The Daphné-class submarine was a class of the diesel-electric powered submarines designed and constructed 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. The submarines were in operation between 1964 and the late 1990s, their service lives being extended to fill the capability gap until the newer French nuclear submarines became available. Two French submarines were lost and a third was sunk, but was salvaged.
These submarines were developed from the preceding by the French Navy. Larger than the Aréthuse class, they were a second class counterpart to the ocean-going Narval class. Their design emphasized maneuverability, low noise production and ease of maintenance. As a result, the submarines were extremely quiet when submerged. Their maintenance system was based on modular replacement which led to low crew numbers, but also led to no reloads for their torpedo complement.
Submarines of the Daphné class in French service measured 57.75m (189.47feet) long overall with a beam of and a draught of . They had a standard displacement of 700MT, and displaced surfaced and submerged. The submarines had a double hull and had a complement of 6 officers and 39 sailors.
Each vessel of the class was fitted with two SEMT-Pielstick diesel engines, with two 450-kilowatt diesel generator sets, and two electric motors turning two shafts creating 1000shp sustained with the ability to create for short periods. The first seven boats were given the SEMT-Pielstick 12 PA1 diesel engine type, while the final two hulls were given the SEMT-Pielstick 12 PA4-135 type. The submarines had a diving depth of and could remain at sea for 30 days. Daphné-class submarines had a maximum speed of 13.5kn surfaced and submerged with a range of 4300nmi at while snorkelling.
The submarines were equipped with twelve torpedo tubes, eight located in the bow and four located in the stern. The submarines was armed with twelve 550adj=onNaNadj=on torpedoes and no reloads. Each submarine sported one DRUA 33 radar and DUUA 1 sonar. Beginning in 1971, the boats were modernized and given the DUUA 2B search and attack sonar located in a dome situated atop the bow. They also received the updated DLT D3 torpedo fire control system. The submarines also mounted DSUV 2 passive sonar and DUUX 2 acoustic telemeter.
Constructed at three shipyards in France, the first entered service in 1964 and the last in 1970. Two French submarines were lost; Minerve in 1968 and Eurydice in 1970. All of the remaining submarines underwent modernization beginning in 1971. Sirène sank in 1972 at Lorient, but was salvaged. The boats were planned for disposal in the 1980s, however, the slow delivery of their nuclear submarine replacements led to their careers being extended.
| French Daphné-class submarine construction data | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull no. | Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
| S641 | Chantiers Dubigeon, Nantes | March 1958 | 20 June 1959 | 1 June 1964 | Decommissioned 1989 | |
| S642 | July 1958 | 4 October 1960 | 20 June 1964 | Decommissioned 1988 | ||
| S643 | Cherbourg Naval Dockyard, Cherbourg | September 1958 | 14 May 1960 | 26 August 1964 | Decommissioned 1994 | |
| S644 | 19 June 1962 | 26 September 1964 | Sank on 4 March 1970 | |||
| S645 | September 1958 | 14 May 1960 | 26 August 1964 | Decommissioned 1989, preserved as museum ship in Lorient, France | ||
| S646 | September 1958 | 22 September 1961 | 25 July 1964 | Decommissioned 1991 | ||
| S647 | Chantiers, Dubigeon, Nantes | 31 May 1961 | 10 June 1964 | Sank 27 January 1968 | ||
| S648 | Cherbourg Naval Dockyard, Cherbourg | July 1961 | 11 May 1964 | 25 February 1966 | Decommissioned 1996 | |
| S649 | August 1961 | 24 September 1964 | 1 June 1966 | Decommissioned 1990 | ||
| S650 | Brest Naval Dockyard, Brest | May 1965 | 28 June 1967 | 1 July 1969 | Decommissioned 1996 | |
| S651 | May 1965 | 28 June 1967 | 1 March 1970 | Decommissioned 1996 | ||
Following the end of World War II, the export market for warships had changed. Gone were the old purveyors of export warships like Italy and the US only sold used designs. This left the United Kingdom and France as the only countries with the extra shipbuilding capability to build ships for export. In the 1960s, the United Kingdom offered the and the French offered the Daphné class. The Oberons were more expensive and more difficult to operate. Smaller navies opted for the Daphnés or in the case of Spain, were rejected by the United Kingdom.
