The French Navy’s Suffren-class nuclear-powered submarine successfully launched and recovered the U.S. Navy’s unmanned underwater drone for the first time.
The tests took place near the Toulon Naval Base from March 16 to 20, 2026, and represent significant progress in technological integration between the two countries.
The core of this operation was to demonstrate the submarine’s ability to operate an unmanned underwater vehicle while remaining submerged. For this purpose, a system called ‘Dry Deck Shelter’ was used, which served as a launch and recovery platform for the Razorback drone. The Razorback is a military version of the REMUS 620 model developed for hydrographic survey missions.
During the test, the equipment autonomously performed missions at sea, measured marine data, and successfully returned to the submarine. These achievements increase the likelihood that the technology will be introduced into future French naval operations.
This project also serves to strengthen cooperation between France and the United States in the field of underwater warfare. It was carried out based on technical and operational support from various military units, and is part of an agreement to strengthen interoperability between the two countries signed in 2021.
source: Naval News | Photo: This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
#SSN | Off the coast of Toulon, SSN successfully conducted underwater trials deploying a US Navy Razorback UUV from its Dry Deck Shelter (DDS). The axcquisition of this new capacity demonstrates the high levels of interoperability with the @USNavy. 🇫🇷🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/LA5jgCcFOO
— Marine nationale (@MarineNationale) April 1, 2026
