France Test Fires M51 Ballistic Missile


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On June 12, French submarine Le Téméraire (S617) test fired an M51 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from Audierne Bay on the country’s west coast. During the test, the missile reportedly traveled 6,000 km before landing in waters near the Dominican Republic. According to France’s Ministry of Defense, the unarmed flight successfully validated the missile’s performance under operational conditions. France first tested the M51 missile in 2006 and inducted it to its nuclear force in 2010. Following Le Téméraire’s mid-life refitment in 2018, the M51 system became operational on all French missile submarines. 

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Masao Dahlgren, "France Test Fires M51 Ballistic Missile," Missile Threat, Center for Strategic and International Studies, June 12, 2020, last modified June 12, 2020, https://missilethreat.csis.org/france-test-fires-m51-ballistic-missile/.