Améthyste

Améthyste (French: [ametist]; "Amethyst") is a nuclear-powered attack submarine of the French Navy, the fifth of the Rubis type. The boat is a major upgrade upon the initial design of the Rubis type, and earlier units have since been refitted to meet her standards. With the decommissioning of her sister boat Perle in 2026, she is the last vessel of her class in active service.

Background and design

Service history

Améthyste took part in Operation Allied Force, the 1999 bombing campaign over Yugoslavia, by protecting the NATO aeronaval group. Along with Rubis, the boat was one of the two submarines that interdicted the Kotor straits to the Serbian Navy, thus effectively forbidding their use. The boat also gathered information for the coalition. The submarine Améthyste was part of the French naval task group led by the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle that departed Toulon on 30 October 2010 for a four-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf. The task group commander, Rear Admiral Jean-Louis Kerignard, defined force's mission as follows: "The force would help allied navies fight piracy off the coast of Somalia and send jets to support NATO in the skies above Afghanistan." Once on station, the Charles de Gaulle carrier task group joined two U.S. Navy carrier strike groups led by the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Harry S. Truman operating in the Persian Gulf. Subsequently, between 7–14 January 2011, the French carrier task group led by Charles de Gaulle participated with bilateral naval exercise, code named Varuna 10, with the Indian Navy. Indian naval units participating in Varuna 10 included the aircraft carrier Viraat, the frigates Godavari and Ganga; and the diesel-electric submarine Shalki. Varuna 10 was a two-phase naval exercise, with the harbor phase taking place between 7–11 January and the sea phase between 11 and 14 January in the Arabian Sea. It is anticipated that Améthyste will be withdrawn from service in 2027.

== Decorations == The fanion of Améthyste is decorated:

Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures with 1 bronze star; Cross for Military Valour with 1 palm.

== In fiction == Améthyste is featured along with the French SSBN Le Téméraire in the 2019 The Wolf's Call film.

Notes and references

Citations

=== Sources === Couhat, Jean Labayle, ed. (1986). Combat Fleets of the World 1986/87. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85368-860-5. Jordan, John (1995). "France". In Chumbley, Stephen (ed.). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 95–131. ISBN 1-55750-132-7. Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009–2010 (112 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 978-0-7106-2888-6. Wertheim, Eric, ed. (2013). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World (16th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9-7-815911-4954-5.