Kapitan
01-09-16, 03:17 PM
Take a trip inside one of the French navy’s most Secret submarines
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/16527014801_3b0c6c3a84_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbrgH4)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbrgH4)
This is Le Redoubtable S611 in her dry dock in Cite De La Mer Cherbourg Frace
Commissioned on the 1st of December 1971 Le Redoubtable S611 became France’s first nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine she was to be the lead boat in a class of six to be built by DCNS for the Marine Nationale.
She was powered by a single 16,000shp nuclear reactor giving he a top speed of a 25 knots (officially released). Able to dive to a depth of 250meters (Again officially) she like all boomers were to hide with pride and await orders from the president of France to initiate a nuclear launch.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7323/16342784247_144811b665_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qUa3oc)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qUa3oc)
Her 7 scew bladed propeller helped her achieve 25 knots under waterbut it also kept her quiet while on patrol.
What a lot of people do not know is that France has a completely indigenous Nuclear deterrent unlike the UK – USA trident partnership France is truly independent what’s more despite being a founding member France was not a full member of NATO she only participates after she withdrew in 1966 although since 2009 France has now re-joined NATO as a full member.
Initially built to carry the French M1 missile Le Redoubtable was upgraded to carry the more advanced M2 missile in 1974 which she later went on to upgrade again to the M20.
For a boomer she didn’t have a particularly long life just 20 years being decommissioned on the 1st of December 1991 20 years to the day of her commissioning.
The submarine isn’t huge by our standards today in fact most French submarines are not large the dimensions of Le redoubtable are:
Length: 420ft Width: 10.5ft Draught: 33ft Displacement 8,000tons submerged
Despite being a boomer she did carry a good array of weapons including the Exocet anti-ship missile the F17 and L5 torpedoes for defence, as well as her main arm of 16 SLBM’s
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7344/16340958718_f6642239ec_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qTZFHy)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qTZFHy)
L5 torpedo half in the torpedo tube
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7319/16340959838_26b4693c13_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qTZG3S)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qTZG3S)
A panoramic shot of the forward torpedo compartment (excuse my friend)
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8651/15908433853_14af8c216e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qeLT9i)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qeLT9i)
A shot of the missile silos
The last ship of the series L’Inflexible commissioned in 1986 served the Marine Nationale well into the 2000’s being struck from the list in 2008 she was also the first submarine to carry the new M4 missile.
The Whole class has now been phased out of service being replaced by the much larger Triomphant Class armed with the more up to date M45 and M51 type SLBM’s, these are almost twice the displacement of the original Redoubtable and 35ft longer and wider giving the crew much more room in which to move around and live.
Having been on board the Le Redoubtable she is well worth the visit she is a small SSBN but none the less she is the only one preserved anywhere in the world she is located at Cite De La Mer in Cherbourg France she is indeed one of the best preserved boats we have been on and also she is out of the water so you can get an idea of scale and if you fancy it take a walk underneath her.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8583/16526985081_168190e698_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbr7SD)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbr7SD)
Yup thats right im infront but underneath the screw
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7431/16528623595_4ce15c377d_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbzvWT)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbzvWT)
Starting Aft and working forward this is the very back of the boat the long shiny tube you see is in fact the propeller shaft
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7387/15906024874_6aa836f2d9_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qeyx3b)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qeyx3b)
The massive gearbox
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7349/16342321289_38d3cfb714_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qU7ELa)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qU7ELa)
The Backup engines and motors
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7386/16340913258_bf3fd68444_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qTZscL)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qTZscL)
As you can guess if you pay peanuts you get monkeys this is the back up motors control station
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8639/16341147260_8c842a7afa_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qU1DLh)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qU1DLh)
The engineers control room the red handle to the right is the throttle to the submarine
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7348/16340915528_f178cb8e0f_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qTZsSU)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qTZsSU)
The electric motors these get you out of trouble if the reactor ever does down
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8605/15906033604_d31fa1b9a1_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qeyzCG)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qeyzCG)
Here is the missile control panel
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8630/16502597746_9214d4a2f1_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/r9h8nm)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/r9h8nm)
The missile firing panel and yes we did try and fire one sadly it didn't work.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7366/16502598176_6b9d62fe73_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/r9h8uL)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/r9h8uL)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7415/15908448003_f23d7d233c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qeLXmg)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qeLXmg)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7396/16527568642_991cd7a74b_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbu7m3)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbu7m3)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7353/16526912521_510bfe18ab_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbqKiB)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbqKiB)
This is the control centre as you probably guessed the stations are set as if in battle stations / night surfacing hence the red light
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7304/16342712687_a8beee41e9_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qU9F7p)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qU9F7p)
Dont panic he does a better job than Carl !
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7362/16340936478_2b3b416c4d_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qTZz77)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qTZz77)
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8641/16526913051_cd8967832b_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbqKsK)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbqKsK)
The officers mess
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7448/16502626536_ca709b5bfd_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/r9hgVJ)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/r9hgVJ)
The rates mess
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7339/16342364959_95605e1f87_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qU7TK6)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qU7TK6)
The rates bunks
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8666/16527603942_aacb5d5e54_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbuhQE)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbuhQE)
Junior officers Bunk space
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7302/16528670675_e0dd02ed0a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbzKWB)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbzKWB)
Torpedo compartment
Well that concludes the tour as i'm only able to upload 25 pictures there are more pictures available click the link in my signature for more.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7311/16527014801_3b0c6c3a84_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbrgH4)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbrgH4)
This is Le Redoubtable S611 in her dry dock in Cite De La Mer Cherbourg Frace
Commissioned on the 1st of December 1971 Le Redoubtable S611 became France’s first nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine she was to be the lead boat in a class of six to be built by DCNS for the Marine Nationale.
