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French nuke sub 'Le Terrible' begins sea trials

Metallic

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26 January 2009

The fourth and final vessel in France's new generation fleet of nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed submarines took to the sea for the first time on Monday.
"Le Terrible sailed out of dry dock at 8:30 am (0730 GMT) to begin sea trials ahead of joining active service in 2010," Yann Bizien, spokesman for maritime authorities in the Channel port of Cherbourg, told AFP.

Known to NATO as an SSBN or Sub-Surface Ballistic Nuclear vessel, "Le Terrible" is a 14,300-tonne submarine with a 111-strong crew designed to allow France to launch a nuclear strike even if its land bases are destroyed.

The sub will join three other vessels of the same class based in the Atlantic port of Brest and armed with M51 intercontinental nuclear missiles.

France is one of the world's five declared nuclear powers and has maintained an independent deterrent capability since its first test in 1960.

In March last year, President Nicolas Sarkozy announced a plan to cut France's arsenal of air-launched nuclear weapons, but promised to keep its far larger stock of submarine missiles up-to-date and ready for use.

The reduction leaves France with fewer than 300 nuclear warheads, half the maximum number it had during the Cold War, but Sarkozy still describes the weapons as a vital warning to potential foes.

Comparison of different nuclear systems: left, the SNLE (Redoutable type) with the M4 missile; right, the SNLE-NG (Triomphant type) with the present M45 missile and the future M51 missile.
 
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Nice strategy by the French. Nuclear Subs give them more Options as Compared to Normal Missiles or Fighter Jets.
 
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LoLzzz............. can't stop laughing......... Has anyone noticed that the short form of Le Terrible is LeT (lashkar e taiba)...........
Few questions........
Was it manufactured by Let
Was its design prepared in Muridke
Was it assembled in Bhimber
Was it commissioned in mansehra
Lakhvi was its first captain
Their first mission is to attack bombay harbor
They have satellite phones to communicate
Their handlers are in Pakistan

India is preparing its dossier to handover to Pakistan
World community is pressurizing Pakistan to ban the assembly plant at Muridke.
Indian media has raised hullabaloo over it..........................
 
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LoLzzz............. can't stop laughing......... Has anyone noticed that the short form of Le Terrible is LeT (lashkar e taiba)...........
Few questions........
Was it manufactured by Let
Was its design prepared in Muridke
Was it assembled in Bhimber
Was it commissioned in mansehra
Lakhvi was its first captain
Their first mission is to attack bombay harbor
They have satellite phones to communicate
Their handlers are in Pakistan

India is preparing its dossier to handover to Pakistan
World community is pressurizing Pakistan to ban the assembly plant at Muridke.
Indian media has raised hullabaloo over it..........................

Hey dude you have Nice sense of Humor. :enjoy:

Just Imagine of in Reality LeT get a hold of this SUB :woot::woot::woot: Just Kidding mann have fun:rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
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LoLzzz............. can't stop laughing......... Has anyone noticed that the short form of Le Terrible is LeT (lashkar e taiba)...........
Few questions........
Was it manufactured by Let
Was its design prepared in Muridke
Was it assembled in Bhimber
Was it commissioned in mansehra
Lakhvi was its first captain
Their first mission is to attack bombay harbor
They have satellite phones to communicate
Their handlers are in Pakistan

India is preparing its dossier to handover to Pakistan
World community is pressurizing Pakistan to ban the assembly plant at Muridke.
Indian media has raised hullabaloo over it..........................

You are not supposed to go around telling every body about future plans. This is against the strategy and losses the element of surprise :lol:
 
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