Ballistic missile

Monday, December 7, 2009

Ballistic missile

Post under Defence Power at 10:00:00 PM Posted by Shobhit S

A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads (often nuclear) 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.

Missile types

Trident II ballistic missile launched by Royal Navy Vanguard class submarine.

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 km and 300 km
- Battlefield range ballistic missile (BRBM): Range less than 200 km
Theatre ballistic missile (TBM): Range between 300 km and 3500 km
- Short-range ballistic missile (SRBM): Range 1000 km or less
- Medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM): Range between 1000 km and 3500 km
Intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) or long-range ballistic missile (LRBM): Range between 3500 km 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 theater 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).^[2]
The flight phases are like those for ICBMs, except with no exoatmospheric phase for missiles with ranges less than about 350 km