French Defense Minister Lecornu affirmed that this was the first successful test of the M51.3 strategic ballistic missile, affirming the reliability of France's nuclear deterrence capabilities.
AFP news agency reported that on November 18, France announced the successful test launch of the M51.3 strategic ballistic missile without a nuclear warhead on the same day.
The French Defense Ministry said the launch took place from a location in the Landes region in southwestern France.
The French Defense Ministry said the missile was monitored throughout its flight phase and the fallout zone was located in the North Atlantic, several hundred kilometers from the coast.
On social network X (formerly Twitter), French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu affirmed that this was the first successful test of the M51.3 strategic ballistic missile and this development affirms the reliability of nuclear deterrence as well as demonstrates the capacity of the French missile industry.