French SSN spent 19 years underwater?

[H_K]

Wondering if this a world record? The SSN Emeraude (4th of 6 Rubis class subs) is being retired next month after spending 19.3 years dived over a 37 year career.

That's 190 days dived each year on average, for a very long career. Seems like double crews can work really well to get maximum operational use... thoughts on whether USN or RN SSNs should also use double crews?

Le SNA Émeraude attendu à Cherbourg avant la mi-novembre | Mer et Marine

Après avoir fait ses adieux à Toulon le 8 octobre et participé à l’exercice franco-marocain Chébec, le sous-marin nucléaire d’attaque (SNA) Émerau...

www-meretmarine-com.translate.goog

During its 37-year career, the Emeraude will have sailed nearly 1.3 million nautical miles (60 times around the Earth), spent more than 169,000 hours dived (more than 19 years below the surface) and logged more than 6,900 days at sea (nearly 19 years).

 

[_Del_]

SSBN's already have Blue and Gold crews. Not sure what the breakdown is on effectiveness as there are some drawbacks, but the USN is moving that direction on some of its surface ships as well. So far the SSNs are not affected.

 

[DWG]

During its 37-year career, the Emeraude will have sailed nearly 1.3 million nautical miles (60 times around the Earth), spent more than 169,000 hours dived (more than 19 years below the surface) and logged more than 6,900 days at sea (nearly 19 years).

By my reckoning that's a minimum of 107 days spent submerged but not at sea....

 

[siegecrossbow]

Title makes it sound like it pulled a Flying Dutchman for 19 years.

 

[southwestforests]

Sounds like my Dad's USN career, out of 28 years in the Navy his at sea on deployment time added up to 13 years.

And he was not a submariner, started as a pilot then eyesight trouble forced a change to surface warfare.

 

[Archibald]

I think it is a matter of HEU vs LEU fuel (must have read that on this very forum, my bet is: on the heydays of the AUKUS thread). My understanding is that the french made a difference choice with pros and cons. One of them is, the submarine can spend much more time at sea. Can't remember the exact detail of the whole thing. Think it is related to swapping the reactor core during the ship lifetime.