She was powered by a single 16,000shp nuclear reactor giving he a top speed of a 25 knots (officially released). Able to dive to a depth of 250meters (Again officially) she like all boomers were to hide with pride and await orders from the president of France to initiate a nuclear launch.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7323/16342784247_144811b665_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qUa3oc)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qUa3oc)
Her 7 scew bladed propeller helped her achieve 25 knots under waterbut it also kept her quiet while on patrol.
What a lot of people do not know is that France has a completely indigenous Nuclear deterrent unlike the UK – USA trident partnership France is truly independent what’s more despite being a founding member France was not a full member of NATO she only participates after she withdrew in 1966 although since 2009 France has now re-joined NATO as a full member.
Initially built to carry the French M1 missile Le Redoubtable was upgraded to carry the more advanced M2 missile in 1974 which she later went on to upgrade again to the M20.
For a boomer she didn’t have a particularly long life just 20 years being decommissioned on the 1st of December 1991 20 years to the day of her commissioning.
The submarine isn’t huge by our standards today in fact most French submarines are not large the dimensions of Le redoubtable are:
Length: 420ft Width: 10.5ft Draught: 33ft Displacement 8,000tons submerged
Despite being a boomer she did carry a good array of weapons including the Exocet anti-ship missile the F17 and L5 torpedoes for defence, as well as her main arm of 16 SLBM’s
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7344/16340958718_f6642239ec_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qTZFHy)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qTZFHy)
L5 torpedo half in the torpedo tube
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7319/16340959838_26b4693c13_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qTZG3S)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qTZG3S)
A panoramic shot of the forward torpedo compartment (excuse my friend)
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8651/15908433853_14af8c216e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qeLT9i)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qeLT9i)
A shot of the missile silos
The last ship of the series L’Inflexible commissioned in 1986 served the Marine Nationale well into the 2000’s being struck from the list in 2008 she was also the first submarine to carry the new M4 missile.
The Whole class has now been phased out of service being replaced by the much larger Triomphant Class armed with the more up to date M45 and M51 type SLBM’s, these are almost twice the displacement of the original Redoubtable and 35ft longer and wider giving the crew much more room in which to move around and live.
Having been on board the Le Redoubtable she is well worth the visit she is a small SSBN but none the less she is the only one preserved anywhere in the world she is located at Cite De La Mer in Cherbourg France she is indeed one of the best preserved boats we have been on and also she is out of the water so you can get an idea of scale and if you fancy it take a walk underneath her.
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8583/16526985081_168190e698_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbr7SD)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbr7SD)
Yup thats right im infront but underneath the screw
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7431/16528623595_4ce15c377d_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbzvWT)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbzvWT)
Starting Aft and working forward this is the very back of the boat the long shiny tube you see is in fact the propeller shaft
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7387/15906024874_6aa836f2d9_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qeyx3b)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qeyx3b)
The massive gearbox
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7349/16342321289_38d3cfb714_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qU7ELa)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qU7ELa)
The Backup engines and motors
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7386/16340913258_bf3fd68444_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qTZscL)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qTZscL)
As you can guess if you pay peanuts you get monkeys this is the back up motors control station
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8639/16341147260_8c842a7afa_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qU1DLh)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qU1DLh)
The engineers control room the red handle to the right is the throttle to the submarine
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7348/16340915528_f178cb8e0f_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qTZsSU)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qTZsSU)
The electric motors these get you out of trouble if the reactor ever does down
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8605/15906033604_d31fa1b9a1_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qeyzCG)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qeyzCG)
Here is the missile control panel
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8630/16502597746_9214d4a2f1_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/r9h8nm)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/r9h8nm)
The missile firing panel and yes we did try and fire one sadly it didn't work.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7366/16502598176_6b9d62fe73_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/r9h8uL)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/r9h8uL)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7415/15908448003_f23d7d233c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qeLXmg)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qeLXmg)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7396/16527568642_991cd7a74b_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbu7m3)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbu7m3)
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7353/16526912521_510bfe18ab_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbqKiB)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbqKiB)
This is the control centre as you probably guessed the stations are set as if in battle stations / night surfacing hence the red light
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7304/16342712687_a8beee41e9_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qU9F7p)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qU9F7p)
Dont panic he does a better job than Carl !
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7362/16340936478_2b3b416c4d_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qTZz77)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qTZz77)
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8641/16526913051_cd8967832b_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbqKsK)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbqKsK)
The officers mess
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7448/16502626536_ca709b5bfd_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/r9hgVJ)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/r9hgVJ)
The rates mess
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7339/16342364959_95605e1f87_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/qU7TK6)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/qU7TK6)
The rates bunks
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8666/16527603942_aacb5d5e54_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbuhQE)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbuhQE)
Junior officers Bunk space
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7302/16528670675_e0dd02ed0a_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rbzKWB)Le Redoubtable S611 (https://flic.kr/p/rbzKWB)
Torpedo compartment
Well that concludes the tour as i'm only able to upload 25 pictures there are more pictures available click the link in my signature for more.