Rubis-class submarine

Améthyste in August 2021
Class overview
Name	Rubis class
Builders	Arsenal de Cherbourg (DCAN)
Operators	Marine Nationale
Preceded by	Daphné class Agosta class
Succeeded by	Suffren class
Built	1976–1990
In commission	1983–present
Planned	8
Completed	6
Cancelled	2
Active	2
Retired	4
General characteristics
Type	Nuclear-powered attack submarine
Displacement	2,400 t (2,400 long tons) (surfaced) 2,600 t (2,600 long tons) (submerged)
Length	73.6 m (241 ft 6 in)
Beam	7.6 m (24 ft 11 in)
Draught	6.4 m (21 ft 0 in)
Propulsion	Pressurised water CAS-48 nuclear reactor (48 MW), LEU 7% 2 propulsion turbo generators (2 x 3,150 kW) 1 electric motor (8,448 shp); 1 shaft 1 auxiliary diesel generator SEMT Pielstick 8PA4V185SM (450 kW)
Speed	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range	Unlimited distance; 20–25 years
Endurance	45 days
Test depth	>300 m (980 ft)
Sensors and processing systems	DMUX 20 active/passive sonar ETBF DSUV 62C towed array passive sonar DSUV 22 passive cylindrical array sonar with active transducer DRUA 33 radar
Electronic warfare & decoys	ARUR 13
Armament	4 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes 14 of mixed capacity of the following F17 mod2 torpedoes F21 Artemis torpedoes (Perle after rebuild) Exocet SM39 anti-ship missiles mines

The Rubis class is a class of nuclear-powered attack submarines operated by the French Navy. It originally comprised six boats, the first entering service in 1983 and the last in 1993. Two additional units originally planned were cancelled as a result of post-Cold War budget cuts. All submarines of the Rubis class have been based at Toulon and are part of the Escadrille de sous-marins nucléaires d'attaque. Smaller than contemporary designs of other major world navies, the Rubis class shares many of its system designs with the conventionally-powered Agosta class. In the late 1980s, the Rubis class was proposed to Canada in the context of their plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

The submarines of the class were built in two batches, with the final two built to an improved standard to reduce noise emissions that plagued the original design. Dubbed the AMÉTHYSTE rebuild, the first four hulls were refitted to its standard until they were practically indistinguishable from the final two hulls.

The Rubis class is being phased out and replaced with a new generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines, the Suffren class. The lead boat, Suffren, entered operational service in June 2022. Four of the six Rubis-class submarines, Saphir, Rubis, Casabianca and Émeraude have been decommissioned in 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024 respectively.