Image Credits: Naval Group France has received its fourth Barracuda-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, adding another advanced vessel to the French Navy as it continues replacing its ageing Rubis-class submarine fleet. Built by Naval Group in Cherbourg, the submarine, De Grasse, was delivered on June 24 under the Barracuda programme managed by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA). The handover came exactly four months after the submarine began its sea trials. The delivery marks another milestone for the Barracuda programme. The first three submarines, Suffren, Duguay-Trouin and Tourville, are already in active service, while the remaining two, Rubis and Casabianca, are under construction and are due to be delivered before the end of the decade. According to Naval Group, De Grasse benefited from experience gained during the construction and testing of the first three submarines. After leaving its construction hall in May 2025, the submarine completed dockside trials, its nuclear boiler room was commissioned in December 2025, and it began a four-month sea trials programme on February 24, 2026. The Barracuda programme is being led by the DGA in partnership with the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA) for the submarines’ nuclear boilers. It is intended to replace the Rubis-class nuclear-powered attack submarines currently in service with the French Navy. Naval Group said it is responsible for designing and building the submarines with its partners. The company also manufactures the main components of the nuclear boilers together with TechnicAtome and provides logistical support and maintenance for the submarines in Toulon. The Barracuda-class submarines are designed to carry out a wide range of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, land attacks, and special forces support. Naval Group said they can also support deterrence missions, carry out deep strik