FS Inflexible
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
| Career | 
|
|---|---|
| Length | 130 m |
| Displacement | 9,000 tons (submerged) |
| Complement | 115 men |
| Power Plant | One PWR |
| Power | 16,000 shp |
| Speed | 25 knots |
| Armament | 16 M4 MSBS (Mer Sol Balistique Strategique) nuclear missiles |
L'Inflexible is the 6th and last of the Redoutable class SNLE (Sous-marin Nucléaire Lanceur d'Engins, "Nuclear Vehicle-Launching Submarine"). Construction began on March 27, 1980; launched on June 23, 1982, it was commissioned on April 1, 1985. It is part of the Force Océanique Stratégique (FOST) ("Oceanic Strategic Force").
L'Inflexible uses basically the same design than the other Redoutable-class vessels, but has yet benefited from technologal advances over its predecessors:
- It uses the M4 missile, which carries 6 independent 150 kilotonne of TNT equivalent nuclear warheads. Range it reported to be "over 4500 km".
- Miscellaneous improvements were made in electrical systems, nuclear systems (improving safety and stealth), rudder and engines (improving reability and stealth).
- TIT (Traitement de l'Information Tactique, "Tactical Information Processor"), a cluster of French-designed computers and serial digital bus links for intersystem communication.
- DMUX21 sonar.
- Capability of launching the SM 39 anti-ship missile (best known as Exocet
- Improved inertial navigation system.
- Improved internal communication system—SNTI, Système Numérisé de Transmissions Intérieures (Digital Internal Communication System)
- Miscellaneous acoustical stealth improvements
- Improved hull profile
The other Redoutable-class submarines have been modified to meet the standards of the Inflexible ("Refonte M4"). The Inflexible is to be discarded around 2008.
L'Inflexible has inspired Le Soleil ne se lève pas pour nous (No sunrise for us) by Robert Merle, a 1987 semi-fictionous book in form of a romanced documentary.
