At the Nalal Group shipyard in Cherbourg, the operation of docking the bow of the decommissioned nuclear submarine Saphir with the aft compartments of the same type of submarine Perle, which was severely damaged during a fire at the shipyard, began.
The French Defense Ministry considered four options for the future fate of the burnt-out submarine - including its disposal. As a result, we decided to transplant the bow compartments from another submarine, Saphir, which was withdrawn from the fleet in 2019.
For a unique operation, a digital model of the submarine has been created - it will help to accurately dock all communications and allow installers to rehearse their actions in advance.
After the nose transplant, the length of the Perle will increase by 1.4 meters - this is the volume of connecting boxes for cables and pipelines - the displacement of the ship will increase by 68 tons. The increased interior space will be used to expand the crew's living quarters.
The submarine is scheduled to return to service in 2023.
Anton Valagin
