Forty-eight M45 were in commission in the Force océanique stratégique, the submarine nuclear deterrent component of the French Navy.
Initially, an ICBM land-based version was considered, but these plans were discarded in 1996 to favour an all-naval deployment.
Each missile carries six MIRVs, each armed with a thermonuclear warhead of 110 kt.
The M45 has a reported accuracy of 350 m CEP using an inertial missile guidance system coupled with computer payload control.
[citation needed] On the night of the 1–2 June 2004, the Triomphant-class submarine Vigilant fired a version of the M45 from the southern part of Brittany; the missile hit its target near French Guiana.