| I. Materials > The Uranium-Plutonium Chain > Nuclear Warheads |
France based its policy of dissuasion on a strategic triad: land-air-sea. At the beginning of 1996, the triad was made up of 18 3SD missiles with the TN 61 warhead on the plain of Albion, of 15 Mirage IVP each carrying one air-land-medium-range missile (ASMP) with the TN81 warhead, and 48 M4 missiles with 6 TN70/71 warheads carried by the missile-launching submarines (SNLE), Le Tonnant, Le Terrible, Le Foudroyant and L’Inflexible (L’Indomptable was being overhauled).
In June 1996, the Mirage IVP were retired; in September 1996, the S3D missiles on the plateau d’Albion were retired. Of the strategic force, there remained only the submarine component, which itself is undergoing change.
The early nuclear missile-launching submarines are gradually being replaced by submarines of the new generation (SNLE-NG). Of the six older submarines, Le Redoutable, Le Terrible, Le Foudroyant, Le Tonnant and L'Indomptable have been retired. Only L’Inflexible from the early submarines remains in service. The first of the new generation, Le Triomphant, was admitted to active service in March 1997; the second, Le Téméraire, entered active service at the end of 1999. Le Vigilant entered service in the fall of 2004. A fourth submarine of the new generation, Le Terrible, is scheduled to enter service in 2010.
Meanwhile on SNLE, M4 missiles with the TN70/71 warheads have been replaced by the M45 missile with TN75 warheads. Starting in 2010, M51.1 missiles will replace the M45. The M51.1 missiles will be equipped with the TN75 warhead. Beginning in 2015, an improved M51.2 missile, carrying the TNO warhead, will be deployed [Kile 06].
Three of the four submarines in service are operational at any given time. Each submarine carries sixteen missiles. Three sets of M45 missiles (48 missiles in total, plus spares) are available to them. At any time, only one or two submarines are on patrol in designated areas, however [Norris 05].
As for the pre-strategic (or tactical) weapons, 60 Mirage 2000N of the air force and 24 Super-Etendard of the air-naval service are equipped with a total of 60 warheads carried by ASMP missiles. Additional missiles may be in inactive storage [Norris 05, Kile 06]. The Super-Etendard are attached to the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle, which replaced the Foch.
The Super-Etendard are scheduled to be replaced by the naval version of the Rafale in 2008. Current ASMP missiles will be retired beginning in mid-2007; an "improved ASMP" (ASMP-A) with one TNA warhead will replace them. A squadron of Mirage 2000N will be equipped with the ASMP-A in 2007; then in 2008 a squadron of Rafale, finally in 2009 another squadron of Mirage 2000N [Barrillot 99 and 00, Carré 03].
The Mirage 2000N of the air force are based at Luxeuil (Vosges) and Istres (Bouches-du-Rhône) [Barrillot 99] while the Super-Etendard of the air-naval force are based at Landivisiau (Finistère). All these planes can carry ASMP missiles. Since the autumn of 2000, the Super-Etendard have been attached to the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle for which Toulon (Var) is the home port. Toulon is also the home port of the nuclear attack submarines (SNA) with nuclear propulsion. The operational base for the SNLE is L’Ile Longue (Finistère). The maintenance of submarines is carried out at Brest (Finistère) while construction takes place at Cherbourg (Manche) [Barrillot 99].
The following nuclear warheads are in service or under development:
TN81
Type: head for ASMP missiles of the pre-strategic (tactical) planes of the air force and air-naval service
Specifications: thermonuclear; power of 100 to 300 kt; furnished with so-called insensitive explosives
In service: since 1988
Deployment: a total of 60 warheads carried by the ASMP, which has a range of 300 km [Norris 05].
TN75
Type: head for SSBS missiles of the SNLE-NG
Specifications: thermonuclear; power of 100 kt
In service: since 1996
Deployment: a total of 288 warheads carried by M45 missiles, each with six MIRV warheads. The TN75 is characterized by its "lightness, its furtiveness, its speed of reentry" according to the CEA. Like the M4, the M45 missile has a range of 4000 km. [CEARa 93 et 94; Barrillot 00; www.obsarm.org 04]]
[TNO (Océanic)] -under development
Type: head for missiles of the SNLE-NG
Specifications: thermonuclear; power of ?
Deployment: to be carried by M51 missiles, which are said to have a range of up to 8000 km [Kile 06]. The CEA plans to deliver the warheads in 2015.
[TNA (tête nucléaire aéroportée)] -under development
Type: head for "improved" ASMP missiles
Deployment: delivery by the CEA for use on the "improved" ASMP, the ASMP-A, planned for 2009 [CEA défi iv-v.07]. The ASMP-A will have a range of 400-500 km [Norris 05].
-updated 1 August 2007
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