French Navy’s final nuclear submarine starts 18-month overhaul

Le Téméraire, the last of three French Navy’s nuclear submarines, has started her regular overhaul during which she will adapted to carry the M51 missile.

Le Terrible, the fourth and latest in the series of new-generation of SSBNs has been equipped with the M51 missile from the outset.

Le Téméraire was transferred on Tuesday, December 6, from Île Longue to dock 8 of the naval base in Brest, where this large-scale work is carried out with DCNS as prime contractor.

The M51 is an Airbus Defence & Space-built, submarine-launched ballistic missile. It was first deployed in 2010 and is designed to replace the M45 SLBM.

For the next 18 months, DCNS teams will be carrying out the adaptation work for the M51 ballistic missile and the extensive refit maintenance operations involved in the major technical shutdown.

During this period, 140 km of cable will be fed through Le Téméraire and 60 tons of engine seatings will be welded in addition to the 1.3 million parts that will be supplied.

Apart from the maintenance programme which is carried out every 9 years on this class of submarine and the adaptation to accommodate the new M51 missile, the submarine’s navigation and combat systems will also be upgraded.

The ROH and adaptation operation for the M51 missile is being supervised by DCNS with the French defence procurement agency (DGA) and the Fleet Support Service (SSF) as joint client.

The objective is to carry out the third and final ROH / adaptation programme after those on Le Vigilant and Le Triomphant.

A major undertaking

DCNS said the scope of the work would require an increase in the headcount on the site. As a result, 1,100 people would be taking part in the programme during the peak of activity in dock 8, with an organisation in three shifts, six days a week.

“This complex project illustrates the expertise of DCNS, as prime contractor and project supervisor. In addition to our own teams on the sites in Brest, Ruelle and elsewhere, we are coordinating the work of some 45 companies in the region around Brest and the West of France that have been called upon to carry out with us the 4 million hours of work required by the overhaul, all in compliance with our safety, deadlines and quality of work specifications,” explains Michel Drévillon, director of the IA M51 programme.

As part of its progress plan and objectives to increase safety at work, DCNS has launched various performance measures in order to optimise the rhythm of the three eight-hour shifts, peaks in activity and interventions on the site.

The performance optimization has been undertaken with the aim of completing the ROH one month earlier than the previous one, the company added.