Naval Warfare

A new life beckons for the blackened Perle

4th June 2021 - 17:00 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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The Perle submarine during repairs. (Photo: Naval Group)

Naval Group announces that the nuclear-powered attack submarine, the Perle, will be repaired and launched by June.

Naval Group has announced that The Perle will be launched in June, following the successful repair process.

The nuclear-powered attack submarine had been damaged after a fire occurred during a technical stop in Toulon.

The repair solution selected consisted of joining the rear of the Perle with the fore section of the Saphir, of the same submarine class, which had been removed from active service in 2019.

The work involved removing and dismounting the equipment in the cutting area to preserve its physical integrity throughout the operation.

The teams then performed electrical and alignment checks of all cables and repaired the collectors, which enables the back of the Perle to be joined to the front of the Saphir.

Over February and March, the teams in Cherbourg cut the two submarines open and prepared them for joining.

According to Shephard Defence Insight, the Perle belongs to the Rubis-class nuclear-powered submarines. These are the most compact nuclear submarines to date.

They are fitted with a K48 nuclear reactor and SEMT Pielstick 8 PA 4V 185 SM diesel generator, it gives the Rubis-class unlimited range, a top speed over 25kt and the ability to reach depths greater than 300m.