When a French multimission frigate failed to fire its salvo of three naval cruise missiles during last weekend’s joint airstrike on Syria, the military drew on a backup plan, reports Defense News.
The frigate’s sister ship, the Languedoc, instead launched its naval cruise missiles at the three Syrian targets. The mission was the first time France fired its naval cruise missile, a weapon which up until then only the British and US had used.
“The first salvo did not fire,” Army Col. Patrick Steiger, spokesman for the French Joint Chief of Staff, told Defense News on April 18th.
The launch by a backup ship is part of France’s standard “redundancy” approach, the spokesman said.
“All the targets were hit,” he added. “The military effect was obtained.” That effectiveness led the commanders to decide there was no need for a second strike of naval cruise weapons, he explained.
It is unknown what caused the technical problem, but the misfire will be investigated, the spokesman said.
The French Navy and MBDA, the missile manufacturer, were not immediately available for comment.
A newsletter, Lettre A, reported a “technical hitch” had prevented the planned first launch.
The spokesman declined to comment on why the French Air Force did not fire a 10th cruise missile, as reported by website Le Mamouth.
Each of the five Rafale fighter jets on the mission carried two Scalp cruise weapons, of which nine were fired.