December 21, 200619 yr From DefenseNews Posted 12/21/06 14:59 France Orders Six Nuclear Subs By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, PARIS The French government ordered six Barracuda nuclear submarines on Dec. 21 for 7.9 billion euros ($10.4 billion), the defense ministry said. The attack submarines, which are propelled by nuclear power but do not carry nuclear weapons, have been ordered from France’s state-owned naval shipyards DCN and from Areva-Technicatome and were due to be delivered from 2016. ”The Barracuda program constitutes an essential part of (France’s) submarine fleet for the next 50 years,” a ministry statement said. The new subs are due to replace France’s Rubis-type models, some of which have been in service for 20 years. French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie had said in October that the contract for the new program was to be ratified by the end of the year.
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