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The Inflexible class submarine is a ballistic missile (SSBN) class, Sous-marines Nucleaire Lanceur d'Engins balistique (SNLE), of the Marine Nationale , the oceanic part (Force Océanique Stratégique (FOST)) of the Force de frappe.
The submarine is 130 m long, masses 9,000 tons submerged, and carries a crew of 115. Powered by a nuclear PWR the single shaft motor produces 16,000 shp, allowing a maximum speed of 25 knots. Each submarine carries a maximum of sixteen M4 MSBS (Mer Sol Balistique Strategique) missiles, for defence they are armed with four 533 mm torpedo tubes, firing ECAN torpedoes or the SM-39 Exocet.
The class entered active service in 1971 with Le Redoutable, six submarines were built in total. Only one is still active, L'Inflexible (S615) based at Ile Longue, Brest. The structural changes in L'Inflexible have seen it regarded as a different class from the early boats. The class has been superced by the Le Triomphant class, firing the larger M45 missile (M51 from around 2010).
The first submarine, Le Redoutable, was ordered in 1963, built at Cherbourg, launched in 1967 and commissioned in 1971. The class was initially called the Redoutable class, the class was renamed after the de-commisioning of Le Redoutable in December 1991. The remaining submarines were very heavily upgraded from 1985 to fire the 2nd generation MIRV capable M4 missile - Le Tonnant was recommissioned in 1987; L'Indomptable in 1989; Le Terrible in 1990; and Le Foudroyant in 1993.
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