DCNS - SMX-25 Class Submerged Frigate

Powered by three gas turbines driving three water jets, the SMX-25 submersible is designed to achieve a sustained surface speed of 38 knots.

Despite the fact that the SMX-25 can deploy very quickly, it is essentially a conventional submarine. On reaching its designated patrol area, the SMX-25 will operate like other submarines using the same types of sensors and resources.

 

In the innovative semi-surfaced configuration, with only the upper portion of the sail above water, the boat will be able to use the same sorts of sensors (including an aircraft surveillance radar) and weapons as a conventional surface combatant (i.e. anti-ship, land-strike and anti-air missiles launched from vertical silos) while maintaining an extremely discrete radar signature.

The SMX-25 will be equipped to deploy combat swimmers and their delivery vehicles, commandos, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

 

Displacement:
-surfaced: 2.850 t
-submerged: 4.850 t
Length: 109 m
Beam: ~12 m
Propulsion:
-3x gas turbines
-3x pumpjets
Speed:
-10 knots submerged
-38 knots surfaced
Range:
-surfaced: 7600 km
-submerged: 4750 km
-air-independent: 950 km
Depth:
-operational: 120 m
-never-exceed: 250 m
Complement:
-ship crew: 27
-special forces: 10
Endurance: 30 days
Armament:
-2x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns
-4x 533 mm torpedo tubes for 12 Black Shark torpedoes
-4x missile launcher on top for 12 SM40 missiles
-4x helicopter UAV/UUV carried
-12 commandos

 

Timeframe:
2004 - concept, preliminary designs
2008 - designing, now added technology from the Scorpiéne submarine
2012 - scaled-down prototype tests at the Toulon naval test range
2013 - empty hull tests at the Toulon naval test range
2015 - avaible for production

Cost: $800 million
Export price: $1 billion