The Triomphant is a strategic nuclear submarine of the French Navy; she is the lead boat of her class. Triomphant entered active service in March 1997. On 18 October 2001, the fleet support service notified the DCN that Triomphant was about to take her first period of Unavailability for Maintenance and Repairs. The 150 million Euro contract was granted to DCN, with the IPER starting at Ile Longue on 2 April 2002, scheduled for 29 months in all. In this, her first major refit, her missiles and the fuel elements of her nuclear boiler were disembarked. In August 2004 L’Humanit?? ran a piece with the headline “Pas si Triomphant que ?