Q&A ยท 35:44-40:06

Polaris-armed Richelieu knock-on effects

A counterfactual Richelieu question explores whether French battleship-launched Polaris missiles would have changed NATO procurement.

Question

What NATO procurement effects would follow if the Richelieu-class battleships had been armed with Polaris missiles?

Short answer

The most likely effect is a British move toward an extra Resolution-class SSBN, with only limited changes elsewhere and a possible Soviet interest in missile-heavy large surface ships.

Notes

The answer treats a missile-armed Richelieu less as a practical battleship modernization than as a prestige and deterrence problem for Britain. London would probably answer with another Resolution-class SSBN because the political comparison with France would matter. A possible Soviet response would be greater interest in large missile ships such as Kirov, while most other NATO procurement would change little.