The Rubis class is a class of nuclear-powered attack submarines operated by the French Navy. It comprises 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 six submarines of the Rubis class are 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. Three of the six Rubis-class submarines, Saphir, Rubis and Casabianca have been decommissioned in 2019, 2022 and 2023 respectively.
Learn more on Wikipedia
[ITEMPRICE]