France has achieved a successful test-firing of the M51.3 long-range ballistic missile, a significant step in bolstering the nation’s nuclear deterrence capabilities, according to the defense ministry’s announcement on Sunday.
Launched from the Biscarosse missile testing site in southwest France, the missile, which did not carry a nuclear payload, landed in the North Atlantic, “hundreds of kilometers from any coastline,” as detailed by the ministry without providing further specifics.
The ministry’s statement on Sunday highlighted that the missile test confirmed a substantial enhancement, contributing to the enduring credibility of France’s oceanic deterrence in the coming decades. This effort is deemed crucial in light of the prevailing international environment, emphasizing the necessity of maintaining the operational credibility of France’s nuclear arsenal.
President Vladimir Putin has issued repeated warnings to the West, asserting his readiness to employ nuclear weapons in defense of Russia. The M51.3 missile represents an upgraded iteration of the M51, a three-stage sea-land strategic ballistic missile designed for launch from French Navy submarines. The M51 underwent its initial ground-based test in 2006 and submarine-based test in 2010, the year it entered commission.
The new M51.3 missile is developed by aerospace firm ArianeGroup, a collaborative venture between Airbus and the French defense group Safran. Distinct from cruise missiles, ballistic missiles like the M51.3 follow elliptical trajectories, traversing space beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, contributing to their unique strategic capabilities.
