Amethyst (S605)

**Amethysts**
Ship data
flag	France
Ship type	Submarine
class	Améthyste- class
home port	Toulon
Shipyard	DCN , Cherbourg
Keel laying	October 31, 1983
Launch	May 14, 1988
Commissioning	March 3, 1992
Ship dimensions and crew
length	73.6 m ( Lüa )
width	7.6 m
Draft	Max. 6.4 m
displacement	surfaced: 2,400 tn.l. ; submerged: 2,600 tn.l.
crew	70 men
Machine system
machine	K-48 pressurized water reactor (48 MW) ; diesel engine (5 MW)
Top ; speed	25 kn (46 km / h)
Mission data submarine
Duration of use	45 days
Immersion depth, max.	300 m
Armament
	4 × torpedo tube ⌀ 53.3 cm (torpedoes: F17 mod 2); Exocet marine target missile;

The Améthyste (S605) is a tactical nuclear submarine of the French Navy . The name is the acronym for "AMElioration Tactique, HydrodYnamique, Silence, Transmission, Ecoute", which means "tactical, hydrodynamic, noise suppression and propulsion development". The name also stands for the gemstone amethyst and was used for the first time for a French warship. The Améthyste is the fifth submarine of the Rubis class and represents a further development of the class, which is why it and its sister ship Perle are referred to as the Améthyste class in some sources . The four sister ships built earlier were modernized in the 1990s and raised to the technical level of the Améthyste .

The Améthyste is equipped with four 53.3 cm tubes for firing torpedoes against submarines and ships, as well as Exocet - guided missiles for fighting ships.

During the Kosovo war in 1999, the Améthyste was used together with the sister ship Rubis to secure the maritime attack forces of NATO . In addition, the sea area off Kotor was closed to Yugoslav shipping and educational work was carried out.

During the international military operation in Libya in 2011 , the Améthyste was stationed as part of the French "Task Force 473" off the Libyan coast without intervening in the fighting.

Web links

Commons : Améthyste - collection of images, videos and audio files

Rubis class at naval-technology.com ( Engl. )

literature

Chris Chant: Modern submarines technology-tactics-armament , Motorbuchverlag, Stuttgart, 1st edition 2005, ISBN 3-7276-7150-5
Robert Hutchinson: KAMPF UNDER WASSER - Submarines from 1776 to today , Motorbuchverlag, Stuttgart, 1st edition 2006, ISBN 3-613-02585-X
Werner Globke (ed.): Weyers Flottentaschenbuch / Warships of the World - Fleet Handbook , Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Bonn, 66th year 2005-2007, ISBN 3-7637-4517-3