6 × 550 mm (21.7 in) internal
torpedo tubes (4 bow/2 stern) with 12 torpedoes
3 × 400 mm (15.7 in) external torpedo tubes
Minerve-class submarines were a class of
submarine built for the
French Navy prior to World War II.
The class were based on the French Admiralty
630 series design, but with more power and better armament. The class had six internal 550 mm
torpedo tubes (four in the bow and two in the stern) and three 400 mm tubes mounted externally on a moveable triple mount.
Minerve and Junon were seized by the
British in July 1940, following the
battle of France, and handed over to the Free French Forces in September the same year, and served throughout the war. Minerve was wrecked off
Chesil Beach in September 1945, while Junon returned to France and served until 1954.
The other four boats remained under
Vichy control until November 1942 when, following the
German occupation, Pallas and Cérès were scuttled at
Oran, and Vénusscuttled at Toulon, while Iris sailed for the neutral
port of Cartagena, and was interned there until after the end of the war. She was returned to France in November 1945, and remained in service until 1950.