Range of 10,000 kilometers: France is now also testing its M51.3 nuclear missile

class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 fmXrkB”>

Heads of state such as Vladimir Putin (71) and Kim Jong-un (39) repeatedly demonstrate their power with missile tests and thus try to intimidate the West. NATO said it was prepared for an emergency. France now tested a missile – as a deterrent.

The French ministry said it was “necessary in view of international developments” to test its own nuclear missiles in the armory. The long-range missile M51.3 was successfully tested on Saturday. And she has the talent.

The M51.3 is the latest model of the French “Mer-Sol-Balistique-Strategique” (MSBS). The missile is launched from a submarine or from land. It weighs 56 tons and is twelve meters long. The explosive power is also high: the long-range missile carries six to twelve TN-75 nuclear warheads of 100 kilotons each. During the test, the M51.3 was fired without warheads.

Using a combination of inertial navigation and astronavigation, the French super rocket hits its target with an accuracy of 150 to 200 meters. Particularly threatening: it flies up to 10,000 kilometers away. This means the M51.3 can keep up with the Russian ICBMs.

Drawing to Russia and China

The French were able to observe the spectacular phenomenon from the coast on Saturday. The M51.3 rose 3,000 feet into space and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. “This is an opportunity to show our potential adversaries such as Russia or China that our missiles work,” said defense specialist Jean-Dominique Merchet. “These are missiles that are practically impossible to intercept,” explains former officer Guillaume Ancel.

France conducted the first test in 2006. The M.51 was launched from the ground and flew across the Atlantic Ocean from Bordeaux in 15 minutes. Older versions of the M.51 have been in use since 2010. But there have also been missile tests with the M51 that failed.

France plans to field the latest version of the ballistic missile in 2025. The message is clear: France wants to show potential attackers that NATO can become a threat at any time.

Source: Blick