What You Need to Know: The French Rubis-class submarine, Saphir, demonstrated its stealth prowess by sinking the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in a 2015 mock exercise. Initially on the carrier’s defense team, Saphir switched roles and penetrated the carrier’s defenses undetected, showcasing the capabilities of the compact Rubis class.

-Designed in the 1970s, these nuclear-powered submarines carry a potent arsenal of F17 torpedoes and SM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles, but early models faced noise issues.

-Modernized over time with upgrades like the Nemesis countermeasures system, the Rubis-class subs have started decommissioning as newer designs emerge.

The French Navy’s Rubis-class nuclear-powered attack submarine once sank a U.S. warship in a military drill.

In 2015, the French Ministry of Defense published a report revealing how one of its Rubis ships sank one of the American-made Nimitz aircraft carriers in a mock joint exercise in the North Atlantic.

During the collaborative drills, pretend states were tasked with attacking........

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