The French navy has salvaged a nuclear submarine that suffered a fire that left it structurally unsound — at least in the front half.
The navy decided since half the sub was still good, they’d save some resources by taking the part that still worked and welding it to the back half of another busted up submarine.
The nuclear-powered Perle was severely damaged in a fire last year, but rear half of the 241-foot-long sub was undamaged.
Officials determined that another submarine awaiting dismantlement could also be cut apart and joined up with the rear of the Perle to make one functional attack submarine.
The new sub will be a little longer than either of the vessels it is made from, because they need “junction” space where they will splice all the wires, cables, and pipes that operate a nuclear submarine together.
The two donor subs have already been split and are awaiting alignment. The whole process is expected to take 250,000 man hours of work.
Then all they have to do is load up the 70 sailors and fire up the nuclear reactor and send the jalopy underwater (not for the faint of heart).
