BRITTANY

Purpose: maintenance and construction of ships for the Navy

Location : at the extreme west of Brittany (Finistère)

Materials present : uranium, plutonium, tritium

The arsenal maintains the nuclear missile-launching submarines. It constructed the hull of the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle and modernized the Foudroyant and the Indomptable [CDRPC 94]. Until September 2000, Brest was the home port of the Charles-de-Gaulle [Obsan #2, 00]. Since, the home port has been Toulon.

The major overhauls of the missile-launching submarines take place in basin 10. For the Tonnant, for example, the arsenal checked the hull, evaluated the nuclear propulsion reactor, and replaced or put into shape the equipment. On these occasions, the missiles and the fuel are stored at Ile-Longue.

In 1993, it was announced that the arsenal was to maintain the nuclear attack submarines, one month a year, as well as the SNLE [Ouest 11-12.xii.93; Télé 12.xii.93]. In 2001, this project has not yet been realized.

Among the wastes are presumably found contaminated used parts.

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