The Guêpe-class submarines, designed by Emmanuel Petithomme and built under French Minister of Marine Camille Pelletan's ministry, were solely intended for use in harbor defense.

[2][3] Neither of these were completed before Camille Pelletan was replaced as Minister of Marine and his successor cancelled their construction.

[2] If built, the Guêpe submarines would have been powered by one Schneider diesel engine driving a single shaft, which would have provided a top speed of 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph) when surfaced and 9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph) when submerged.

Each vessel would have had a range of 128 nautical miles (237 km; 147 mi) at 10.5 knots (19.4 km/h; 12.1 mph), while surfaced, and 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) when submerged, and had a crew of seven.

The vessels' armament would have consisted solely of two 450 mm (17.7 in) Drzewiecki drop collar torpedo launchers.