French submarine Saphir (S602)

Saphir was a first-generation nuclear attack submarine of the French Navy. Saphir was the second of the Rubis series. The boat was originally to be named Bretagne, but the name was changed to Saphir before commissioning in 1981.

For other ships with the same name, see French submarine Saphir.

History
France
Name: Le Saphir
Namesake: Sapphire
Laid down: 1 September 1979
Launched: 1 September 1981
Commissioned: 6 July 1984
Decommissioned: July 2019
Homeport: Toulon
Fate: Decommissioned July 2019[1]
General characteristics
Class and type: Rubis-class submarine
Displacement: 2600 t (2400 t surfaced)
Length: 73.6 m (241 ft)
Beam: 7.6 m (25 ft)
Draught: 6.4 m (21 ft)
Propulsion:
  • Pressurised water K48 nuclear reactor (48 MW (64,000 hp)) ; 2 turbo-alternators ; 1 electric motor (7 MW (9,400 hp)); one propeller
  • 1 diesel-alternator SEMT Pielstick 8 PA 4V 185 SM; one auxiliary engine, 5 MW (6,700 hp).
Speed: over 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Endurance: 45 days
Test depth: over 300 m (980 ft)
Complement:
  • 10 officers
  • 52 warrant officers
  • 8 petty officers
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • DMUX 20 multifonction
  • ETBF DSUV 62C towed antenna
  • DRUA 33 radar
Electronic warfare
& decoys:		 ARUR 16
Armament:

Service history

Between October 1989 and May 1991, the boat undertook a major refit which revolved around upgrades to the level of the lead vessel in the class, Améthyste.

In September 2001, the boat torpedoed and sank a target ship, the decommissioned destroyer D'Estrées, off Toulon.

On 6 March 2015 it was reported that in a later erased blogspot of the French Ministry of Defence that during a training exercise off Florida Saphir, in her role as part of the "enemy" attack group, had "sunk" the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and its escort.[3][4]

After 35 years of active service, Saphir was decommissioned in July 2019, making her the first Rubis-class SSN to be decommissioned. Saphir will be replaced by a new Barracuda-class SSN.[5]

Decorations

The fanion of Saphir and the men's boat were decorated with the Cross for Military Valour with bronze palm on June 5, 2012.

See also

Notes
  1. http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/203803/french-ssn-saphir-on-final-cruise-as-first-successor-nears-launch.html
  2. "SSN Rubis Amethyste Class, France". naval-technology.com. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  3. "U.S. aircraft carrier and part of its escort "sunk" by French submarine during drills off Florida". theaviationist.com. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  4. L'US Navy loue les aptitudes du SNA Saphir "à pénétrer les défenses", Ouest France
  5. Vavasseur, Xavier (6 July 2019). "Last Cruise For French Rubis-Class SSN 'Saphir' – 'Suffren' About To Take Over". Naval News. France. Retrieved 6 July 2019.

References



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