MISSILE M 51: CONTRACTORS SIGN AGREEMENT WITH DGA

EADS LAUNCH VEHICLES and the G2P* have entered into an agreement with the French DGA concerning the contractual conditions under which to continue to develop the M51 missile.

Pursuant to the negotiations that were initiated in Spring 2000, the industrial partners are finalising an agreement with the French Délégation Générale pour l'Armement (DGA) to set the budget allocation for the development of the weapon system over a period of eight years. The agreement provides a contract that will be submitted to the cognizant authorities. This contract includes a two-year firm tranche and two three-year conditional tranches.

The total contract price will be Euro 2.85 billion.

The initial flight test of the M51 is scheduled for 2005, at the end of the second tranche. The mass production contract should be concluded in 2003, so that an initial batch of missiles can be delivered in 2008, on time for the operational commissioning of the 4th new-generation submarine "Le Terrible".

Overall, the contract will give massive work to the EADS LAUNCH VEHICLES plants of Les Mureaux and Aquitaine, the Snecma Moteurs plant at Haillan and the SNPE plant of Saint-Médard-en-Jalles.

The M 51 – which was initiated in 1992 and confirmed in 1996 – is a new-generation ballistic missile that will be carried on board the submarines of the French Strategic Nuclear Force, starting in 2008. Compared to its predecessor – the M 45 – this 55-tonne missile will offer enhanced carrying capacity and better accuracy.

The contract will be conducted under the industrial prime contractorship of EADS LAUNCH VEHICLES, and of G2P for the propulsion part. The missile will allow the French deterrence force to keep up with changing threats and changing types of defence.