On October 24, 2025, French Minister for the Armed Forces and Veterans, Catherine Vautrin, announced that the third version (M51.3) of the M51 subsurface-to-surface strategic ballistic missile, developed and deployed by ArianeGroup, is entering operational service.
“This milestone marks the culmination of ten years of development completed on schedule, and within the initially defined budget and quality. Coming just weeks after the notification of the M51.4 development contract, it demonstrates the full expertise of ArianeGroup and its industrial partners in the field of ballistic and space systems”, comments Vincent Pery, Director of Defense Programs at ArianeGroup. “I would like to thank DGA and the French authorities for their confidence in ArianeGroup's expertise and role as prime contractor. In today's evolving geopolitical context, deployment of the M51.3 helps ensure the continued credibility of France's oceanic nuclear deterrent for the coming decade.”
Brought into service in 2010, the M51 is the fifth generation of French ballistic missiles. The M51.1 and M51.2 versions are currently in service and the M51.3 will gradually replace them now that it is entering operational service. This third version successfully completed its qualification flight in November 2023 from the Ballistic Launch Base (BLB) at the DGA-Essais de Missiles test range in Biscarrosse, southwest France.
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Download free sample pages More informationOver the following two years, efforts focused on validating the missile's overall performance and demonstrating compliance with nuclear safety requirements in its future operational environment, at Ile Longue and aboard nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). Completion of this process, a prerequisite for entry into service, was achieved in September 2025 along with the full M51.3 production ramp-up to prepare for deployment aboard SSBNs.
The M51 missile program follows an incremental development approach to ensure it keeps pace with changes in the geostrategic context and France's evolving needs. For ArianeGroup, the only European company capable of designing and producing a strategic missile, this means staying at the forefront of technology and maintaining the highest standards of performance.
ArianeGroup is industrial prime contractor for the M51 strategic missile fielded by France's Strategic Oceanic Force (FOST), on behalf of DGA. In this role, ArianeGroup is active across the program's lifecycle, including design, production, maintenance and in-service support, as well as end-of-life decommissioning and dismantling.
