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The Simple Difference Between Ballistic Missiles and Cruise Missiles

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In 2017, North Korea unexpectedly staged a test launch of what was then a new ballistic missile , the Pukguksong-2. The launch took place when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was on a state visit to the United States . There have been many more test launches of ballistic missiles by North Korea since. Between May and October 2019, North Korea launched as many as 12 ballistic missiles or other projectiles. But they have all been just test launches.

Things got real, though, on Jan. 7, 2020, when Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles at two Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops. This was not a test launch. It was Iran's retaliation for the U.S. drone strike that killed Iran Gen. Qassem Soleimani on Jan. 3, 2020. There were no casualties and Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif defended the missile strike on the U.S. bases in Iraq, saying it was an act of "self-defense."

But for the non-military minded among us, these ballistic missile launches — both the constant test launches in North Korea and the intentional strikes on U.S. bases in Iraq — may raise a good question: What exactly is a ballistic missile, anyway? Is there something about the ballistic part that makes a missile even more dangerous? After all, when someone freaks out we say they've "gone ballistic."

According to the Federation of American Scientists , a ballistic missile is one that has a ballistic trajectory over most of its flight path. What that means is that once the missile burns up the fuel that propels it, the missile keeps moving, the same way that a bullet does after it's been fired out of a gun. Once the fuel is gone, the missile's direction can't be altered. It follows a path determined by the speed of its launch and the force of gravity trying to pull it back toward the Earth's surface. Eventually, gravity guides the missile — and its payload, which might be an explosive, a chemical or biological weapon, or a nuclear device — down toward its target.

Ballistic missiles are different than cruise missiles. Cruise missiles are self-propelled for the majority of their time in the air, flying in a relatively straight line and at lower altitudes thanks to a rocket propellant. Think of a ballistic missile's flight path as a large arc up and back down again, while that of a cruise missile — fired from a warship, for instance — is closer to a straight line.

Ballistic missiles first came into use during World War II, when the Germans used a ballistic missile called the V-2 to attack London. British air defenses designed to stop aircraft couldn't stop the V-2s, because the rockets traveled too high into the upper atmosphere and moved too fast.

After the war, the U.S., with the help of captured German technology and scientists, built its own arsenal of even more powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of unleashing nuclear destruction upon targets on the other side of the world. The Soviet Union and China built ICBMs as well, setting up a world where a nuclear war was deterred by the prospect of mutual assured destruction.

The North Korean regime successfully tested intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) in July and November 2017. Its Hwasong-15 ICBM reached an altitude of 2,780 miles (4,475 kilometers) and flew about 590 miles (1,000 kilometers) before landing in the sea off the coast of Japan. Analysts estimate the Hwasong-15 has a potential range of 8,100 miles (13,000 kilometers). If it's fired on a flatter trajectory, it could reach potentially reach anywhere on the U.S. mainland.

Which countries have intercontinental ballistic missiles?

What is meant by ballistic trajectory, what is difference between a ballistic and a cruise missile, how high do ballistic missiles fly, are ballistic missiles nuclear.

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What is a cruise missile?

Cruise missiles, although similar to ballistic missiles in some regards, provide an alternate means to deliver a lethal payload rapidly and accurately to a target. Cruise missiles differ from ballistic missiles in that they fly towards their target at lower altitudes, remaining within the Earth’s atmosphere throughout their trajectory. Cruise missiles are defined as “an unmanned self-propelled guided vehicle that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight path and whose primary mission is to place an ordnance or special payload on a target.” [1] Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned control-guided helicopters or aircraft can be included in this definition [2] , but will not be discussed on this page.

The cruise missile has its beginnings in World War I, when the U.S. Army developed the Kettering Bug, an unmanned aerial bomb designed to strike targets beyond the range of artillery and too dangerous for piloted aircraft. However, the Kettering Bug was never used in combat. [3] Instead, the modern cruise missile originates more from the V-1 Flying Bomb used by the Germany in the last months of World War II. [4]

Launch Platforms

Cruise missiles are capable of being launched from multiple ground, air, sea and submarine platforms. Both fighter and long-range bomber aircraft are capable of carrying and launching cruise missiles. [5] On the ground, cruise missiles are most commonly launched by road-mobile systems due to the inherent advantages of mobility, but they can also be launched from fixed platforms. [6]

Russian warships in the Caspian Sea launch Kalibr cruise missiles towards targets inside Syria.

