The nuclear submarine ballistic missile (SSBN) Le Vigilant left last week Brest naval base -Brittany, France – where she underwent first part of major maintenance and adaptation works to the new M51 Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), French Navy announced.
After a first phase of the works in Brest, which lasted 21 months, DCNS and the French Navy continue operations at l’Ile Longue SSBN naval base, in the south of Brest. Le Vigilant submarine, initially commissioned in 2004, will return to operational service in summer 2013.
In total, the project entrusted to DCNS will last 30 months and represent 4 million work hours. It has already mobilized 1,100 people (direct jobs) coming from over forty companies with DCNS acting as prime contractor.
Project management is handled by the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA, Direction générale de l’armement), and the Head of Support for the Fleet (DSSF, Direction du service de soutien de la flotte).
In Brest, the SSBN has undergone a refit and modifications on the weapon and communication systems, together with adaptation of her bunkers to receive the M51 ICBMs.
At L’Ile Longue, the heart of the nuclear boiler, removed prior to the refit, will be reinstalled and the the new missiles incorporated.
The new M51 has a range almost twice that of the M45 it replaces together with a better accuracy. The M51 is already installed within Le Terrible SSBN, which was launched in 2009 and designed to directly accommodate the new ICBMs.
After Le Vigilant, Le Triomphant and Le Téméraire will undergo the same works for the adaptation to the M51 ICBMs. This vast project should be completed in 2018.
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