Le Triomphant class

   Ordered in March 1986 to replace the Le Redoutable class, the Le Triomphant class are known to the French as SNLE-NGs (Sousmarins Nucleares Lanceurs d'Engines-Nouvelle Generation) or new generation SSBNs.

   Le Triomphant was laid down at Cherbourg in 1989, launched in 1994 and entered service in 1997. Six boats were planned but this was reduced to four after the end of the Cold War, and the M5 SLBM, which was proving very expensive to develop, has been abandoned. The Triomphant class will be armed with the cheaper M51 missile but the two vessels currently in service carry the M45. A first submerged M45 launch was conducted by Le Triomphant in February 1995. Operated by two crews ('amber' and 'blue') Le Triomphant is France's primary nuclear deterrent - only two of the L'Inflexible M4 class are still operational and are due to be paid off. The Triomphant class are significantly quieter than their predecessors: the primary objective of the design team was to reduce noise levels to the point that even the best acoustic sensors would struggle to detect and track the vessels.

   The second of the class, Le Temeraire was laid down in 1993, launched in 1998 and commissioned in December 1999. Le Vigilant, laid down in 1997, and enter service in 2004. Le Terrible was laid down in October 2000 and is planned to join the fleet in 2008. The M45 SLBM has a maximum range of 5 300 km and each missile has six MIRVs each carrying a 150-kT nuclear warhead. The Triomphant class can launch SM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles from their torpedo tubes to attack surface targets, in addition to dual purpose L5 active/passive homing torpedoes. Between 2010-15 the class of four boats, beginning with Le Terrible, is to be equipped with the M51.