At sea, various surface ships and submarines can launch cruise missiles. Submarines are capable of launching while surfaced or submerged using torpedo fixtures or vertical launch tubes. [7] In April 2010 Kontsern-Morinformsistema-Agat, a Russian company, began marketing a version of the Russian Kalibr cruise missile housed in and capable of being launched from a standard shipping container. [8] This would allow any vehicle capable of carrying a standard shipping container to become a discreet platform from which to launch cruise missiles. [9]

Propulsion and Flight

Cruise missiles utilize jet engines as their primary method of propulsion. Most cruise missiles are subsonic and use Turbofan and Turbojet engines. While less common, supersonic and hypersonic cruise missiles utilize Ramjet and Scramjet engines. [10] Some also use rocket motor propulsion as a booster in the first phase of flight [11]  or to accelerate to supersonic speeds in the terminal phase. [12]

Cruise missiles can fly to their targets at varying altitudes as long as they remain within the atmosphere. The trajectory of most remains close to the Earth’s surface, sometimes skimming just meters above the ground. Their low flight path makes it much harder for most radar and sensor systems to detect the missile, unless the radar or sensor system is airborne and directed towards the ground. [13] Some cruise missiles will fly only at high altitudes and dive sharply down once they reach their target. Flying at high altitude can extend the range of the missile because it’s more fuel-efficient than flying at lower altitudes. However, this also makes the missile more susceptible to missile defense systems since today’s radars and sensors are typically positioned to detect and track high altitude threats. [14] Cruise missiles can also mix their flight trajectory between high and low altitude in order to get the benefits of both. In this instance, cruise missiles will typically fly at a high altitude early in their flight to help extend their range, but as they approach their target, or missile defenses, they will fly down to a lower sea skimming/terrain hugging altitude to help it evade detection and defenses. [15]

Flight test of Pakistan’s Ra’ad cruise missile.

Cruise missiles can use multiple guidance methods in order to accurately place their ordinance on the desired target and avoid missile defense systems. One of the first methods used by cruise missiles was inertial guidance, which is still used today and allows the missile to fly along a flight path programmed prior to launch. [16] Another guidance method is terrain contour matching (TERCOM), which compares a terrain map to the current terrain the missile is flying over to ensure the missile is flying on the correct path. [17] Some use GPS systems, which require connection to either GPS or GLONASS satellite system, but can help ensure the missile follows the correct flight path and strikes the final target using specific coordinates with a high degree of accuracy. [18]

Other guidance methods are primarily used in the terminal phase of flight to increase accuracy. One is a laser guided system which uses a sensor to detect its target painted by a laser, however this can be unreliable because dust and smoke can interfere with the laser or the missile may not always be able to see the laser or painted target. [19] Another terminal guidance method is TV guidance, in which an operator uses a camera in the nose of the missile to visually identify and manually guide the missile to the target in its final phase. This method also gives the operator the option to abort the strike in the final phase if an anomaly is detected. [20]  A radar seeker is also used in the nose of some missiles to identify and/or keep the missile on target in the terminal phase. These radar seekers use either passive radar, which detect radar emissions of their target, or active radar, which emit their own radar to detect their target. [21] Infrared (IR) guidance – directing the missile towards heat emitting objects, such as engines [22] – may also be used by cruise missiles in the terminal phase. [23] However, because of its simplicity, IR guidance cannot differentiate between friendly, adversarial, or extraneous IR signals in a crowded battlefield, and is usually used in conjunction with other guidance systems. [24] The last guidance system used by cruise missiles is Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation (DSMAC), which uses a camera in the missile to find the desired target and match it to a stored image using an image correlator. [25]

Cruise missiles are typically armed with conventional or nuclear warheads, but can also be equipped with chemical or biological warheads. [26] The warhead weight and yield can vary widely, depending on the specific cruise missile and its mission.

