S3 missile

The S3 is a intercontinental Ballistic missile French based with ground. It is equipped with only one nuclear warhead.

Design

The predecessor of S3, S2 constituted the principal element of the French deterrent force, it had entered in service in 1971. In 1973, a program was launched to develop one second ground-ground-ballistics-strategic generation of missile, S3. This involved the restoration of the first two groups of silos of S2 missile and their replacement by of S3.

The development of S-3 was finished in 1980. In the beginning, it was envisaged to replace S3 by a version based with ground of the M-5 by 2005. In 1994, it was announced that they was to be replaced by M45 based with ground, but in 1996 it was decided to decontaminate the S3 missiles and that they would not be replaced.

The system was deployed as from 1980. The first group of nine missiles was installed on the Plateau of Albion. The two groups of nine silos was operational in 1982. Reports/ratios indicate that 40 S-3 missiles were built and that more than 13 of between-them were used for tests.

Description

S3 is a missile on two floors of intermediate range and solid propulsion. It is 13,8 m long and its diameter is of 1,5 Mr. It weighs 25,8 T and has a maximum range of 3 500 km. It is equipped with the same first stage as S2 equipped with a P16 engine to solid fuel and with 4 Tuyère S.

The first stage carries 16 940 kg of fuel which burns during 72 seconds. The second stage carries to him 6 015 kg of fuel which burns during 58 seconds. It has a system of penetration hardened and assistances with the penetration. The missile is equipped with a nuclear warhead TN-61 of an estimated power of 1,2 Mégatonne.

See too

Sources

Jane' S Handbook

Internal bonds

External bonds

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