【Cherbourg-en】”It’s a heartache”: The nuclear attack submarine Emeraude arrives in Cherbourg for decommissioning

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Editor’s Note

After 36 years of service, the French nuclear attack submarine Emeraude has reached its final port. This article marks the end of its long operational journey.

Le sous-marin l'Emeraude a passé 19 ans en missions sous les mers du globe.
End of a long sea adventure

After 36 years of active service, the nuclear attack submarine (SNA) Emeraude arrived on Friday, November 15, 2024, at the naval base in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin (Manche) to be decommissioned. It had entered active service in September 1988.

A heartache and renewal
“It inevitably brings a heartache because we are very attached to it: it’s a human adventure with its tough moments and its moments of joy,” said Frigate Captain Yoann Jose-Maria, commander of the Emeraude, during a press meeting on Friday in Brest.
But “it’s also a sign that the French fleet is renewing itself to always achieve the highest possible operational performance,” added the officer.
Changing of the guard
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The Emeraude, 74 meters long with a crew of 70 sailors, is the fourth Rubis-class nuclear attack submarine (SNA) to be decommissioned, following the Saphir in 2019, the Rubis in 2022, and the Casabianca in 2023.
All Rubis-type SNAs are to be replaced by new-generation Suffren-class SNAs by 2030.
Equipped with nuclear propulsion, SNAs are tasked with protecting strategic assets such as the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle or the ballistic missile submarines (SNLE), which carry nuclear missiles. They also gather intelligence.

19 years under the seas
“It has sailed all the seas of the globe. That’s nearly 19 years under the surface of the seas, and over a hundred port calls in France and around the world. It has also circumnavigated the globe about sixty times, covering more than 2.4 million kilometers,” described Commander Jose-Maria.

On March 30, 1994, an accident in the engine compartment caused the death of ten sailors, including the commander, during a dive off Toulon.

Photo prise le 26 octobre 2000 en rade de Toulon, des membres de l'équipage posant sur le sous-marin nucléaire d'attaque (SNA) français Emeraude.
“We are their heirs and we pay tribute to them every year,” said the commander.
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⏰ Published on: November 12, 2024