[1] “Cruise Missiles.” Federation of American Scientists. http://fas.org/nuke/intro/cm/

[3] “Kettering Bug.” UAVGLOBAL. http://www.uavglobal.com/kettering-bug/ ; “War Machines: Cruise Missile.” National Geographic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD8Kr0f1tEY

[4] Hickman, Kennedy. “World War II: V-1 Flying Bomb.” About Education. http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/artillerysiegeweapons/p/v1.htm

[5] N.R.P. “Explained: How Cruise Missiles Work!” Defencyclopedia. https://defencyclopedia.com/2014/08/01/explained-how-cruise-missiles-work/

[8] Stott, Michael. “Deadly New Russian Weapon Hides in Shipping Container.” Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-weapon-idUSTRE63P2XB20100426

[9] Lewis, Jeffrey, Nikolai Sokov. “Sokov on Russian Cruise Missiles.” Arms Control Wonk. http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/archive/207801/sokov-on-russian-cruise-missiles/

[11] Brain, Marshall. “How Cruise Missiles Work.” How Stuff Works. http://science.howstuffworks.com/cruise-missile.htm

[12] N.R.P. “Explained: How Cruise Missiles Work!” Defencyclopedia. https://defencyclopedia.com/2014/08/01/explained-how-cruise-missiles-work/

[22] Kopp, Carlo. “Heat-Seeking Missile Guidance.” Air Power Australia. http://ausairpower.net/TE-IR-Guidance.html

[23] N.R.P. “Explained: How Cruise Missiles Work!” Defencyclopedia. https://defencyclopedia.com/2014/08/01/explained-how-cruise-missiles-work/

[25] Brain, Marshall. “How Cruise Missiles Work.” How Stuff Works. http://science.howstuffworks.com/cruise-missile.htm

[26] “Ballistic and Cruise Missile Threat.” Federation of American Scientists.   http://fas.org/irp/threat/missile/naic/part02.htm ; Norris, Robert S., Hans M. Kristensen. “Nuclear Cruise Missiles.” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. http://bos.sagepub.com/content/63/6/60.full

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What are the differences between a ballistic missile and a cruise missile.

Many countries choose missiles because they may be deployed efficiently against an enemy with a strong air defense system , making the use of human aircraft in such an attack impossible or too expensive. There is less need for personnel, supplies, and upkeep when using missiles instead of manned aircraft.

So, What are the Differences between a Ballistic Missile and a Cruise Missile?

When a missile test is being reported, the terms “ballistic missile” and “cruise missile” are frequently used. Ballistic and cruise missile systems are seen as emblems of national power and a cost-effective armament by many governments. Cruise and ballistic missiles are widely used by many countries, both offensively and defensively.

How do cruise missiles and ballistic missiles maneuver, and what are the differences between the basic principles of these maneuvers?

Guided cruise and ballistic missiles were first used when Germany attacked targets in England and Northern Europe with V1 cruise missiles and V2 ballistic missiles during World War II . Although these missiles were inaccurate, their use resulted in tens of thousands of Allied casualties.

The Federation of American Scientists says that a ballistic weapon follows a ballistic path for most of its flight. That means once the rocket’s fuel is gone, it will keep moving, just like a bullet does after being shot out of a gun.

Ballistic missiles climb very high, exiting the atmosphere. According to Wikipedia, short-range ballistic missiles stay within the Earth’s atmosphere, while intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are launched on a sub-orbital trajectory.

According to one definition, a sub-orbital space flight reaches an altitude greater than 100 kilometers above the Earth’s surface. At this altitude, known as the Kármán line, once the fuel runs out, the missile’s direction cannot be altered; it follows a path based on the speed of its launch and the force of gravity attempting to pull it back to the Earth’s surface. Gravity eventually guides the missile and its payload toward its intended target, which could be a chemical or biological weapon or a nuclear device.

Ballistic missiles are broadly categorized into four groups based on their range:

• Short-range ballistic missiles cover distances less than 1,000 kilometers (approximately 620 miles).
• Medium-range ballistic missiles spanning 1,000 to 3,000 kilometers (approximately 620 to 1860 miles).
• Intermediate-range ballistic missiles range from 3,000 to 5,500 kilometers (approximately 1860 to 3410 miles).
• Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) are capable of traveling over 5,500 kilometers, thus posing a threat to targets across the globe.

