The Rubis-class Nuclear Attack Submarines are the first-generation of nuclear powered fast attack submarines of the French Navy. They are the most compact nuclear attack submarines to date. All submarines of the class (except for Casabianca) are named after gemstones.
The initial design of the Rubis proved to be problematic with unexpectedly high noise levels. This led to the Améthyste silencing program (AMÉlioration Tactique HYdrodynamique Silence Transmission Ecoute) which was applied to the fifth (S605 Améthyste) through twelfth (S612 Aventurine) hulls.
The Améthyste, Perle, Turquoise and Diamant were all longer that the original Rubis, 73.6 meters as compared with 72 meters and the program included upgrades to the sonar, reshaping of the hull form and bow to improve silencing and additional upgrades of the electronics. With the upgrades tested and proven, the original 4 boats were rebuilt to the same standards between 1989 to 1995.
Specifications[]
- Type: Nuclear powered Fast Attack Submarine
- Service Period: 1983-
- Characteristics
- Length: 241 feet 6 inches (73.61 meters)
- Beam: 25 feet (7.62 meters)
- Draught: 21 feet (6.4 meters)
- Displacement: 2,400 tons (Surfaced); 2,600 tons (Submerged)
- Crew: 70 (10 officers, 52 warrant officers, 8 petty officers)
- Depth: 985 feet (300.23 meters)
- Endurance: 45 days
- Speed: 33 knots (61.12 km/h)
- Propulsion:
- Pressurised water K48 nuclear reactor (48 MW)
- 2 turbo-alternators
- 1 electric engine (7 MW)
- one propeller
- 1 diesel-alternators SEMT Pielstick 8 PA 4V 185 SM
- one auxiliary engine, 5 MW.
- Sensor Suite:
- DMUX 20 active/passive ASDIC
- ETBF DSUV 62C towed array passive ASDIC
- DSUV 22 passive cylindrical array ASDIC with active transducer
- DRUA 33 RDF
- Countermeasures:
- ARUR 13
- Armament
- 4 x 533mm torpedo tubes (fires F17 Mod 2 torpedoes and SM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles)
Unit Run[]
Block I[]
- MN Rubis (S607)
- MN Saphir (S608)
- MN Casabianca (S609)
- MN Émeraude (S610)
Block II[]
- MN Améthyste (S611)
- MN Perle (S612)
- MN Turquoise (S613)
- MN Diamant (S614)
- MN Grenat (S615)
- MN Onyx (S616)
- MN Chrysobéryl (S617)
- MN Aventurine (S618)