Perle ready to resume overhaul after fire repairs
Perle during repairs at Cherbourg. (Photo: Naval Group)
The Perle of France’s fleet has taken another step closer to returning to service.
The French MoD has announced that the fire-damaged Rubis-class submarine Perle will recommence overhaul works following extensive repairs.
Catastrophic fire damage in 2020 led Naval Group to join the aft of Perle with the front of another Rubis-class submarine Saphir.
The fire occurred in Toulon, after which the submarine was transported to Cherbourg to undergo repairs.
Perle is now being transferred to Toulon to resume major refit work before re-joining the French fleet in 2023.
On October 25, French Defence Minister Florence Parly wrote on Twitter: ‘In the aftermath of the fire in Toulon in June 2020, I declared that if the Perle was repairable, it would be repaired.
‘Today the Perle is repaired. Let us be proud of this essential first step. The Perle nuclear attack submarine will be operational in 2023.’
France’s Rubis-class submarines are equipped with a K48 nuclear reactor and SEMT Pielstick 8 PA 4V 185 SM diesel generator, giving the boats unlimited range and a top speed of over 25kt.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Force renewal in the Royal Canadian Navy opens long-term opportunities for suppliers]()
Force renewal in the Royal Canadian Navy opens long-term opportunities for suppliers
Canada's ambitious naval modernisation plans are creating major maritime procurement opportunities, with future programmes also promising long-term work for domestic and international shipbuilders.
-
![The unanswered design question at the heart of India’s P75I submarine programme]()
The unanswered design question at the heart of India’s P75I submarine programme
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems is edging toward an India submarine deal, but an unverified claim of a radically new hull design – at odds with the proven lineage it has marketed to Canada – has yet to be resolved.
-
![Canada’s selection of TKMS for its new patrol submarines reflects rising Arctic competition]()
Canada’s selection of TKMS for its new patrol submarines reflects rising Arctic competition
The decision points to deepening NATO cooperation and mounting competition in the Arctic and North Atlantic, as Canada opts for a European-designed solution despite interest from South Korea.
