View source for École des applications militaires de l'énergie atomique

{{Infobox university
| type                   = Military school
| established            = 1956
| city                   = [[Cherbourg-en-Cotentin]]
| state                  = France
}}
The '''École des applications militaires de l'énergie atomique''' (EAMEA), also known as the Atomic School, is a military higher education establishment located in [[Cherbourg-en-Cotentin]], which trains [[Officer (armed forces)|officers]] of the [[French Armed Forces|French Army]] and [[National Gendarmerie]] in nuclear science, technology and safety. EAMEA trains atomic [[Engineer|engineers]] in the fields of [[naval propulsion]] and [[Nuclear weapon|nuclear weapons]].
The EAMEA also trains non-commissioned officers who are involved in radiological protection for the Ministry of the Armed Forces, particularly for the French Navy, personnel working on nuclear-powered vessels (such as nuclear-powered submarines, [[French submarine Suffren|SSNs]], [[Triomphant-class submarine|SSBNs]], and the [[French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle|nuclear-powered aircraft carrier]]), as well as personnel at support bases where the home ports for these nuclear-powered vessels are located. They are responsible for managing radiological surveillance of personnel in facilities storing spare naval equipment containing radionuclides, and ensuring radiological protection for maintenance personnel in these logistics and maintenance facilities that may operate in regulated access areas.
The EAMEA also trains agents from the French Ministry of the Interior.
The school trains around 900 students a year and employs 50 teachers and researchers.
It is part of the Normandy nuclear cluster, which includes the [[Flamanville Nuclear Power Plant|Flamanville nuclear power plant]], the [[La Hague site|La Hague reprocessing plant]] and the [[Cherbourg Naval Base|Cherbourg arsenal]], where [[Naval Group]] builds nuclear submarines.
== History ==
Established in 1956, the school was initially located in Paris and was supported by the [[CEA Paris-Saclay|Saclay Nuclear Studies Center]].
In the 1950s, even though the [[Force de dissuasion|French nuclear deterrence force]] didn't yet exist, French forces had the opportunity to practice handling nuclear weapons with American tactical weapons within the framework of [[NATO]], using dual-key systems.
In September 1958, EAMEA relocated to Cherbourg, a submarine construction hub.
From 1958 to 1962, the school was under the command of Captain Henri Bellet. He successfully conducted the training of the first crews for the French nuclear deterrence force, as envisioned by [[Charles de Gaulle|General de Gaulle]].
In 1959, EAMEA began admitting students from the [[French Army|Army]] and the [[French Air and Space Force|Air Force]] for its fourth training cycle.
In 1961, the school was renamed the "Military School of Atomic Energy".
From September 23, 1964, to September 5, 1967, it was under the command of Captain Jean Guillou.
In 1971, the first French [[Ballistic missile submarine|ballistic missile nuclear submarine]] (SLBM), the ''[[French submarine Redoutable (S611)|Redoutable]]'', entered service.
In 1974, the school changed its name once again to adopt its current name.
Since 1998, the school has been under the supervision of the Directorate of Military Personnel of the Navy, which is itself under the authority of the [[Chief of Staff of the French Navy|Chief of Staff of the Navy]]. It is the only French military school that offers a diploma program at the third-cycle level of higher education, under the auspices of the [[Institut national des sciences et techniques nucléaires|National Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology]] (INSTN).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-08-19 |title=École des applications militaires de l'énergie atomique |url=https://www.defense.gouv.fr/marine/ressources-humaines/ecoles-et-formations/ecoles-de-specialistes/eamea/eamea |website=defense.gouv.fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401064810/https://www.defense.gouv.fr/marine/ressources-humaines/ecoles-et-formations/ecoles-de-specialistes/eamea/eamea |archive-date=2013-04-01 }}</ref>
==References==
<references />
== External links ==
* ''[https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000037367963 Arrêté du 30 août 2018 relatif à l'école des applications militaires de l'énergie atomique]'', retrieved 31 October 2023
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[[Category:Universities and colleges in France]]
[[Category:Military training establishments of France]]
[[Category:Military history of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin]]
[[Category:Schools in Normandy]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Manche]]