1981 SAPHIR The smallest of their type in the world, the Rubis-class boats were Frances first nuclear-powered attack submarines, appearing almost two decades after Britains prototype Valiant class.
THE SOUS-MAPJNS NUCLEATRES DATTAQUE (SNAS)
Rubis (formerly Provence), the class leader, was launched in July 1979, and within weeks Saphir (formerly Bretagne) was laid down in the same dock at the Cherbourg Naval Dockyard. She was launched exactly two years later on 1 September 1981. On 6 July 1984, Saphir joined the French Mediterranean Fleet at Toulon. The Saphir has a surface displacement of 2385 tons and displaces 2670 tons submerged. Her complement numbers 66.
ARMAMENT AND SYSTEMS
The Rubis-class boats have a single hull of high-resistance Mare) steel, which allows them to operate at depths of more than 300m (985ft). They are powered by a single reactor driving a single 9500hp electric motor via a steam turbine. They are equipped with four 550mm (21 .7in) bow tubes which can launch either L5/F1 7 wire-guided and active/passive homing torpedoes or SM-39 Exocet submarine-launched anti-ship missiles, which have a range of 50km (27 nautical miles).
TECHNICAL DATA
Type: Nuclear-powered attack submarine
Machinery: 1-shaft CAS48 nuclear reactor/exchanger and 1 electric motor delivering 9500shp
Dimensions: Length 72.lm (237ft); beam 7.6m (25ft)
Draught: 6.9m (23ft)
