Representing the second French attempt at constructing a nuclear-powered attack submarine, the Rubis-class represented the first generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines of the French Navy. A total of five boats were constructed to this design, including Rubis (S601; commissioned in 1983), Saphir (S602; 1984), Casabianca (S603; 1987), and Émeraude (S604; 1988), with a plan to construct four additional. Only 73.6m long, these were compact vessels displacing 2,400 tons when surfaced and 2,600 tons when submerged. Powerplant included a pressurised water reactor CAS-48, which could accelerate them to at least 25 knots (46km/h). As far as is known, their armament never included nuclear warheads: centred on four tubes calibre 533mm, it consisted of F17 mod2 guided torpedoes and SM.39 Exocet submarine-launched anti-ship missiles. (Artwork by David Bocquelet)