BREST / PARIS — The French Ministry of the Armed Forces and the General Directorate of Armaments (DGA) have announced the first successful submarine launch of the new M51.3 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM).
Executed on October 6, 2026, under Operation SMERTRIOS, the missile was launched without an active nuclear payload from the Triomphant-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) Le Vigilant off the coast of Finistère in western France. The flight was tracked across its trajectory into the North Atlantic by the DGA’s specialised range-instrumentation ship, Monge.
The acceptance firing re-certified Le Vigilant’s onboard weapon systems following its major periodic overhaul and mid-life refit (IPER), while proving the operational deployment capability of the M51.3 variant at sea.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: M51.3 STRATEGIC BALLISTIC MISSILE
* Primary Designation: M51.3 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) / Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) class
* Manufacturer & Integrator: ArianeGroup
* Deployment Platform: Marine Nationale Triomphant-class SSBN fleet (Le Triomphant, Le Téméraire, Le Vigilant, Le Terrible)
* Propulsion & Stage Architecture:
* Solid-propellant, three-stage rocket engine architecture
* Upgraded third stage for extended range and penetration performance
* Operational Metrics:
* Maximum Mass: ~54 metric tons
* Maximum Flight Range: >9,500 km (>5,100 nautical miles)
* Peak Velocity: High hypersonic re-entry profile
* Strategic Payload Capability:
* Payload Configuration: Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRV)
* Warhead Package: TNO-2 (Tête Nucléaire Océanique) thermonuclear warheads
* Countermeasures: Advanced penetration aids (PENAIDS) and hardened re-entry geometry
* Key System Enhancements:
* Extended standoff engagement range to bypass advanced anti-ballistic missile (ABM) defenses
* Modernized inertial guidance and navigation suite for enhanced targeting accuracy
* Architectural groundwork for future M51.4 modernization initiatives
