Victor 6000
{{Short description|French deep-water remotely operated vehicle}}
{{Italic title}}
File:Victor 6000.jpg]]Victor 6000 is a deep-water remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operated by the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER). In service since 1999, it can reach depths up to {{cvt|6,000|m}}.
Design
Victor 6000 is a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) that weighs {{cvt|4.6|t}} and measures {{cvt|3.07|m}} long, {{cvt|2.77|m}} high, and {{cvt|2.14|m}} wide. It is capable of reaching depths of {{cvt|6,000|m}}. Victor 6000 is controlled and powered via a {{cvt|8.5|km|adj=on}} cable that connects it to its host ship, but can operate autonomously for 100 hours.{{Cite web|title=Victor 6000|url=https://www.flotteoceanographique.fr/en/Facilities/Vessels-Deep-water-submersible-vehicles-and-Mobile-equipments/Deep-water-submersible-vehicles/Victor-6000|website=French oceanographic fleet|publisher=French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea|date=12 September 2019|access-date=21 June 2023}}{{Cite news|last1=Saubadu|first1=Laurence|last2=Gisbert Sanchez|first2=Helena|title=Victor 6000 Underwater Robot|url=https://www.barrons.com/news/victor-6000-underwater-robot-4a87efee|work=Barron's|agency=Agence France-Presse|date=21 June 2023|access-date=21 June 2023}}
Operational history
From 30 April to 3 June 2002, Victor 6000, aboard the IFREMER research ship {{ill|French ship Atalante (1989)|lt=Atalante|italic=yes|fr|L'Atalante (1989)|de|L'Atalante (Schiff)|el|L'Atalante}}, participated in the PHARE (Peuplements hydrothermaux, leurs associations et relations avec l'environnement) oceanographic campaign and featured in a documentary about the expedition by {{ill|Jean-François Ternay|fr}}.{{cite web|title=Phare 2002, la campagne océanographique|url=https://www.canal-u.tv/chaines/sec/climat-ocean-atmosphere-ecologie/phare-2002-la-campagne-oceanographique|website=Canal U|date=January 2006 |publisher=Government of France|access-date=21 June 2023|language=fr}}
The fauna on display in the Abyss Box pressurised deep sea tank were collected by Victor 6000.{{Cite web |title=Les abysses |url=https://www.oceanopolis.com/les-abysses/ |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=Océanopolis |language=fr-FR}}
During a scientific expedition with the IFREMER research ship {{ship|French ship|Pourquoi Pas?|2005|2}} in November 2020, Victor 6000 was used to discover a SNCASE Aquilon jet fighter-bomber, missing since 1960, at a depth of {{cvt|2400|m}} to the south of Porquerolles, France.{{Cite news|last=Groizeleau|first=Vincent|title=Le Pourquoi pas? découvre l'épave d'un Aquilon disparu avec son pilote en 1960|url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/histoire-navale/le-pourquoi-pas-decouvre-l-epave-d-un-aquilon-disparu-avec-son-pilote-en-1960|work=Mer et Marine|date=27 November 2020|access-date=27 November 2020|language=fr}}
=2023 ''Titan'' submersible incident=
In 2023, Victor 6000 and Atalante were used in a rescue attempt in the search for the Titan submersible.{{Cite news|title=In race against clock, diving robot joins search for Titanic sub |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3224812/diving-robot-joins-search-titanic-submersible-only-40-hours-oxygen-remain|work=South China Morning Post|date=21 June 2023|access-date=21 June 2023}}