Le Redoutable class submarine
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Le Redoutable |
| Operators: |  French Navy |
| Preceded by: | none |
| Succeeded by: | Le Triomphant |
| Completed: | 6 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Ballistic missile submarine |
| Displacement: | 8,000 tons (submerged) |
| Length: | 128 m |
| Beam: | 10,60 m |
| Draught: | 10 m |
| Propulsion: | One PWR 16,000 shp |
| Speed: | over 20 knots (37 km/h) |
| Range: | Essentially unlimited |
| Complement: | 15 officers 120 sailors |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
1 DRUA 33 1 DMUX 21 1 DSUV 61B VLF 1 DUUX 5 ARUR 12 radar detector |
| Armament: |
16 M4 MSBS (Mer Sol Balistique Stratégique) nuclear missiles |
| Notes: | Ships in class include: Le Redoutable; Le Terrible; Le Foudroyant; L'Indomptable; Le Tonnant; L'Inflexible |
The Redoutable class submarine is a ballistic missile submarine class of the French Marine Nationale , the oceanic part (Force Océanique Stratégique, FOST) of the Force de frappe. In French, the type is called Sous-marin Nucléaire Lanceur d'Engins (SNLE), literally "Missile-launching nuclear submarine".
The class entered active service in 1971 with Le Redoutable, six submarines were built in total. All decommissioned. The structural changes in L'Inflexible have seen it regarded as a different class from the early boats. The class has been superseded by the Le Triomphant class, firing the larger M45 missile (M51 from around 2010).
The first submarine, Le Redoutable, was ordered in 1963, built at Cherbourg, launched in 1967 and commissioned in 1971. Later submarines were very heavily upgraded from 1985 to fire the 2nd generation MIRV capable M4 missile - Le Tonnant was recommissioned in 1987; L'Indomptable in 1989; Le Terrible in 1990; and Le Foudroyant in 1993.
Boat list:
- Le Redoutable (1971-1991)
- Le Terrible (1973-1996)
- Le Foudroyant (1974-1998)
- L'Indomptable (1976-2003)
- Le Tonnant (1980-1999, first M2 submarine)
- L'Inflexible (1985-2008, first M4 submarine)
 Le Redoutable in Cherbourg |
 Comparison of different nuclear systems: left, the SNLE (Le Redoutable type) with the M4 missile; right, the SNLE-NG (Le Triomphant type) with the present M45 missile and the future M51 missile. |
[edit] External Links/Sources
- More Information
- An Illustrated Guide to Modern Submarines by David Miller
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