The office of ALINDIEN issued the following statement:
July 29, 2023, French nuclear attack submarine (SSN) Suffren went through Suez Canal as a first step to her deployment in Indian Ocean. Under control of the commander of the French forces stationed in Indian Ocean (ALINDIEN), it carries out an operational patrol including two stop-overs, one in the French naval base of Djibouti, one in the naval base of the French forces stationed in the United Arab Emirates.
This French naval base in Abu Dhabi is a strategic point of support in the northwest Indian Ocean. Thanks to a robust partnership between the United Arab Emirates and France, this naval base is able to accommodate and support all types of French Navy ships deployed in the area and acting for regional stability reaffirming France’ strong belief in international rule based order and freedom of navigation.
French units are regularly deployed in the Indo-Pacific zone, such as carrier strike group focused on aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle early this year, or more recently, frigate Lorraine in South East Asia, Pégase 2023 air projection mission carried out by the French Air and Space Force.
ALINDIEN is the Joint Commander of the French Forces deployed in the Indian Ocean, Joint Commander of the French Forces stationed in the United Arab Emirates (FFEAU), National Contingent Commander of Chammal’s operation (French equivalent to US Operation Inherent Resolve) and Commander of Operation AGENOR – EMASOH European-led Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz. Rear Admiral Emmanuel Slaars is the current ALINDIEN. Naval News interviewed him earlier this year during IDEX 2023.
ALINDIEN’s office also shared the following video with us:
First time a Barracuda type SSN patrols the Indian Ocean
While this is not the first operational deployment of Suffren, this is the first time that the first boat in the new class of French SSNs sails in the Indian Ocean, far away from its home port of Toulon. For this deployment, the submarine is escorted by Loire-class offshore support vessel Seine (A604). This is becoming common practice for long deployments of French SSNs. When Rubis-class SSN Emeraude deployed to the Pacific in 2020, she was escorted by the same support vessel at the time.
While the official announcement was made yesterday (August 25), a ship spotter picture shared on social media showed Suffren with its Dry Deck Shelter (DDS) fitted on its back, transiting through the Suez Canal on 27 July:
Suffren fitted with DDS
In what is another first, Suffren deployed with its Dry Deck Shelter (DDS) attached.
According to Naval News regular contributor and submarine expert H I Sutton, the concept of a dry deck shelter, which can be attached to the deck of a submarine and both flooded and drained, was first introduced by France in the 1970s. It was often referred to as a ‘suitcase’. Subsequently the U.S. Navy and Royal Navy adopted a similar system, leading to the term DDS.
The hangar protects underwater vehicles, like the PSM3G, from the extremes of the underwater environment. This allows the submarine to sail much deeper than the vehicle could tolerate if it wasn’t protected by the hangar. And it allows maintenance operations to be carried out while the submarine is underway.
Hangars are extremely versatile and can be adapted to many missions. But only larger submarines can carry them safely because they add a lot of weight high up on the boat. And the submarine should be able to surface safely even if the hangar is full of water.
For the record, Suffren, was launched in July 2019 and entered “active duty” (admission au service actif in French) on 3 June 2022. The second submarine in the class, Duguay-Trouin, was delivered to the French Navy last month.
To find out more about Suffren, check out our in depth article: