Daphné-class submarine

French diesel-electric submarine class

The Daphné-class submarine was a class of the diesel-electric powered submarines designed and constructed by the French defense contractor, DCNS, for the French Navy in 1964. Marketed by the French government for the export market, the Daphné design went on to serve in South Africa while there were subclasses based on the Daphné design that were commissioned in the navies of Pakistan, Portugal, and Spain.

History

These submarines were enlarged versions of the Aréthuse class. Eleven were used by France. Boats of this design were sold to several other countries: Pakistan (3), Portugal (4), South Africa (3) and Spain (4). However, two (Eurydice 1970 and Minerve 1968) sank accidentally and brought sales to an end. The cause was eventually considered to have been a faulty snorkel design. The submarines were scrapped in the 1990s and Portugal sold one of its boats to Pakistan. PNS Hangor sank the Indian frigate INS Khukri during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war. Pakistan has now retired the submarine and is replacing it.

Design features

Besides its eight torpedo tubes forward, this submarine class has four in the stern. All are for torpedoes of the French 550 mm (21.7 in) diameter; while the forward tubes hold full-length torpedoes (either against ship either against submarine), the stern tubes hold only shortened ones (only against submarine, in autodefense).

The forward diving planes are located below the midplane of the hull. Unlike those of modern German submarines, which are similarly located, they function by tilting and cannot retract; neither do they fold.

Ships

French Navy

• S641 Daphné – completed 1964,decommissioned 1989
• S642 Diane – completed 1964, decommissioned 1989
• S643 Doris – completed 1964, decommissioned 1994
• S644 Eurydice – completed 1964 – lost in an accident on 4 March 1970
• S645 Flore – completed 1964, decommissioned 1989, preserved as museum ship in Lorient, France
• S646 Galatée – completed 1964, decommissioned 1991
• S647 Minerve – completed 1964, lost in an accident on 27 January 1968
• S648 Junon – completed 1966, decommissioned 1996
• S649 Vénus – completed 1966, decommissioned 1990
• S650 Psyché – completed 1970, decommissioned 1996
• S651 Sirène – completed 1970, decommissioned 1996

Pakistan Navy

The Pakistan Navy Hangor-class was formed of three submarines built in France and one acquired from Portugal in the mid-1970s

• S131 PNS Hangor – completed 1970, decommissioned 2006 and placed in Pakistan Maritime Museum
• S132 PNS Shushuk – completed 1970, decommissioned 2006
• S133 PNS Mangro – completed 1970, decommissioned 2006
• S134 PNS Ghazi - Portuguese Cachalote acquired in 1975, decommissioned 2006

Portuguese Navy

The four Albacora-class submarines of the Portuguese Navy were built in France using the Daphne design. They formed the 4th Submarine Flotilla.

South African Navy

Three submarines were built by France for South Africa.

• S97 SAS Maria van Riebeeck, renamed SAS Spear

completed 1970, decommissioned by 2003

• S98 SAS Emily Hobhouse, renamed SAS Umkhonto

completed 1970, decommissioned by 2003

• S99 SAS Johanna van der Merwe, renamed SAS Assegaai

completed 1971, decommissioned by 2003, converted to museum ship^[4]

Spanish Navy

Four submarines were built for the Spanish Navy by Bazan at Cartagena dockyard. In Spain is named Delfín class (S-60).

• S61 Delfín

completed 1973 – decommissioned 2003, since 2004 a museum ship at Torrevieja^[5]

• S62 Tonina

completed 1973. decommissioned 2005, to be museum ship at Cartagena^[6]

• S63 Marsopa

completed 1975. decommissioned 2006

• S64 Narval – completed 1975 – decommissioned 2003

Image gallery

• Daphné-class submarine Ghazi (S-134)
• 
  Psyché
• 
  Doris
• 
  Delfín

See also

• List of submarines of France

References

1. "NRP Albacora S163". 8 August 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
2. "Urban explorers sneak into an old submarine of the Portuguese Navy: the NRP Delfim S166". 31 May 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
3. "Urban explorers sneak into an old submarine of the Portuguese Navy: the NRP Delfim S166". 31 May 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
4. "Submarines". navy.mil.za. Archived from the original on 2006-09-27.
5. "Torrevieja in World First For Mobility Access". This is Torrevieja. 27 January 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
6. "Floating submarine proposal outlined for the seafront in Cartagena". Murcia Today. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.

External links

Media related to Daphné class submarine at Wikimedia Commons

• Sous-marin Minerve : Caractéristiques principales