- Rubis class submarine
The "Rubis" type is a class of first-generation nuclear 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
gemstone s.History
Although the "Rubis" belonged to the same generation as the "Redoutable" class, due to President
Charles De Gaulle insistence on acquiring a nuclear deterrent for France, the program was started only in 1974, after theSSBN program. The first of class Rubis was laid down in December 1976 and launched in 1979.AMETHYSTE Rebuild
The initial design of the "Rubis" proved to be problematic with unexpectedly high noise levels. This lead to the "Amethyste" silencing program (AMÉlioration Tactique HYdrodyanmique Silence Transmission Ecoute) which was applied to the fifth (S605 "Améthyste") and sixth (S606 "Perle") hulls.
The "Améthyste" and "Perle" were both longer that the original "Rubis", 73.6 metres as compared with 72 metres 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.
During the "Péan" inter-allied manoeuvres of 1998, "Casabianca" managed to sink USS "Eisenhower" and her "Ticonderoga" class escort cruiser [ [http://www.netmarine.net/bat/smarins/casabian/index.htm Sous-marin nucléaire d'attaque "Casabianca"] , netmarine.net]
Design
They have a computer central system for submarine detection, processing of information, and firing of weapons. The hull is made of 80 HLES high elasticity steel. The sonar dome and the conning tower are made of composite materials. The submarines have two crews, "Blue" and "Red", who man the ships every three months in turn.
They will be succeeded by the 2nd-generation "Barracuda" class.
Accidents
*S601 "Rubis" : 20 August 1993 - Collision with oil tanker "Lyria" [cite web | last=Simons | first=Marlis | year=1993 | month=August | title=Oil Spills as Nuclear Sub Hits a Tanker Off France | journal=New York Times | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE0DB123FF933A1575BC0A965958260 | accessdate=2008-06-14]
*S604 "Émeraude" : 30 March 1994 - Steam leaked, 10 casualties.Photographs
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-References
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