Améthyste (S 605)

The "Améthyste" is an attack nuclear submarine of the French Navy, the fifth of the "Rubis" type. Her name is a pun on a precious stone (Amethyst) and the acronym "AMElioration Tactique, HydrodYnamique, Silence, Transmission, Ecoute" ("Tactical, hydrodynamics, silence and transmission improvements"). She is the first vessel of the French Navy to bear the name.

She is a major upgrade upon the initial design of the "Rubis" type, and earlier units have since been refitted to meet her standards.

The "Améthyste" also took part in "Opération Trident", the 1999 bombing campaign over Yugoslavia, by protecting the aeronaval group. Along with the "Rubis", she was one of the two submarines who interdicted the Kotor straights to the Serbian Navy, thus effectively forbidding its use. She also gathered information for the coalition [fr [http://www.netmarine.net/bat/smarins/amethyst/actu.htm Histoire et actualités du SNA "Améthyste"] , Netmarine.net] [fr [http://www.netmarine.net/bat/smarins/amethyst/index.htm Sous-marin nucléaire d'attaque "Améthyste"] , Netmarine.net] .

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