Le Terrible begins major refit

The Triomphant-class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) Le Terrible has arrived in the naval base at Brest for a major refit.

‘This will be the first FCD [full cycle docking] for Le Terrible and will involve 14 months of industrial activities to modernise the ship and restore its operational potential for the coming 10 years,’ the French MoD and prime contractor Naval Group announced on 8 January.

Work on the FCD is divided between Brest and the L’Île Longue strategic submarine base.

The extensive project involves 2.5 million hours of work over a 30-month period, with Naval Group overseeing the activities of 45 organisations.

Some 40,000 equipment items will be removed for inspection and 300 modifications will be made to the SSBN, focusing on hull maintenance and operational systems, including the nuclear missiles.

Once this work is completed, Le Terrible will return to L’Île Longue to reload the reactor core, start up various installations and carry out sea trials before returning to its operational cycle.

Le Terrible is the newest submarine in the four-boat Triomphant class, having been commissioned in 2010.

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