''L'Inflexible'' (S 615) was the sixth and final of the SNLE ("''Sous-marin Nucléaire Lanceur d'Engins''", "
Nuclear Missile-Launching Submarine") of the
Force océanique stratégique
The Strategic Ocean Force () is one of two terms that describe the submarine component of the French Navy. Prior to 1999, FOST grouped ballistic missile submarines with a role in France's nuclear deterrent. Since 1999, they have been integrated ...
(FOST), the
submarine
A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...
nuclear deterrent 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 ...
.
Construction began on 27 March 1980. The boat was launched on 23 June 1982, commissioned on 1 April 1985 and decommissioned on 14 January 2008.
Design and construction
''L'Inflexible'' uses basically the same design as the other ''Redoutable''-class vessels, but has benefited from technological advances over its predecessors. The submarine uses the
M4 missile, which carries 6 independent 150
kilotonnes of TNT equivalent nuclear warheads. Their range is reported to be over . The boat also has the capability of launching the SM39
Exocet
The Exocet () is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from Warship, surface vessels, Submarine, submarines, Helicopter, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Etymology
The missile's name was given by M. Guil ...
anti-ship missile
An anti-ship missile (AShM or ASM) is a guided missile that is designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea-skimming variety, and many use a combination of inertial guidance and active radar homing. ...
.
''L'Inflexible'' received TIT (''Traitement de l'Information Tactique'', "Tactical Information Processor"), a cluster of French-designed computers and serial digital bus links for intersystem communication and DMUX21
sonar
Sonar (sound navigation and ranging or sonic navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigate, measure distances ( ranging), communicate with or detect objects o ...
. The submarine has an improved inertial navigation system over other vessels of the class. The boat also has the improved internal communication system—SNTI, ''Système Numérisé de Transmissions Intérieures'' (Digital Internal Communication System).
Other miscellaneous improvements were made in electrical systems, nuclear systems, improving safety and stealth and rudder and engines, improving reliability and stealth. ''Inflexible has an improved hull profile.''
The other ''Redoutable''-class submarines have been modified to meet the standards of ''L'Inflexible'' ("Refonte M4"). ''L'Inflexible'' was officially decommissioned on 14 January 2008.
In popular culture
''L'Inflexible'' has inspired ''Le Soleil ne se lève pas pour nous'' ("''No sunrise for us''") by
Robert Merle, a 1987 semi-fictitious book in form of a romanced documentary.
See also
*
List of submarines of France
The submarines of France include Nuclear submarine, nuclear attack submarines and nuclear ballistic missile submarines of various List of submarine classes, classes, operated by the French Navy as part of the Submarine forces (France), French Subma ...
References
Redoutable-class submarines (1967)
Ships built in France
1982 ships
Cold War submarines of France
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