phase to develop an optimized procurement strategy. Among them is Arcys, a subsidiary of TechnicAtome and Framatome.

The 3G SSBN program calls for the design and construction of four third-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). Although the project is still in the detailed design phase, production of the first components for the nuclear reactor has begun, triggering the first orders.

TechnicAtome and Arcys have signed a framework agreement to design a new control and command platform for the reactor core. This project includes the development of approximately 40 safety-critical electronic boards and modules intended for use in nuclear reactor cores. Spanning five years, this development will subsequently lead to the manufacture of more than 1,000 pieces of equipment throughout the program, from the first prototypes to the delivery of equipment for the fourth submarine during the 2040s.

TA’s projected workload plan provides visibility to its partners and allows for proactive development. “Since 2021, we have already developed two circuit boards and produced the first identification prototypes,” says Florent Gault, head of the Defense business line at Arcys. The first series production runs are expected to begin in 2027.
This new control and command platform will also equip the boiler rooms of the future nuclear aircraft carrier, as well as those of earlier programs as part of refit operations throughout the facilities’ lifespans. This framework agreement with Arcys therefore establishes common technical requirements and a shared contractual framework for nuclear propulsion programs, generating overall cost savings and thus optimized financial sustainability for our government clients.