Intercontinental ballistic missile

Peacekeeper missile after silo launch

R-7 (7A) misil

Atlas-B ICBM

USAF ICBM and NASA Launch Vehicle Flight Test Successes and Failures (highlighted)

Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) is a missile with a minimum range of 5,500 kilometers primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more thermonuclear warheads). However, their payload can also include chemical weapons, biological weapons, or conventional explosives. The development and deployment of ICBMs have been a central aspect of military strategy since they were first used during the Cold War.

Development and History

The concept of an ICBM dates back to World War II, with the German V-2 rocket being the direct predecessor to modern ICBMs. The United States and the Soviet Union both began their ICBM development programs in the late 1940s to early 1950s. The Soviet Union was the first to successfully test an ICBM, the R-7 Semyorka, in 1957. The United States followed shortly after with the Atlas missile in 1958.

During the Cold War, the ICBM became a key part of the nuclear triad for both the United States and the Soviet Union, alongside submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and strategic bombers. The existence of ICBMs contributed to the theory of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), which posited that the guaranteed mutual destruction of both the attacker and the defender would prevent either side from initiating a nuclear war.

Technology

ICBMs can be launched from silos, mobile platforms, or submarines. They travel in a ballistic trajectory, exiting the Earth's atmosphere and re-entering to deliver their payload at the target. Modern ICBMs are powered by multistage rockets, with the first stage propelling the missile into space and additional stages igniting after the previous one has been jettisoned, allowing the missile to reach intercontinental ranges.

Guidance systems in ICBMs have evolved from inertial guidance, which uses internal gyroscopes and accelerometers, to include Global Positioning System (GPS) guidance, improving accuracy. The final phase of flight, or re-entry, involves the warhead(s) entering the Earth's atmosphere and descending toward the target. Advanced ICBMs can deploy multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), allowing a single missile to hit multiple targets.

Current Status

As of the early 21st century, several countries possess ICBM capabilities, including the United States, Russia, China, France, and India, among others. North Korea has also conducted tests of missiles that are believed to have ICBM-range capabilities. The proliferation of ICBMs and their potential to carry nuclear warheads continue to be a significant concern for global security and non-proliferation efforts.

Disarmament and Non-Proliferation

Efforts to control the spread and development of ICBMs have been part of international arms control agreements, such as the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), although the latter was focused on shorter-range systems. These treaties have sought to reduce the number of ICBMs and their launchers among the major nuclear powers.

See Also

• Ballistic Missile
• Cruise Missile
• Missile Defense
• Nuclear Proliferation
• Strategic Deterrence