France unveiled a new nuclear attack submarine Friday, called the Suffren, which President Emmanuel Macron said would usher in a new era for the countries naval forces.

The Suffren is the first of six new ‘Barracuda’ class submarines which have been in development since 2007, costing around €9bn.

They will replace the French navy’s Rubis class submarines which have been in service since the early 1980s.

The Suffren is ten-times quieter than the Rubis submarines, according to the French navy, making it far harder to detect.

It is capable of striking targets up to 1,000km away with cruise missile and has its own a mini submarine for use by special forces.

Tests underway

“The security of the French people depends on equipment of the highest standards, such as the Suffren,” Macron said as he inaugurated the 99-metre long vessel in Cherbourg.

“With cruise missiles, allowing deep-sea strikes, and capable of deploying special forces while submerged – the Suffren ushers in a new era for our submarine forces.”

The Suffren will now undergo sea trials, before being formally delivered to the French navy for deployment by summer 2020.