French submarine Améthyste

Améthyste (French: [ametist]; "Amethyst") is a nuclear-powered attack submarine of the French Navy, the fifth of the Rubis type. The boat is a major upgrade upon the initial design of the Rubis type, and earlier units have since been refitted to meet her standards.

Améthyste arriving in Norfolk, Virginia
History
France
Name	Améthyste
Namesake	Amethyst
Laid down	31 October 1983
Launched	14 May 1988
Commissioned	3 March 1992
In service	20 March 1992
Homeport	Toulon
Status	In active service
General characteristics
Class & type	Rubis-class submarine
Displacement	2,600 t (2,559 long tons) 2,400 t (2,362 long tons) surfaced
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 K48 nuclear reactor (48 MW), LEU 7%;[1] 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 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi)
Endurance	60 days
Test depth	over 300 m (980 ft)
Complement	8 officers 52 warrant officers 8 petty officers
Sensors & processing systems	DMUX 20 multifunction ETBF DSUV 62C tugged antenna DSUV 22 microphone system DRUA 33 radar
Electronic warfare & decoys	ARUR 13
Armament	4 × 533 mm (21 in) tubes[2] total mixed load of 14; F17 mod2 torpedoes Exocet SM39 Mines

Service history

Améthyste entering Portsmouth Naval Base, UK

Améthyste took part in Operation Allied Force, the 1999 bombing campaign over Yugoslavia, by protecting the NATO aeronaval group. Along with Rubis, the boat was one of the two submarines that interdicted the Kotor straits to the Serbian Navy, thus effectively forbidding their use. The boat also gathered information for the coalition.^[3][4]

The submarine Améthyste was part of the French naval task group led by the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle that departed Toulon on 30 October 2010 for a four-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf.^[5][6] The task group commander, Rear Admiral Jean-Louis Kerignard, defined force's mission as follows:

"The force would help allied navies fight piracy off the coast of Somalia and send jets to support NATO in the skies above Afghanistan."^{[citation needed]}

Once on station, the Charles de Gaulle carrier task group joined two U.S. Navy carrier strike groups led by the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Harry S. Truman operating in the Persian Gulf.^{[citation needed]} Subsequently, between 7–14 January 2011, the French carrier task group led by Charles de Gaulle participated with bilateral naval exercise, code named Varuna 10, with the Indian Navy. Indian naval units participating in Varuna 10 included the aircraft carrier Viraat, the frigates Godavari and Ganga; and the diesel-electric submarine Shalki. Varuna 10 was a two-phase naval exercise, with the harbor phase taking place between 7–11 January and the sea phase between 11 and 14 January in the Arabian Sea.^[6]

In December 2022, the submarine was reported operating in the Atlantic and paid a rare visit to the Clyde naval base in Scotland.^[7]

Decorations

The fanion of Améthyste is decorated:

• Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures with 1 bronze star;
• Cross for Military Valour with 1 palm.