The Le Redoutable class is the name of the first class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SNLE) of the French Navy. It takes its name from the lead submarine, Le Redoutable. They depended on the Strategic Oceanic Force (FOST) and were replaced by the new generation Le Triomphant class submarines from the 1990s.
Presentation
The decision to provide France with a series of nuclear ballistic missile submarines, as components of the "strike force", materialized on March 2, 1963, with the signing of the order for the first SSBN.
The construction of this new type of equipment began at the end of 1964 in Cherbourg. It is a question of creating a submarine of more than 9,000 tons, equipped with a nuclear propulsion system and which, moreover, must be able to fire missiles with nuclear heads.
Le Redoutable, the first copy of this class, was launched on March 29, 1967 in Cherbourg in the presence of General de Gaulle and with Commander Louzeau; he was admitted to active service on December 1, 1971 in the Strategic Oceanic Force under the command of Admiral Louzeau. When it was admitted to active service, it was equipped with 16 M1 sea-to-ground ballistic missiles (450 kt over 2,000 km), then M2 from 1974, then M20 missiles each comprising a one-megaton nuclear warhead and a range greater than 3,000 km.
The reactor section is about 8 meters long and weighs 700 tons.
Withdrawn from service between 1991 and 2008, they are being dismantled in Cherbourg under the responsibility of the General Directorate of Armaments.
Technology
The first four of these six submarines were originally of the Redoutable class then refitted to receive the M4 missiles and upgraded to L'Inflexible.
Their hull is made of 80 HLES steel (high elasticity) which allows them to dive to 300 meters.
Some have received the SEAO/OPSMER command assistance system.
List of ships
In all, six SSBNs of this class were built :
Le Redoutable S 611 March 29, 1967 December 13, 1991
Le Terrible S 612 December 12, 1969 July 1, 1996
Le Foudroyant S 610 December 4, 1971 April 30, 1998
The Indomitable S 613 September 17, 1974 April 2005
The Tonnant S 614 September 17, 1977 December 16, 1999
The Inflexible S 615