French submarine Émeraude (S604)

Émeraude is a nuclear attack submarine from the first generation of attack submarines of the French Navy. Having been in service since 1988, she is scheduled to be retired in 2024.[3]

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Émeraude.
Émeraude near Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer in early morning
History
France
NameÉmeraude
NamesakeEmerald
Laid downOctober 1982
Launched12 April 1986
Commissioned15 September 1988
HomeportToulon
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
Class and typeRubis-class submarine
Displacement2600 t (2400 t surfaced)
Length73.6 m (241 ft)
Beam7.6 m (25 ft)
Draught6.4 m (21 ft)
Propulsion
  • Pressurised water K48 nuclear reactor (48 MW), LEU 7%;[1] 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.
Speedover 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi)
Test depthover 300 m
Complement
  • 10 officers
  • 52 warrant officers
  • 8 petty officers
Sensors and
processing systems
  • DMUX 20 multifonction
  • ETBF DSUV 62C tugged antenna
  • DSUV 22 microphone system
  • DRUA 33 radar
Electronic warfare
& decoys		ARUR 13
Armament

The boat is the fourth of the Rubis series. Between May 1994 and December 1995, the boat undertook a major refitting, which upgraded capabilities to the level of Améthyste.

On 30 March 1994, an accidental explosion occurred in the engine compartment while the boat was engaged in a naval exercise off Toulon.[4] The explosion killed ten men, including the commander, who were examining the turbo-alternator room. The boat returned to base under diesel and battery power.[5][6]

Tampion of Émeraude

In June 2009, Émeraude was sent to the mid Atlantic to aid in the search for the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from the ill-fated Air France Flight 447.[7]

In February 2021, the submarine successfully concluded a passage of the South China Sea.[8]

See also

Notes and references
  1. McCord, Cameron (June 2013), "Examination of the Proposed Conversion of the U.S. Navy Nuclear Fleet from Highly Enriched Uranium to Low Enriched Uranium", Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Archived 2023-05-19 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "SSN Rubis Amethyste Class – Naval Technology". Archived from the original on 2014-12-08. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
  3. Groizeleau, Vincent (5 September 2023). "Le SNA Casabianca achève son dernier voyage à Cherbourg". Mer et Marine. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  4. Riding, Alan (30 March 1994). "10 Are Killed In French Sub On Exercises". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  5. "10 Killed on French Submarine". The Washington Post. 31 March 1994. Archived from the original on 3 April 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  6. "10 Die in French Submarine Accident". The Buffalo News. 30 March 1994. Archived from the original on 10 April 2016.
  7. "More bodies found near Air France crash site". Reuters. 2009-06-07. Archived from the original on 2009-06-08. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
  8. "Indo-Pacific: French nuclear sub prowls South China Sea". Nikkei Shinbun. 10 February 2020. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
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