Nuclear missile aboard French Navy's Rafale fighter jet spotted for the first time
- MM24 News Desk
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
France's Ministry of the Armed Forces has revealed the first clear images of its new ASMPA-R supersonic cruise missile, confirming the nuclear-capable weapon is now operational with the French Navy. The announcement followed a successful test launch by a Rafale M fighter from the Naval Nuclear Aviation Force, a key milestone in the modernization of France's aerial nuclear deterrent.
The test, conducted as part of Operation Diomede, involved "a flight representative of a nuclear raid," according to Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin. A statement from her ministry confirmed the ASMPA-R officially entered service with the navy on November 10, having already been operational with the French Air and Space Force's Strategic Air Forces since 2023. Both services use Rafale variants as the primary launch platform for these strategic weapons.
For the first time, the missile's design was shown clearly, revealing it is externally very similar to its predecessor, the ASMP-A. Both feature a ramjet propulsion system with a pair of air intakes along the middle of the body.
However, the tail fin configuration appears revised on the new "renovated" model, a detail that was previously obscured in heavily blurred images released during an Air Force test last year, reported The War Zone.
The ASMPA-R is described as a life-extension upgrade for the older ASMP-A missiles, which first entered service in 2009. The new variant reportedly features a greater range, capable of striking targets up to 372 miles (600 kilometers) away, compared to the 310 miles (500 kilometers) range of the ASMP-A. Both missiles can reach a peak speed of Mach 3, ensuring a rapid and formidable strike capability.
These missiles, armed with a TNA nuclear warhead—a 'dial-a-yield' design with a reported yield between 100 and 300 kilotons—form the aerial leg of France's nuclear triad. Their combination of supersonic speed and standoff range is designed to ensure they can penetrate modern air defenses while keeping the launch aircraft at a safer distance from threats.
The deployment aboard navy Rafale M fighters is particularly significant. France's sole aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, is the only surface ship in NATO currently known to be capable of hosting nuclear weapons, though it does not routinely patrol with them onboard.
This development is part of a broader, concerted effort to modernize France's entire nuclear arsenal, which also includes the new M51.3 submarine-launched ballistic missile that entered service last month.
Looking ahead, France is already developing a next-generation successor. The ministry's statement confirmed the goal for the ASN4G, a future scramjet-powered missile capable of hypersonic speeds above Mach 5, to begin entering service around 2035.
This continued investment, coupled with recent policy shifts including a new coordination agreement with the United Kingdom, underscores France's commitment to maintaining a robust and independent nuclear deterrent in an increasingly uncertain European security landscape.
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