French submarine Saphir (S602)
 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Name: | Le Saphir |
| Namesake: | Sapphire |
| Laid down: | 1 September 1979 |
| Launched: | 1 September 1981 |
| Commissioned: | 6 July 1984 |
| 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: |
|
| Speed: | over 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) |
| Endurance: | 45 days |
| Test depth: | over 300 m (980 ft) |
| Complement: |
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| Sensors and processing systems: |
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| Electronic warfare & decoys: | ARUR 16 |
| Armament: |
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Le Saphir is a first-generation nuclear attack submarine of the French Navy. The boat was to be named Bretagne, however was renamed Le Saphir in 1981 before commissioning.
The boat is the second of the Rubis series. 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.
Service history
In September 2001, the boat torpedoed and sank the ex-destroyer D'Estrées expended as a target ship off Toulon.
On 6 March 2015 it was reported that in a later erased blogspot of the French Navy and Defense Ministry that during a recent 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.[2]
Decorations
The fanion of Le Saphir and the men's boat were decorated with the Cross for Military Valour with bronze palm on June 5, 2012.
See also
Notes
- ↑ "SSN Rubis Amethyste Class, France". naval-technology.com. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
- ↑ "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.