The Strategic Ocean Force () is one of two terms that describe the submarine component of the

French Navy The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...

. Prior to 1999, FOST grouped

ballistic missile submarines A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine capable of deploying submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with nuclear warheads. These submarines became a major weapon system in the Cold War because of their deterrence theory, nuclear ...

with a role in France's nuclear deterrent. Since 1999, they have been integrated with the Submarine Forces, which prior to that date was responsible solely for

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

attack submarines An attack submarine or hunter-killer submarine is a submarine specifically designed for the purpose of attacking and sinking other submarines, surface combatants, and merchant vessels. In the Soviet Navy, Soviet and Russian Navy, Russian navies ...

. The two terms are now used separately, or in combination, for the combined force, which includes both ballistic missile and attack submarines, all of which are

nuclear-powered Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced b ...

. The French Strategic Ocean Force Command ALFOST was set up in 1972 under a Squadron Vice-Admiral.

Generality

The Strategic Ocean Force (), created on March 1, 1972, constitutes the principal composite of the Strategic French Nuclear Forces (). FOST was placed under the command of a Squadron Vice-Admiral (Officers of Admiral rank) (), hence the acronym ALFOST. With the dissolution of the Atlantic Attack Submarine Group, the submarines with conventional propulsion were grouped with the nuclear submarines from July 1, 1999.

''Force de dissuasion''

The ''Strategic Force'' was born after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

from the will of general de Gaulle to possess a nuclear arm. The French nuclear ballistic missile submarines armed with

submarine-launched ballistic missile A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from Ballistic missile submarine, submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each of which ...

s, in relation to their discretion in the various oceanic patrol zones, ensure a guaranteed retaliatory nuclear strike (

second strike In nuclear strategy, a retaliatory strike or second-strike capability is a country's assured ability to respond to a nuclear attack with powerful nuclear retaliation against the attacker. To have such an ability (and to convince an opponent of its ...

capability). Since 1985, the strategy of nuclear deterrence in France armed six French nuclear ballistic missile submarines in service, five in service since 1991, and four since 1997; maintaining a permanent presence around the oceans and seas. Deterrence is ensured in 2014 by the permanent deployment of the French nuclear ballistic missile submarines of the ''Triomphant''-class. Between 1972 and April 2014, hundreds of patrols were realized. The first submarine class of French nuclear ballistic missile submarines in service was the ''Redoutable'' class, the head of the series, which was put in dry-docks under authorization in March 1963, with construction commencing in 1964 and was launched on March 29, 1967, in presence of

President of France The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency is the supreme magistracy of the country, the po ...

Charles de Gaulle. Trials of theclass commenced in 1969 and the boat entered into service on December 1, 1971. Six French nuclear ballistic missile submarines of the ''Redoutable'' class capable of carrying sixteen ballistic missiles were built: * ''Le Redoutable'' (in service 1971–1991) * ''Le Terrible'' (1973–1996) * ''Le Foudroyant'' (1974–1998) * '' L'Indomptable'' (1976–2003) * ''Le Tonnant'' (1980–1999) * ''L'Inflexible'' (1985–2008) Four French nuclear ballistic missile submarines of a newer generation, the ''Triomphant'' class, are in service in 2013 in the '' force océanique stratégique'' of the

: * ''Le Triomphant'' (S616) (entered into service in 1997) * ''Le Téméraire'' (S617) (entered into service in 1999) * ''Le Vigilant'' (S618) (entered into service in 2004) * ''Le Terrible'' (S619) (entered into service in 2010). ''Le Terrible'' was presented on March 21, 2008, and entered service at the end of September 2010 to replace the ''L'Inflexible'', last of the retired ''Redoutable''-class ballistic missile submarine in 2008. The armament systems of the ballistic missile submarines include in general: * 16 M45 missiles with TN 75 warheads (nuclear deterrence). French nuclear deterrence also includes M51 missiles. * Four 533 mm tubes for F17 torpedoes and Exocet SM39 anti-ship missiles. The mission of a French nuclear ballistic missile submarine is simple: leave the designated port of attachment, in the most discreet possible way, remain undetectable all along the mission to be able at any moment launch a nuclear strike, under orders of the President of France.

References

Notes

Bibliographies

Y.Cariou, FOST Force Océanique Stratégique, Marines Editions, 2007 {{DEFAULTSORT:Force oceanique strategique French naval components Nuclear weapons program of France 1972 establishments in France

Generality

''Force de dissuasion''

See also

References

Notes

Bibliographies