H-BOMB CAPACITY OF FRANCE

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31109, 12 July 1966, Page 17

H-BOMB CAPACITY OF FRANCE

Enough Uranium In

Twelve Months

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

PARIS, July 11.

France will be producing enough high quality enriched uranium within a year to begin constructing its first H-bomb, the French Atomic Energy Commission announced today.

In its annual report, the commission said the nuclear plant at Pierrelatte in the Rhone valley has been producing enriched uranium since the beginning of last year. A second plant at Pierrelatte has been functioning since April, 1965, and a third since this spring, the report said.

It said the fourth and final plant, designed to produce the highest quality of enriched uranium, will be operating before the middle of 1967. It is this plant that is to produce the type of enriched uranium needed for the first French H-bomb.

Present French plans call for exploding its first H-bomb in the Pacific at the end of 1967 or early in 1968. The commission’s report appeared to indicate that this programme is fully up to schedule. Atomic Devices

The present round of nuclear tests in the Pacific, which began on July 2, is limited to atomic devices.

The second test explosion is expected this week. The series is scheduled to end in September when President Charles de Gaulle himself will watch a test explosion from the deck of a French aircraft carrier in the Pacific.

The commission’s report said construction of the testing range on Mururoa atoll, south-east of Tahiti, was pushed forward more rapidly than originally planned. It said there is no risk of the test having harmful effects on the health of the inhabitants of Polynesia or of countries bordering on the Pacific Ocean. Missile Plans

The commission’s report also said French authorities were speeding construction of • long-range ground-to-ground and Polaris-style sea-to-ground missiles. It said experiments on the nuclear warheads of the

planned French-built Polaristype missiles have made good progress. It said an experimental hydrogen-tipped missile of the Polaris type to be mounted on French atomic submarines will be assembled at Pierrelatte as soon as sufficient enriched uranium has been produced there.

Last week the Atomic Energy Commission disclosed in its monthly bulletin that tests have begun on the nuclear-powered engine for France’s first atomic submarine.

This is expected to be in service with the French Navy by the early 19705. France plans ultimately to build three such submarines.