How the French Barracuda submarine differs from the Collins class submarine

THE submarine chosen to replace Australia’s existing Collins-class fleet is vastly different to its predecessor. For a start, it has a nuclear sister.

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THE submarine chosen to replace Australia’s existing fleet is vastly different to its predecessor. For a start, it has a nuclear sister.

The DCNS Shortfin Barracuda is evolved from a new French nuclear attack submarine, the Barracuda, currently under construction.

The 99m-long vessel has cutting-edge stealth technology including pump jet propulsion and displaces more than 4000 tonnes.

The Shortfin Barracuda

Hydroplanes retract to reduce drag and noise while DCNS says the submarine’s sonar system is the most powerful ever produced for a conventional submarine.

It has non-penetrating optronic masts, hybrid propulsion, X-tail rudders and built-in flexibility for future upgrades.

Weaponry can include F21 torpedoes fired from eight tubes, Exocet anti-shipping missiles, SCALP Cruise missiles, A3SM anti-helicopter missiles and sea mines.

The Barracuda also has a hatch which can hold up to eight special-forces soldiers for insertion and extraction operations.

It can dive to depths greater than 350m and cover 18,000 nautical miles for 80 days.

The 4785-tonne submarine’s top speed is more than 20 knots.

The Barracuda was chosen because it has conventional diesel-electric propulsion that can cover the vast distances Australian submarines must patrol.

The fleet must be able to operate at long ranges with endurance and stealth before resurfacing to snorkel and recharge batteries.

An illustration of the proposed Shortfin Barracuda submarine, to be built by DCNS.

The Collins-class, which was designed and built entirely in Australia, met these requirements but must be replaced by 2025.

The submarines have large diesel electric engines, can carry large amount of fuel and their batteries can be sent from their West Australian base to remote locations without resurfacing for extended periods.

DCNS have said it will purpose-build a factory larger than the Adelaide Oval to construct the submarine.

The name comes from a fish indigenous to the Great Barrier Reef and DCNS claims it will be “the world’s most advanced conventionally powered submarine”.