The sea-to-ground missiles are Missile S intended for the attack of terrestrial objectives by naval forces. One distinguishes two types of sea-to-ground missiles, according to their trajectory and their employment:

• the ballistic missiles: launched by Nuclear submarine launcher of machines, they arm the forces with Nuclear deterrence and are also indicated MSBS (Sea-to-ground Strategic Ballistics) or, in English, SLBM ( Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile ).

• the cruise missiles: drawn either from a surface vessel or of an Underwater , their employment is tactical and their load or nuclear power or conventional. These missiles are launched starting from tubes launches Torpille S or of vertical silos.

France

Strategic ballistic missiles

• M1 : first MSBS, it is a missile on two floors, it equips as from 1971 the first SNLE “Frightening the”. It is withdrawn from the service in 1977 with the arrival of M20. It had a range of approximately 3  000 km.

• m2: it differs from M1 by an increased useful range. It enters in service in 1974.
• M20: this missile of a load of one megaton is on two floors. It enters in service in 1977 and is withdrawn in 1991.
• M4: first MSBS with multiple nuclear warheads (MIRV). This missile on three floors replaces M20 as from 1985. It has a range of 5  000 km.
• M45 : M45 replaces M4 as from 1997, the difference between these two versions is located in the part containing the payload, the heads are indeed “furtive” and the assistances with the penetration are of a new generation. It has a range of 6  000 km.
• M51 : this new generation of missiles should enter in service the years 2008-2010 to replace the M45 missiles. Of a more important size, they are envisaged to arm SNLE - NG (new generation). It differs from M45 by a capacity of carrying and a more important range (8  000 km).

Cruise missiles

• SCALP-N (naval): startup as from 2008-2010, carried few hundreds of kilometers, conventional load. This missile is envisaged to equip new SNA (Classe Barracuda) and the frigates FREMM

the United States of America

Strategic ballistic missiles

• Trident II (D5): Ballistic missile on 3 floors, of a mass of 57 tons to launching and measuring 13,90 m height. Operational since 1990, it can carry to 8 heads MIRV of 100 kt and has a range of 12.000 km.

Cruise missiles

• Tomahawk BGM-109 : Cruise missile which can be equipped with a conventional or nuclear warhead. It flies at a subsonic speed of about 900 km/h (approximately Mach 0,7), it has a maximum range of 2500 km.