Between March 16th and 20th, an American underwater drone called the “Razorback” was tested off the coast of Toulon by the French Navy. The underwater drone was launched from the attack nuclear submarine Suffren, while submerged, according to CNEWS. The objective was to assess the submarine’s capability to deploy this type of drone for visual and acoustic reconnaissance before engaging in a riskier operation.
The underwater drone is supported by an external deck hangar equipped on the Suffren submarines. These removable hangars allow for the embarkation of small submarines, manned or unmanned, as mentioned by the Chief of Staff of the Navy, Nicolas Vaujour, during the Guerres et Paix forum. During these tests, the underwater drone was launched and recovered from this deck hangar, used for the first time in these tests. This hangar can also accommodate combat swimmers and specialized equipment.
Des capacités en développement
The underwater drone “Razorback” is actually a military alternative to the civilian drone Remus 620. Produced by the company Huntington Ingalls Industries, it is initially used for hydrographic missions. “Being able to launch a drone from a manned submarine opens up very interesting operational capabilities,” explains the admiral.
The purpose of this underwater drone is primarily to explore an area for reconnaissance, allowing the submarine to maintain a certain security distance. According to the official magazine Défense nationale, these tests conducted off the coast of Toulon demonstrate effective collaboration with the US Navy.
