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As for each edition, our teams will take turns presenting our innovations and activities to our customers and partners. Let’s take a closer look at underwater weapons, more specifically the F21® heavyweight torpedo.
The F21®, a new-generation heavyweight torpedo equipped with significantly enhanced performances aims to replace the F17. This new model stems from the French Defence Procurement Agency’s (DGA) Artemis program. As stipulated in the order, the torpedo must be scalable, in anticipation of future needs. Simply upgrading the F17 would not have sufficed to meet this condition which calls for a complete technological break. Naval Group teams, backed by over 100 years of experience in the field of torpedoes, engaged in the development of a new generation of heavyweight torpedoes in 2007. Today, the F21® is one of the best worldwide. It secures the combat superiority of navies in the face of the most highly evolved naval threats (ships and submarines) thanks to its latest generation technology, its performances are stellar in terms of detection, speed and endurance. It also comes with the assurance of a high level of reliability and safety. Thanks to its onboard intelligence, it can manoeuvre and orient itself in complex spaces. “This is a great advantage indeed given that the theatre of many conflicts is now moving over to coastal environments”, underlines Antoine Kauffman, Operational Marketing Manager on the Naval Group site of Saint-Tropez. “Furthermore, it is designed for very long-distance engagements thanks to its own sensors and those of the submarine they can be coupled with to enhance the tactical situation. This is yet another advantage”.
Reliability, invulnerability, lethality
The F21® has been qualified for all classes of French submarines, nuclear attack submarines (SSN) and nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) since 2019. Brazil too has selected this torpedo to arm its four Scorpène® submarines. While the F21® is a part of the baseline offer for Naval Group submarines, it can also be integrated onboard other submarines, notably within the framework of upgrades. Why choose this torpedo? According to the Development Department Manager in Saint-Tropez, Loïc de Monsabert,“Three key terms describe a weapon’s military capability - reliability, invulnerability and lethality. This torpedo’s reliability is undeniable. We’ve undertaken over a hundred trials at sea, enabling us to correct preliminary shortcomings and develop it further. As far as invulnerability is concerned, the highest standards of cybersecurity have been applied to its various software packages, shielding its system from any possible intrusion aimed at changing its course or mission. Furthermore, close attention has been paid to acoustics to ensure that the torpedo is not detected before striking its target. We might also add that its intelligence protects it from being lured by countermeasures. Lastly, as far as lethality is concerned, thanks to its endurance which supports long-lasting missions, it is capable of reaching distant targets or being redirected to another target in the course of its mission or even engaging in several attacks if the first fails. The F21®, which is now in its maturity stage, is also scalable; we are already preparing for the future - that’s going to be our message at Euronaval”.
About Naval Group
As an international naval defence player, Naval Group (naval-group.com) is a partner for countries seeking to maintain control of their maritime sovereignty. Naval Group develops innovative solutions to meet its customers’ requirements. Present throughout the entire life cycle of vessels, it designs, produces, integrates, supports and upgrades submarines and surface ships, as well as their systems and equipment, up to and including dismantling. It also provides shipyard and naval base services. As a high-tech company, it draws on its outstanding expertise, unique design and production resources and ability to establish strategic partnerships, in particular within the framework of transfers of technology. Ever mindful of the issues of corporate social responsibility (CSR), Naval Group is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact. With bases on five continents, the group generates revenue of 4,257 billion euros and has 16 325 employees (average annual full-time equivalent workforce - data as of December 31, 2023).
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