Suffren / Barracuda-class SSN

The Suffren class (or Barracuda) is the modern French SSN, built by Naval Group for the Marine Nationale. Six boats in build-up, first commissioned 2022. Length 99 m, 5,300 tons, K15 reactor (more compact than UK and US ones), pump-jet propulsion (not propeller — less cavitation and quieter). Armament: 4 533 mm tubes for F21 Artemis torpedoes, Exocet SM39, and MdCN cruise missiles (a 3,000 km Tomahawk equivalent). No VLS cells — all weapons via torpedo tubes. Australian deal 2016 for 12 Suffren derivatives at ~USD 35 billion was abruptly cancelled in 2021 by the AUKUS shock; France responded with a diplomatic crisis (briefly recalling its ambassadors from the US and Australia).