Intercontinental ballistic missile

An intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, is a very-long-range (greater than 5500 km) ballistic missile typically to deliver one or more nuclear warheads. It uses a ballistic trajectory involving a significant ascent and descent, including sub-orbital flight. ICBMs are differentiated by maximum range from other ballistic missiles: intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs), short-range ballistic missiles, and the newly named theater ballistic missiles. One particular weapon developed by the Soviet Union (FOBS) had a partial orbital trajectory, and unlike most ICBMs its target could not be deduced from its orbital flight path. It was decommissioned in compliance with arms control agreements, which address the maximum range of ICBMs and prohibit orbital or fractional-orbital weapons. The following nations currently have operational ICBM systems: Russia, the United States, France http://www.nrdc.org/nuclear/nudb/datab16.asp, the UK, and China. India has IRBMs but is developing ICBMs, see ballistic missiles of India. (Pakistan's ballistic missiles are IRBMs.)

Related Topics:
Ballistic missile - Nuclear warheads - Ballistic - Trajectory - Sub-orbital flight - Intermediate-range ballistic missile - FOBS - Orbital - Russia - United States - France - UK - China - India - Ballistic missiles of India - Pakistan's ballistic missiles

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In 2002, the United States and Russia agreed in the SORT treaty to reduce their deployed stockpiles to not more than 2,200 warheads each.

Related Topics:
2002 - SORT

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