Ballistic missile

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Diagram of V-2, the first ballistic missile.

A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering a warhead to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the laws of orbital mechanics and ballistics. To date, ballistic missiles have been propelled during powered flight by chemical rocket engines of various types.

A missile may be largely ballistic but be capable of some evasive maneuvering, as has been claimed for the Bulava under development. In that case the term "quasi-ballistic" is sometimes used.

The first ballistic missile was the A-4, commonly known as the V-2 rocket, developed by Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s under direction of Walter Dornberger. The first successful launch of a V-2 was on October 3, 1942 and began operation on September 6, 1944 against Paris, followed by an attack on London two days later. By the end of World War II May 1945 over 3,000 V-2s had been launched.

A ballistic missile trajectory consists of three parts: The powered flight portion, the free-flight portion which constitutes most of the flight time, and the re-entry phase where the missile re-enters the Earth's atmosphere.

Ballistic missiles can be launched from fixed sites or mobile launchers, including vehicles (Transporter Erector Launchers, TELs), aircraft, ships and submarines. The powered flight portion can last from a few tens of seconds to several minutes and can consist of multiple rocket stages.

When in space and no more thrust is provided, the missile enters free-flight. In order to cover large distances, ballistic missiles are usually launched into a high sub-orbital spaceflight; for intercontinental missiles the highest altitude (apogee) reached during free-flight is about 1200 km.

The re-entry stage begins at an altitude where atmospheric drag plays a significant part in missile trajectory, and lasts until missile impact.

[edit] Missile types

Royal Navy Vanguard class submarine launched Trident II ballistic missile being fired.

Ballistic missiles can vary widely in range and use, and are often divided into categories based on range. Various schemes are used by different countries to categorize the ranges of ballistic missiles:

Tactical ballistic missile: Range between about 150 and 300km.

Battlefield range ballistic missile (BRBM): Range less than 200km.

Theatre ballistic missile: Range between 300 and 3500km.

Short-range ballistic missile (SRBM): Range 1000km or less.
Medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM): Range between 1000 and 3500 km

Intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) or long-range ballistic missile (LRBM): Range between 2500 or 3000 and 5500 km.
Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM): Range greater than 5500 km.
Submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM): Launched from ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs), all current designs have intercontinental range.

Short- and medium-range missiles are often collectively referred to as theatre or tactical ballistic missiles (TBMs). Long- and medium-range ballistic missiles are generally designed to deliver nuclear weapons because their payload is too limited for conventional explosives to be efficient (though the U.S. may be evaluating the idea of a conventionally-armed ICBM for near-instant global air strike capability despite the high costs^[1]).

The flight phases are like those for ICBMs, except with no exoatmospheric phase for missiles with ranges less than about 350 km.

[edit] Specific missiles

Shaheen-I Missile

Specific types of ballistic missiles include:

[edit] Argentina

Condor SRBM

[edit] China

DF-3A: IRBM
DF-4: IRBM
DF-5: ICBM
DF-11: SRBM
DF-15: SRBM
DF-21: MRBM
DF-25: MRBM
DF-31: ICBM
DF-41: ICBM
JL-1: SLBM IRBM
JL-2: SLBM ICBM

[edit] France

Hadès: SRBM
M45: ICBM
M51: SLBM
Pluton: SRBM

[edit] India

Prithvi I SRBM
Prithvi II SRBM
Prithvi III SRBM
Agni I: SRBM
Agni II : MRBM
Agni III : IRBM
Agni V : ICBM (Under development)
Surya: ICBM (planned)
Sagarika: SLCM
Agni IIISL : SLBM (Under development)

[edit] Iran

Shahab-1: SRBM
Zelzal-1: SRBM
Shahab-2: SRBM
Zelzal-2: SRBM
Zelzal-3: SRBM
Fateh-110: SRBM
Shahab-3: MRBM
Fajr-3: MRBM
Ashoura missile: MRBM
Ghadr-110: IRBM
Shahab-4: ICBM [SLV]
Shahab-5: ICBM (presumably)

[edit] Iraq

[edit] Israel

[edit] South Korea

Hyunmoo: SRBM

[edit] Turkey

J-Missile
Yıldırım SRBM^[2]

[edit] United States

Minuteman: ICBM
Peacekeeper: ICBM
Polaris: SLBM
Poseidon: SLBM
Skybolt Air-Launched Ballistic Missile (ALBM)
Trident SLBM