France-based shipyard company DCNS has been awarded a contract to provide through-life support (TLS) for six nuclear submarines in the French National Navy.
Under the contract, DCNS will provide TLS to the entire fleet of nuclear submarines that will include six Rubis-class vessels along with preliminary servicing for Suffren, the first Barracuda submarine
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The contract was recently notified by the Fleet Support Department and will be effective from 1 April to up to 2020.
DCNS Services activities director Nathalie Smirnov said: "I’m grateful to the French Navy, which has shown its confidence in us, once again.
"DCNS has been able to adapt its methods to give the Navy access to the full operational capacity of its nuclear submarines while taking into account the need to preserve the economic balance of the Group."
The operation of Toulon’s nuclear infrastructures, the tools and the simulators of the National school of submariners, will also form a part of the contract.
The contract will also entail the maintenance of infrastructures required for the complete servicing of Rubis-type nuclear submarines and the future installations in the process of adaptation for the routine servicing of the first Barracuda vessel that is slated to be commissioned from 2018 onwards.
The six vessels are scheduled to replace four Rubis submarines and two SSN Amethyste-class submarines.
Image: The French National army has awarded a contract to DCNS for the maintenance of six French nuclear attack submarines. Photo: courtesy of DCNS.
