A ballistic missile is a missile (rocket) that follows a ballistic trajectory with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target.
There are a total of 31 countries that possess ballistic missiles. These ballistic missiles, initially powered by rockets, follow a free falling trajectory towards their targets and are classified according to their maximum range.
At present, there are only 11 countries in the world including India that have operational ballistic missile with a minimum strike range 1,000km.
Only five countries – the US, Russia, UK, France and China – have ICBMs (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles) with a range of over 5,500km.
In 2012, India successfully tested its longest range ballistic missile named Agni V which has a range of 5,500km.
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 100 km
– Theatre ballistic missile (TBM): Range between 300 km and 3,500 km
– Short-range ballistic missile (SRBM): Range 1,000 km or less
– Medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM): Range between 1,000 km and 3,500 km
– Intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) or long-range ballistic missile (LRBM): Range between 3,500 km and 5,500 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.
Source from India Defence News.
