Ein Leuchtphänomen ausgelöst von französischen Raketen-Test sorgte für Rätselraten heuteabend über Südfrankreich und Spanien. Nachfolgend aus Twitter Beiträgen zusammengestellt die Ereignisse.
Quelle: Twitter
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France Successfully Test-Fires New M51.3 SLBM
The French military announced it successfully test-fired a new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on 18 November 2023, from a land-based test facility. This was first ever launch of the M51.3 SLBM.
The test was conducted by the French defense procurement agency (DGA) from its missile test facility located in South Western France. According to a French ministry of Armed Forces release, this was a “qualification firing”. The statement added the test “validate an important evolution of the missile which will contribute to perpetuating the credibility of our oceanic deterrence over the coming decades”.
“The missile was monitored throughout its flight phase by the DGA’s test resources. The fallout zone is located in the North Atlantic, several hundred kilometers from any coast. This test was carried out without a nuclear charge and in strict compliance with France’s international commitments. This shot, carried out as part of the M51 program, once again demonstrates the excellence of the high technology that French industries are implementing in this area.“
The event marked the first ever test of the new M51.3 SLBM. According to open sources, this latest variant of the M51 missile brings more range and more survivability against ballistic missile defense (BMD) systems.
As usual, the M51 SLBM was tracked throughout its flight phase by radars and by the missile range instrumentation ship Monge (A601).
The previous three M51 tests were conducted in April 2023 (from Le Triomphant-class SSBN Le Terrible), in April 2021 (from a land based test site) and June 2020 (from Le Triomphant-class SSBN Le Temeraire)
About M51 SLBM
File picture of M51 test. DGA picture.
The M51 is the new generation intercontinental SLBM which started replacing the M45 in 2010. Each missile carries six to ten independently targetable (MIRV or Multiple Independently targeted Reentry Vehicle) TN 75 thermonuclear warheads. TN 75 are being replaced with the new Tête nucléaire océanique (TNO or oceanic nuclear warhead) warheads since 2015. These new warheads are reported to be maneuverable (MARV or Maneuverable Re-entry Vehicle) in order to avoid potential ballistic defenses. The TNO has a yield that is estimated to be greater than or equal to the yield of the TN 75 warhead, 150 kilotons of TNT (kt) with a CEP (circular error probability) of 150 meters.
The three-stage engine of the M51 is so good that it served as base to develop the solid propellant boosters of the European Ariane 5 space rocket. Open source data indicates an M51 weight of 52,000 kg, a length of 12.0 m and a diameter of 2.3 m. M51 operational range is reported to be 8,000 to 10,000 km with a speed of Mach 25.
The first test launch of an M51 ballistic missile was successfully carried out at Centre d’essais de lancement de missiles (CELM) in Biscarosse, France, on November 9, 2006. The sixth missile test carried out on May 5, 2013, ended in failure. The latest M51 tests in September 2015, July 2016, June 2020 and April 2021 and April 2023 were all successful.
