France has successfully test-fired an M51.3 long-range ballistic missile, boosting the credibility of France's nuclear deterrent capabilities, the defense ministry said on Sunday.
The missile, which did not carry a nuclear weapon, was fired from the French military's Biscarosse missile test site in southwestern France and landed in the North Atlantic, "hundreds of kilometers from any coastline", the ministry said, without giving further details.
"The flight has allowed to confirm a major upgrade of the missile that will contribute to the lasting reliability of France's ocean deterrence in the coming decades," the ministry said in a statement on Sunday, reports Reuters.
He added that maintaining the operational reliability of France's nuclear weapons is required given the international environment.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly warned the West that he would be ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia.
The M51.3 missile is an upgraded version of the M51, a three-stage strategic sea-land ballistic missile designed to be launched from French Navy submarines. The M51 was first tested from a land base in 2006 and from a submarine in 2010, the year it was commissioned.
The new M51.3 missile, which is expected to enter service around 2025, has been developed by aerospace firm ArianeGroup, a joint venture between Airbus ( AIR.PA ) and French defense group Safran ( SAF.PA ).
Ballistic missiles are similar to rockets and follow elliptical trajectories after launch, often leaving the earth's atmosphere to reach lower space, unlike cruise missiles, which typically follow straight, low-altitude thrust-powered trajectories continuous until they reach their objective.
