The Russie and Lebed saw service in Russia,[7][8] and the Autrichienne[9] (built under license in Vienna by the Motor-Luftfahrzeug Gesellschaft) was operated by the Austrian army under the designation M.II.

[12] In 1909, the army decided to integrate airship reconnaissance into its military maneuvers of that year ("Les grandes Manoeuvres du Bourbonnais") and the République was assigned to this task.

A temporary hangar, consisting of a fabric skin draped over a metal frame, was constructed at Lapalisse to accommodate the airship.

After 62 miles (105 km), while over La Charité-sur-Loire, her motor overheated due to poor water circulation and had to be stopped immediately.

With the keel and gondola damaged and the loss of gas, it was decided not to risk the République suffering the same fate as the Patrie (who was lost when a storm blew her away while she was moored due to mechanical problems), but to deflate the gas-bag immediately.

The necessary repairs were made sufficiently quickly for the République to be reassembled and inflated, ready to take part successfully in the maneuvers by 12 September 1909 as planned.

On the morning of 25 September 1909 while near the Château of Avrilly (46°38′34.01″N 3°16′57.98″E / 46.6427806°N 3.2827722°E / 46.6427806; 3.2827722), one of the metal propeller blades sheared off its shaft and pierced the envelope, deflating the bag catastrophically, and caused the République to crash into ground at high speed.

[15] A new airship, named Capitaine-Marchal, in honor of the deceased commander of the République, was presented to the French government by Lebaudy Frères.