PARIS, France (BulgarianMilitary.com), 24 July 2018, Editor: Galina Zdravkova, Photo credit: wikipedia.org/the Téméraire submarine

The ballistic missile submarine Téméraire will be refitted for the M51 missile. For that purpose it has been taken to the French naval base for nuclear boats “Ile Longue” as reported by the shipbuilding company Naval Group in statement on 23rd July 2018, learned BulgarianMilitary.com

Ile Longue (French for “Long Island”) is a small peninsula in the Brittany region in northern France. It is a highly secret base and one of the most heavily defended places in France, where the French Navy sustains its fleet of four ballistic missile submarines. The base is divided into 3 colour-coded zones of different levels of security.

It was commented by representatives of Naval Group that the above mentioned move happens “after 20 months of work,” and it is “a significant step in the last modernization and adaptation of nuclear ballistic submarines for the M51 missile.”

The overhaul and refit works has necessitated the hull to be split open and new silos installed for the M51 missile, due to the longer and wider structure of the M51 in comparison to the currently carried M45 weapon. The works on the Téméraire on Ile Longue are expected to take three or four months. Combat and navigation systems will be upgraded as well. After the submarine is ready and returns to service, it with the boat expected to sail for a further nine years after returning to service.

Téméraire is the third ballistic missile submarine, which will be refitted for the M51 weapon after the vessels Vigilant and Triomphant. Terrible – the fourth ballistic missile boat – was delivered ready equipped for the M51.

Naval Group is the prime contractor under the major overhaul and refit program, which involves about 2 years and 4 million hours of work on each boat.

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