The Argonaute class, though designated as Class 2 coastal submarines, were built for service in the Mediterranean. Ordered in 1927 and completed in 1935, they were built to conform to the interwar naval treaties arising from the 1922 Washington and 1930 London conferences, which placed restrictions on the number and size of warships of various types that nations could build.[2] The coastal submarine was limited to a 600-ton surface displacement, though there was no limit placed on the numbers of these vessels that could be built.
General characteristics
The Argonaute class were 63.4 m (208 ft) long, and displaced 630 tonnes surfaced and 798 tonnes submerged. They had a range of 4,000 nautical miles at 10 knots, with a maximum surface speed of 14 knots, and a submerged speed of 9 knots. Their armament consisted of eight torpedo tubes; six 550 mm (22 in) and two 400 mm (16 in), a 75 mm (3 in)/35 M1928 deck gun and a single 8 mm/80 machine gun. They carried a crew of 41 men.
