A French defense contractor is showing off a submarine design unlike any other. Inspired by the sperm whale, the SMX-31, also known as the Electric, is heavily armed and supports a wide range of unmanned vehicles and can even function as a mothership to naval special forces. The submarine is also heavily automated, with a crew of just 15.

Unveiled at the Euronaval exhibition in Paris, SMX-31 breaks almost every convention of submarine design. The vessel lacks a conventional sail, giving it an organic, whale-like appearance—indeed, its design was influenced by the deep-diving sperm whale. It has retractable hydroplanes that fold into the hull, a hexagonal-patterned skin with built-in sensor antennas, and a pair of rim-drive propulsors (pump jets) housed in the stern of the craft.

Submarine authority HI Sutton, author of and the Covert Shores submarine blog, created a series of images of SMX-31, shared with Popular Mechanics here.

SMX-31 cutaway. Covert Shores

Internally, the sub is a two-hulled design, with a lighter outer and heavier inner hull. The ship is electrically powered, with lithium-ion batteries providing a power source instead of diesel engines or a nuclear reactor. Maximum diving depth is unknown but at least 800 feet.

The Electric can also act as a mothership for unmanned vehicles. It can launch unmanned aerial vehicles from a tethered launcher that floats to the surface while the submarine itself remains submerged. It will disgorge unmanned undersea vehicles from a rear hangar. SMX-31 will also accommodate underwater delivery vehicles such as the six-man Propulsor Sous-Marins 3rd Generation used by naval special forces to infiltrate coastal areas.

Propulsor Sous-Marins 3rd Generation submarine delivery vehicle. Covert Shores

SMX-31 carries a whopping 46 heavy torpedoes and missiles, including the F21 Artemis heavyweight torpedo and SCALP land-attack cruise missile recently used in NATO air strikes against Syria . The submarine has vertical launch silos in the bow and horizontally mounted stern-mounted launch tubes.

All of this capability is packed into a very small ship: The Electric is just 229 feet long and displaces 3,400 tons. The submarine will be able to operate at sea for 30 to 45 days, depending on battery capacity, with a maximum underwater speed of 20 knots. One reason such a small submarine can do so much is that it has a crew of just 15. Submarines smaller than SMX-13 typically have crews of 60 or more.

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