Triomphant Class Submarine, French Navy ballistic missile submarines

The Triomphant class submarine is ballistic missile submarines of the French Navy is the active class of four boats that entered service in 1997, 1999, 2004, and 2010. These four supersede the older Redoutable-class, and they provide the ocean-based component (the Force Océanique Stratégique in French) of the French Force de Frappe - its nuclear deterrent strike force.

The first three boats are all armed with the French-produced and armed M45 intermediate-range missile, and the fourth vessel Terrible, has tested and is equipped with the more advanced M51 missile. Each of the first three boats are to be retrofitted to the M51 missile standard, starting with Vigilant in Winter 2010, then Triomphant and lasting with Téméraire in 2018.

SNLE-NG

In French, Triomphant class submarine called Sous-Marin Nucléaire Lanceur d'Engins de Nouvelle Génération ("SNLE-NG, literally "Device-launching nuclear-powered submarine of the new generation"). They have replaced all of the Redoutable-class boats, with the last of those six boats being decommissioned in 2008. These submarines carry 16 Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile launching tubes apiece.

This class reportedly produces approximately 1/1000 of the detectable noise of the Redoutable-class boats (submarines), and they are ten times more sensitive in detecting other submarines. Initially armed with the 45 missile, they are designed to carry the new M51 missile, which entered active service in 2010. As of October 2010, an M51 has been test-fired from one of these submarines across the Atlantic Ocean from near France to the west, and is equipped on the Terrible.

These boats were all constructed by the DCNS, and they carry an armament of 16 M45 SLBM or M51 SLBM missiles manufactured by the Aerospatiale company (now EADS Astrium Space Transportation.), plus conventional torpedoes and Exocet anti-ship missiles.

List of submarines

The French Navy's goal is to operate a force of four ballistic missile submarines (comparable with the Royal Navy's Vanguard-class submarines, of which two of the French boats are expected to be on patrol at any given time.

• Triomphant : Construction began on 9 June 1989; she was launched on 26 March 1994, and entered active service on 21 March 1997.
• Téméraire : Construction began on 18 December 1993; she was launched on 21 January 1998, and entered active service on 23 December 1999.
• Vigilant : Construction began in 1997; she was launched on 19 September 2003, and entered active service on 26 November 2004.
• Terrible : Construction began on 24 October 2000; she was launched on 21 March 2008, and entered active service on 20 September 2010.

Triomphant Class Submarine overview
Name:	Triomphant
Builders:	DCNS
Operators:	French Navy
Preceded by:	Redoutable
Building:	0
Planned:	4
Completed:	4
Active:	4
Laid up:	0
Lost:	0
Retired:	0
General characteristics
Type:	ballistic missile submarine
Displacement:	12,640 tonne (surfaced) 14,335 tonne (submerged)
Length:	138 m
Beam:	12.50 m
Draught:	10.60 m
Propulsion:	K15 pressurised water reactor (150 MW), turboreductor system, Pump-jet two diesel-powered generators SEMT Pielstick 8PA4V200 SM (700 kW) auxiliaries. 30,500 kW
Speed:	over 25 knots (46 km/h)
Range:	Essentially unlimited distance; 20 years
Test depth:	Over 400 metres
Complement:	15 officers 96 sailors
Sensors and processing systems:	Sonar DMUX 80 Sonar DUUX 5 Sonar DSUV 61B Very Low Frequency Racal Decca radar (navigation) SCC : SET (Système d'exploitation Tactique) : tactical operational system
Electronic warfare and decoys:	ARUR 13
Armament:	Nuclear : 16 M45 SLBM or M51 SLBM missiles with TN 75 warheads four 533 mm (21-inch) torpedo tubes for F17 torpedoes and Exocet SM39 anti-ship missiles, launchable while submerged
Notes:	boats in the class include: Triomphant (S 616), Téméraire (S 617) , Vigilant (S 618), Terrible (S 619)