French submarine Émeraude (S604)

History
France
Namesake: Emerald
Laid down: October 1982
Launched: 12 April 1986
Commissioned: 15 September 1988
Homeport: Toulon
Fate: In active service
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) ; 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.
Speed: over 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range: 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi)
Test depth: over 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:
  • 4 × 533mm tubes.[1]
  • total mixed load of 14[1]
  • Mines

The Émeraude is a nuclear submarine from the first generation of attack submarines by the French Navy.

She is the fourth of the Rubis series. Between May 1994 and December 1995, she undertook a major refitting which upgraded her to the level of the Améthyste.

On 30 March 1994, an accidental explosion occurred in the engine compartment while the boat was engaged in a naval exercise off Toulon.[2] The explosion killed ten men, including the commander, who were examining the turbo-alternator room. She returned to base under diesel and battery power.[3][4]

In June 2009, the 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.[5]

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 3 4 http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/rubis/
  2. ↑ Riding, Alan (30 March 1994). "10 Are Killed In French Sub On Exercises". New York Times. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "10 Killed on French Submarine". Washington Post. 31 March 1994. Retrieved 17 May 2015 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
  4. ↑ "10 Die in French Submarine Accident". The Buffalo News. 30 March 1994 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
  5. ↑ "More bodies found near Air France crash site". Reuters. 2009-06-07. Retrieved 2009-06-08.


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