American and French navy personnel launch an underwater drone from a French nuclear submarine in the Atlantic Ocean on Match 25, 2026. (Loren Nichols/Defense Department)
A French nuclear-powered submarine deployed a U.S. Navy underwater drone during recent trials off the coast of Toulon, the U.S. and French navies said.
The test involving a Razorback sea drone demonstrated that American unmanned systems can be operated from an allied submarine, achieving what the U.S. Navy called a “critical milestone” in integrating forces.
While the U.S. Navy conducts joint exercises with allies involving unmanned systems, deploying an American underwater drone from a partner nation’s submarine reflects a deeper level of integration between the two forces, the U.S. Navy said.
“The ability to deploy U.S. assets from allied submarines expands our operational reach and enhances our collective undersea warfare capabilities,” Commander, Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Group 1 said in a statement Thursday.
The unit operates and develops underwater drones. The Razorback is used by the Navy for environmental sensing, intelligence preparation and surveillance.
During the trials, a French Suffren-class attack submarine deployed the Razorback, the statement said.
Suffren-class submarines are equipped with a dry deck shelter, an external compartment typically used for transporting swimmer delivery vehicles and specialized equipment.
While remaining submerged, the submarines can also launch and recover underwater drones.
The trials were conducted March 16-20, according to the French navy, which said that the effort involved sharing technical data and procedures.
Neither navy provided additional details about the operation. Toulon is home to France’s main naval base.
The trials were conducted as part of a bilateral framework intended to improve coordination in high-end operations, according to Naval News.
American and French navy personnel launch an underwater drone from a French nuclear submarine in the Atlantic Ocean on Match 25, 2026. (Loren Nichols/Defense Department)
