|
French Ballistic Missiles |
References
Consulted:
Janes' Strategic Weapons Systems 48
(2008)
M-1
Type: Submarine Launched
IRBM
Start of Service: 1971
End
of Service: 1974
M-2
Type: Submarine Launched
IRBM
Start of Service: 1974
End
of Service: 1977
M-20
Type: Submarine
Launched IRBM
Start of Service: 1977
End
of Service: 1991
Quantity
Built: 100
Missile Length: 10.7m
Missile
Diameter: 1.5m
Missile Weight: 20,000 kg
Second Stage: 6,015
kg of propellant;
P-6 motor which burned for 58 seconds.
First
Stage: 10,000 kg of propellant;
burned for 55 seconds.
Warhead: TN-60
(1.2 Megatons)
Range: 2,500 km
CEP: 1,000
meters
Pluton
Type: Road-Mobile
SRBM
Start of Service: 1974
End
of Service: 1993
Missile Length: 7.64m
Missile
Diameter: 0.65m
Missile Weight: 2,423 kg
Warhead: High
Explosive/15 kt/25 kt Options
Range: 120 km
CEP:
150 meters
Notes: Real-time targeting information could be passed on to the command vehicle from a CT-20 drone.
S-2
Type: Silo based IRBM
Start
of Service: 1971
First Stage: 16,940 kg weight; P-16 motor which burned for 72 seconds.
S-3
Type: Silo based IRBM
Start
of Service: May
1980
End of
Service: September
1996
Quantity Built: 40,
plus 13 test missiles.
Missile Length: 13.8m
Missile
Diameter: 1.5m
Missile Weight: 25,800 kg
Second
Stage: 6,015 kg of propellant;
P-6 motor which burned for 58 seconds.
First Stage:
16,940 kg weight; P-16 motor
which burned for 72 seconds.
Warhead:
TN-61 (1.2 megatons)
Range:
3,500 km
Notes: Used the same first stage as the S-2; with a new second stage, which was originally developed for the M-20. Total deployment was two groups of nine silos.
M-4
Type: Sub-Launched IRBM
Start
of Service: 1985
End
of Service: 2004
Quantity
Built:
Missile Length: 11.05m
Missile
Diameter: 1.93m
Missile Weight: 35,000 kg
Third
Stage: 1,500 kg of
propellant which burns for 43 seconds.
Second Stage:
8,015 kg of propellant which burns for 71 seconds.
First
Stage: 20,000 kg of propellant
which burns for 62 seconds.
Warheads
(Early): 6 x TN-70
Warheads
(Later): 6 x TN-71 (150 kt), of
which the warhead is 120 kg out of a total RV mass of 240 kg.
Range:
4,000 km
CEP: 500 meters
Notes: Thought to have two versions, the M-4A and M-4B; with the M-4B having a 5,000 km range.
M-45
Type: Sub-Launched IRBM
Start
of Service: 1997
End
of Service:
Quantity
Built:
Missile Length:
11.05m
Missile Diameter: 1.93m
Missile Weight:
35,000 kg
Third
Stage: 1,500 kg weight,
thrust of 7,000 kgf.
Second Stage:
8,000 kg weight, thrust of 30,000 kgf.
First Stage:
20,000 kg weight, thrust of 70,000 kgf..
Warheads:
6 x TN-75 (100 kt), of which
the warhead is 115 kg out of a total RV mass of 230 kg.
Minimum
Range: 1,500 km
Maximum
Range: 5,300 km
CEP: 350 meters