Sarkozy claims France to reduce airborne nuclear weapons

In a speech in front of France's newest nuclear-armed submarine, President Nicolas Sarkozy said that France will reduce its number of airborne nuclear weapons by one third.

Sarkozy said the reduction to fewer than 300 missiles would leave France with "half the maximum number of warheads we had during the Cold War".

He also insisted he was committed to France's nuclear deterrent, saying it was its "life-insurance policy".

He made the comments in a major defense policy speech after inaugurating a new nuclear-armed submarine, Le Terrible.

France is believed to have 348 deployed nuclear weapons, including 288 submarine-launched ballistic missiles, 50 air-launched cruise missiles and 10 airborne bombs, according to the Federation of American Scientists.

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