French submarine Émeraude (S604)
Émeraude near 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 |
| Decommissioned | 12 December 2024 |
| Homeport | Toulon |
| Status | Decommissioned |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & 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) |
| Range | 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) |
| Test depth | over 300 m |
| Complement |
|
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys | ARUR 13 |
| Armament | |
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Émeraude was a nuclear attack submarine from the first generation of attack submarines of the French Navy. Having been in service since 1988, she was retired in 2024.
The boat was 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 Améthyste.
On 30 March 1994, an accidental explosion occurred in the engine compartment while the boat was engaged in a naval exercise off Toulon. 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.
In June 2009, 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.
In February 2021, the submarine successfully concluded a passage of the South China Sea.
In October 2024, Émeraude departed Toulon for the final time, transitting to Cherbourg for her decommissioning but taking part in exercises with the Moroccan Navy enroute. On 15 November 2024, the submarine arrived in Cherbourg to be decommissioned.