Sirène-class submarine (1901)

Not to be confused with Sirène-class submarine (1925).

The Sirène class consisted of four submarines built for the French Navy during the first decade of the 20th century. They played a minor role in the First World War.

Sirène, c. 1909
Class overview
Name	Sirène class
Builders	Arsenal de Cherbourg
Operators	French Navy
Preceded by	Narval
Succeeded by	Morse class
Completed	4
Scrapped	4
General characteristics (as built)
Type	Submarine
Displacement	157 t (155 long tons) (surfaced) 213 t (210 long tons) (submerged)
Length	32.5 m (106 ft 8 in) (o/a)
Beam	3.9 m (12 ft 10 in)
Draft	2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Installed power	1 × du Temple boiler 250 ihp (190 kW) (steam engine) 100 bhp (75 kW) (electric motor)
Propulsion	1 × shaft; 1 × triple-expansion steam engine 1 × electric motor
Speed	9.75 knots (18.1 km/h; 11.2 mph) (surfaced) 5.8 knots (10.7 km/h; 6.7 mph) (submerged)
Range	535 nmi (991 km; 616 mi) at 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph) surfaced 52 nmi (96 km; 60 mi) at 3.4 knots (6.3 km/h; 3.9 mph) submerged
Complement	12
Armament	2 × external 450 mm (17.7 in) Drzewiecki drop collars 2 × external Tissier 450 mm torpedo launchers

Design and description

Improved versions of the Narval designed by Maxime Laubeuf, the Sirènes were double hulled, with the outer hull only covering the sides of the inner hull to make them easier to build and maintain over their predecessor. They were also required to have the ability to conduct a 36-hour raid in the English Channel. The boats displaced 157 metric tons (155 long tons) on the surface and 213 metric tons (210 long tons) submerged. They had an overall length of 32.5 meters (106 ft 8 in), a beam of 3.9 meters (12 ft 10 in), and a draft of 2.5 meters (8 ft 2 in). Their crew numbered 2 officers and 12 enlisted men.^[1]

On the surface, the Sirènes were powered by a 250-indicated-horsepower (190 kW) vertical triple-expansion steam engine that used steam from a du Temple boiler to drive the single propeller shaft. A single 100-shaft-horsepower (75 kW) electric motors powered the boats underwater. The submarines were designed to reach a maximum speed of 9.75 knots (18.06 km/h; 11.22 mph) on the surface and 5.8 knots (10.7 km/h; 6.7 mph) underwater. During her sea trials Sirène attained 9.8 knots (18.1 km/h; 11.3 mph) from 288 ihp (215 kW) on the surface and 5.9 kn (10.9 km/h; 6.8 mph) from 121 shp (90 kW) while submerged. The boats were provided with 4.5 metric tons (4 long tons) of fuel oil that gave them a surfaced range of 535 nautical miles (991 km; 616 mi) at 6.9 knots (12.8 km/h; 7.9 mph); their batteries gave the submarines a range of 52 nmi (96 km; 60 mi) at 3.4 knots (6.3 km/h; 3.9 mph) under water.^[2]

The Sirène class was armed with two external 450-millimeter (17.7 in) Tissier torpedo launchers and two external 450 mm Drzewiecki drop collar. The Tissier torpedo launchers were replaced by fixed torpedo launchers in 1906.^[2]

Ships

Ship	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned
Sirène (Q5)	28 August 1900	4 May 1901	14 December 1901
Triton (Q6)		13 July 1901	1 June 1902
Espadon (Q13)	1900	7 September 1901	21 July 1902
Silure (Q14)		29 October 1901	1 June 1902

See also

• List of submarines of France