France fires upgraded nuclear-capable missile from submarine for first time — SkimNews
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- France test-fired the M51.3 strategic ballistic missile from the nuclear-powered submarine Le Vigilant off Finistère on Tuesday in an acceptance test following the boat's overhaul; the unarmed missile splashed down in the North Atlantic several hundred kilometers from any coast.
- Macron observed the launch from a French Navy vessel on Monday and called it "a very important moment for our strategic credibility," saying it would be "closely scrutinized by both our allies and our competitors alike."
- The M51.3 carries the new TNO-2 oceanic nuclear warhead, is estimated to have a range exceeding 9,500 kilometers (up from 9,000+ for the prior version), carries four to six multiple independently-targetable reentry vehicles, and weighs more than 50 metric tons according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
- The ministry said the M51.3 "ensures the long-term credibility of the ocean-based component in the face of evolving adversary missile defenses," and each of France's four ballistic-missile submarines can carry 16 of the solid-propellant, three-stage missiles.
- The upgrade is part of a broader nuclear modernization that also includes new ballistic-missile submarines and a future Rafale variant capable of carrying a hypersonic nuclear cruise missile, with the M51.3 having entered operational service in October 2024.
- Macron's "forward deterrence" proposal — which could extend the reach of French nuclear deterrence to European allies, though details remain vague — provides the strategic context for the test, an angle that goes beyond a simple Russia-tensions framing.
Why it matters: France's M51.3 test confirms an upgrade with longer range (9,500+ km), improved accuracy, and the new TNO-2 warhead is operational across its SSBN fleet of four submarines, each carrying 16 missiles — a concrete capability signal as Macron simultaneously pitches "forward deterrence" to European allies whose own nuclear cover from the U.S. has grown uncertain.
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