Offensive Designs; France Orders New Nuclear Attack Submarine Amid Renewed Aspirations for Global Power Projection

France’s armed forces expanded their order for a new nuclear attack submarine, the Barracuda Class, which is set to expand the country’s offensive power projection capabilities significantly. Costing over $1.3 billion each, the Barracuda Class have an unlimited range and are designed to silently deploy elite commandos from underwater to enemy shores. The warships are also equipped with mines, advanced F21 Artemis heavy torpedoes and long range anti ship and land attack missiles. The commissioning of the offensive weapons system comes as France has sought to enhance its position as a world power, with the country repeatedly threatening Syria with armed attacks, pledging to reign in the Iranian missile program, deploying a growing number of assets to the Asia-Pacific and taking part in a U.S. led attack on Syrian government facilities in April 2018. France’s new President, Emanuel Macron, has also called for a return to national service for the country’s youth - a form of conscription which could well significantly swell the numbers of the European state’s ground forces. The commissioning of an advanced weapons system designed to project power abroad and launch commando raids on enemy territories is very much in line with the resurgence in Paris’ aspirations to maintain world power status.

The first Barracuda Class submarines are set to enter service 2018, with the fist ship of the class having begun sea trials in mid 2017. The warships are almost 100m in length, and displace 5,300 tons when submerged. The ships are far smaller than heavy ballistic missile submarines such as the 18,750 ton American Ohio Class, and even U.S. attack submarines such as the Virginia Class which displace almost 8,000 tons, carry a much heavier armament are significantly more combat capable than the costly new French vessels. With France’s economy increasingly stagnant and heavily indebted, whether Paris will be able to see its nuclear submarine program through to completion remains in question.