The S3 was a French land-based

Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile An intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) is a ballistic missile with a range of 3,000–5,500 km (1,864–3,418 miles), between a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) and an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Classifying ...

, equipped with a single 1.2-

megatonne The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the short ton (United States c ...

thermonuclear warhead A thermonuclear weapon, fusion weapon or hydrogen bomb (H bomb) is a second-generation nuclear weapon design. Its greater sophistication affords it vastly greater destructive power than first-generation nuclear bombs, a more compact size, a lowe ...

. In France it is called an SSBS, for ''Sol-Sol Balistique Stratégique'', or Ground-Ground Strategic Ballistic Missile.

Design

The S3 is a two-stage, solid-propellant

(IRBM). The first stage was inherited from the S2, with a P16 solid fuel engine and 4 exhausts. The first stage carries of fuel and burns for 72 seconds. The second stage carries and burns for 58 seconds. The

nuclear warhead A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions ( thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bom ...

, a single 1.2 Mt TN 61, is hardened and carries penetration aids.

Operational history

From 1971, the main land-based component of the French

nuclear deterrent Nuclear strategy involves the development of doctrines and strategies for the production and use of nuclear weapons. As a sub-branch of military strategy, nuclear strategy attempts to match nuclear weapons as means to political ends. In addit ...

(''

force de dissuasion The ''Force de frappe'' (French: "strike force"), or ''Force de dissuasion'' ("deterrent force") after 1961,Gunston, Bill. Bombers of the West. New York: Charles Scribner's and Sons; 1973. p104 is the designation of what used to be a triad of a ...

'') was the S2 missile. In 1973, a programme was started to develop a second-generation "ground-ground ballistic strategic" (SSBS in French) missile, completed in 1980. Two groups totaling 18 S2 missile silos were upgraded to the S3 standard. A first 9-missile group was deployed at Apt-Saint-Christol air base, on the

Plateau d'Albion In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ha ...

in the

Vaucluse Vaucluse (; oc, Vauclusa, label=Provençal or ) is a department in the southeastern French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It had a population of 561,469 as of 2019.M51 M51 or M-51 may refer to: * M-51 (Michigan highway), a state highway in Michigan * M51 highway (Russia) * M51 (Cape Town), a Metropolitan Route in Cape Town, South Africa * M51 Skysweeper, an anti-aircraft gun * M51 MACI mine * M51 SLBM, a Frenc ...

, in 1994, the replacement was rescheduled to be a land-based version of the M45. The 18 S3D missile silos were deactivated in September 1996, and within two years and after an expenditure of US$77.5 million, the silos and related facilities were fully dismantled. They would not be replaced.

References

Image:Missile S3 musee du Bourget P1010640.JPG, General view of the missile Image:Missile S3 1er etage Musee du Bourget P1010432.JPG, First stage Image:Missile-S3-moteurs-fusee-du 1er etage Musee du Bourget P1010653.jpg, Exhaust of the first stage Image:Missile S3 deuxieme etage Musee du Bourget P1010438.JPG, Second stage Image:Missile-S3-Moteur-fusee-du_du_2eme_etage_Musee_du_Bourget.jpg, Exhaust of the second stage Image:Missile-S3-case-a-equipement du 2eme etage Musee du Bourget P1010647.jpg, Instruments of the 2nd stage Image:Missile S3 tête du missile musee du Bourget P1010436.JPG, Warhead Image:Misisile-S3 case a equipement de la tete du missile Musee deu Bourget P1010645.jpg, Instruments of the warhead Image:Centrale-intertielle missile S3 Musee du Bourget P1010652.JPG, Inertial unit Image:Silo cover and technical services building.jpg, Missile silo cover and technical services building at the Sirene Observatory, Plateau d'Albion Image:Missile silo cover 1.5m thickness.jpg, Missile silo cover 1.5m thick {{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Intermediate-range ballistic missiles Ballistic missiles of France Nuclear missiles of France Projects established in 1980 1980 in military history 1980s in France 1980 establishments in France 1996 disestablishments in France Military equipment introduced in the 1980s