March 25,
2008: France has launched the fourth
(and last) of its new Triomphant class SSBNs (ballistic missile nuclear
submarines), the "Le Terrible". This boat will enter service in two years. The
Triomphant class boats displace 12,600 tons, have a crew of 101 and carry 16
M51 ballistic missiles (weighing 56 tons each, carrying six warheads and with a
range of 10,000 kilometers). The other
three Triomphants, already in service, carry the older M45 missile (weighing 35
tons each, carrying six warheads and with a range of 6,000 kilometers). These boats
will get the M51 after the "Le Terrible" enters service. The Triomphants
replace the six SSBNs of the Redoutable class, 9,000 ton boats that entered
service in 1971 and were retired in 1991. Each of these boats carried sixteen
of the shorter range (5,000 kilometers) M4 missiles.
