French submarine Émeraude (S604)

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

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Émeraude.
Emeraude by Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer in early morning
History
France
Name: Émeraude
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:

The boat is the fourth of the Rubis series. Between May 1994 and December 1995, the boat undertook a major refitting, which upgraded capabilities 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. The boat 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]

See also

Notes and references
  1. 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. Archived from the original on 3 April 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2015 – via HighBeam Research.
  4. "10 Die in French Submarine Accident". The Buffalo News. 30 March 1994. Archived from the original on 10 April 2016 – via HighBeam Research.
  5. "More bodies found near Air France crash site". Reuters. 2009-06-07. Retrieved 2009-06-08.


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