The Pakistan Navy Daphné-class submarines, sometimes dubbed the Hangor class, were three submarines built in France for Pakistan and one acquired from Portugal in 1975. The first three hulls ordered were the first ever submarines constructed for Pakistan. The Hangor class used the 12 PA4-135 type diesel engines and had a complement of 5 officers and 45 sailors. Their interior differed from the French model in order to meet Pakistan's requirements. The fourth hull was acquired from Portugal in 1975. PNS Hangor sank the Indian frigate during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war. In the late 1980s, the vessels had the capability of launching submarine-launched anti-ship missiles added, making them able to fire Harpoon missiles. Pakistan has now retired the submarines and is replacing them.
| Hangor-class submarine construction data | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull no. | Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
| S131 | Brest Naval Dockyard, Brest | 1 December 1967 | 28 June 1967 | 12 January 1970 | Decommissioned January 2006[1] and placed in Pakistan Maritime Museum | |
| S132 | C.N. Ciotat, Le Trait | 1 December 1967 | 30 July 1969 | 12 January 1970 | Decommissioned January 2006 | |
| S133 | 8 July 1968 | 7 February 1970 | 8 August 1970 | Decommissioned January 2006 | ||
| S134 | Acquired in December 1975, former Portuguese NRP Cachalote | 17 January 1977 | Decommissioned January 2006 | |||
See main article: article and Albacora-class submarine. The four Albacora-class submarines of the Portuguese Navy were ordered in 1964 and built in France using the Daphné design with some modifications to meet Portuguese requirements. The submarines were of prefabricated design with component sections being constructed between 1 October 1964 and 6 September 1965. The four vessels were equipped with the SEMT-Pielstick 12 PA1 diesel engines. The submarines were fitted for operating in tropical waters. In 1975 Portugal sold Cachalote to Pakistan.
| Albacora-class submarine construction data | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennant | Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
| S163 | Chantiers Dubigeon, Nantes | 6 September 1965 | 13 October 1966 | 1 October 1967 | Decommissioned 2000. Sunk at moorings and scrapped, 2011[2] [3] | |
| S164 | 19 October 1965 | 24 April 1967 | 4 May 1968 | Decommissioned 2010. Preserved in Lisbon | ||
| S165 | 27 October 1966 | 16 February 1968 | 25 January 1969 | Sold in December 1975 to Pakistan | ||
| S166 | 14 May 1967 | 23 September 1968 | 1 October 1969 | Decommissioned 2005 | ||
After South Africa became a republic in 1961, the country was forced to leave the Commonwealth and the United Kingdom refused to sell weapons to the country. South Africa turned to France and in conjunction with the construction of a submarine base at Simon's Town, acquired three Daphné hulls in 1967.[4] These were the first submarines ever constructed for South Africa. Upon completion of the first ship, the three vessels were sometimes referred to as the Maria van Riebeeck class. They had a complement of 47, including 6 officers. The submarines were modernized locally, receiving updated sonar and displays in the 1980s, with Emily Hobhouse finishing the refit in 1988, Johanna van der Merwe in 1990 and Maria van Riebeeck in 1992. In 1980, South Africa attempted to acquire two of Portugal's hulls.
| South African submarine construction data | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull no. | Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
| S97 | (ex-Maria van Riebeeck) | Chantiers Dubigeon, Nantes | 14 March 1968 | 18 March 1969 | 22 June 1970 | Sold for scrap 2002 |
| S98 | (ex-Emily Hobhouse) | 18 November 1968 | 24 October 1969 | 25 January 1971 | Scrapped 2003[5] | |
| S99 | (ex-Johanna van der Merwe) | 24 April 1969 | 21 July 1970 | 21 July 1971 | Decommissioned 2003, converted to museum ship 2008 | |
As part of Spain's attempt to build up their shipbuilding industry in the post-World War II era, they sought to learn techniques from various nations by acquiring ships from them, such as American destroyers and submarines. Initially, the Spanish sough to acquire British Oberon-class submarines but failed to complete a deal after receiving a negative reaction from the British. The Spanish turned to the French and in an agreement signed on 16 July 1966, acquired the right to build Daphné-class submarines under license in Spain with design aid from France. Designated the Delfín class or the S-60 class by Spain, the vessels were of a modified design, measuring long with a draught of and displacing surfaced and submerged. The first two hulls were ordered in December 1966, followed by two more in March 1970. A fifth hull was planned, but never ordered. All four submarines were by built by Bazan at their Cartagena dockyard. The submarines were modernized at Cartagena between 1983 and 1988 where the navy replaced their DUUA 1 sonar forward with the DUUA 2A model and updated the torpedo fire control. The DUUA 2 was mounted forward in a dome on the bow like on the French submarines while the submarines kept the DUUA-1D sonar at the rear.
| Delfin / S-60-class submarine construction data | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennant | Name | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Fate |
| S61 | Bazan, Cartagena | 13 August 1968 | 25 March 1972 | 3 May 1973 | Decommissioned 2003, since 2004 a museum ship at Torrevieja[6] | |
| S62 | 2 March 1970 | 3 October 1972 | 10 July 1973 | Decommissioned 2005, museum ship at Cartagena[7] | ||
| S63 | 19 March 1971 | 15 March 1974 | 12 April 1975 | Decommissioned 2006. Sold for scrap. | ||
| S64 | 24 April 1972 | 14 December 1974 | 22 November 1975 | Decommissioned 2003. Sold for scrap. | ||