Top 10 Short Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBMs)

Short- and medium-range ballistic missiles are called theatre ballistic missiles, while ICBMs and long-range ballistic missiles are referred to as strategic ballistic missiles. On their flight path, ballistic missiles are capable of traveling at a high rate of speed. With terminal velocities of over 5,000 meters per second, an ICBM can strike a target within a range of 10,000 kilometers in approximately 30 to 35 minutes. Due to the limited time available, ballistic missiles are significantly more difficult to intercept than cruise missiles.

For example, the Russian RS-28 Sarmat ICBM can reach almost 25,000 kilometers per hour or over 15,000 miles per hour. To further complicate matters, most ICBMs carry not a unitary large warhead but several smaller and fully independent nuclear missiles called MIRVs (Multiple Independently Targeted Re-entry Vehicle). 

The Sarmat can carry up to 24 MIRVs; each MIRV carries nuclear warheads with yields ranging anywhere from hundreds of kilotons to a few megatons. Each MIRV can hit a target hundreds of kilometers away from each other, and some MIRVs will carry decoys and countermeasures, putting additional stress on defensive systems.

Even though cruise missiles are cheaper, more mobile, and more versatile, ballistic missiles are among the most feared armaments in existence. No nation has launched an ICBM as an act of war against another nation, although some nations have tested these missiles during training exercises.

Cruise missiles are unmanned vehicles that are propelled by jet engines, much like an airplane with turbofan engines, in particular being preferred due to their greater efficiency at low altitudes. They range in speed from subsonic to hypersonic, while less common supersonic and hypersonic cruise missiles utilize ramjet and scramjet engines. They can be launched from ground, airplane, and sea platforms like submarines and surface warships.

They tend to have shorter ranges than ballistic missiles. Unlike ballistic missiles, cruise missiles are usually categorized by intended missions and launch mode instead of maximum range. The two broadest categories are land attack cruise missiles (LACMs ) and anti-shipping cruise missiles (ASCMs) . The success of U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles during the Persian Gulf War has heightened interest in cruise missile acquisition in many countries.

Cruise missiles can reach their objectives from a variety of altitudes so long as they remain within the atmosphere. The trajectory of the vast majority of objects remains close to the Earth’s surface, occasionally hovering just meters above the ground. Their low flight path makes it difficult for most radar and sensor systems to detect the missile unless the radar or sensor system is airborne and directed toward the ground.

Some cruise missiles can only fly at extremely high altitudes, and then they descend steeply once they’ve reached their destination. Higher-altitude flight uses less fuel than lower-altitude flight, allowing the missile to travel further. Unfortunately, modern radars and sensors are often set up to identify and track threats at high altitudes, making the missile more vulnerable to missile defense systems.

Altitude Variation for Tactical Advantage

Cruise missiles are renowned for dynamically altering their flight trajectory, capitalizing on both high and low altitudes. This strategic maneuver enhances their overall performance by combining the advantages of different altitudes. Typically, these missiles initiate their journey at high altitudes to extend their operational range. 

However, as they near their target or potential missile defenses, they adeptly descend to lower altitudes, skimming the sea or terrain. This transition serves to elude detection and countermeasures, highlighting the adaptability of cruise missiles in various operational scenarios.

Precision Strikes Defined

The hallmark characteristic of cruise missiles lies in their remarkable precision. Often boasting ranges under 300 kilometers, with the most extended variants reaching approximately 1600 kilometers, these missiles exhibit extraordinary accuracy. 

A frequently cited example underscores this accuracy, asserting that cruise missiles can cover a thousand miles and hit a target as compact as a single-car garage. This precision opens avenues for surgical strikes and minimizes collateral damage in contemporary warfare.

Guidance Mechanisms for Pinpoint Accuracy

Cruise missiles harness a repertoire of guidance methods to ensure the impeccable placement of their payloads on intended targets while outmaneuvering missile defense systems. Among these methods, inertial guidance stands as a foundational approach, relying on a pre-programmed flight path set before launch.

Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM): Navigating with Terrain

Another pivotal guidance method is Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM) . This intricate mechanism involves the comparison of an onboard terrain map with the actual topography over which the missile traverses. This technique guarantees the missile’s adherence to the designated path, further reinforcing its accuracy and operational efficacy.

Precision Through Global Positioning: GPS and GLONASS

Several cruise missiles integrate GPS systems to achieve pinpoint accuracy. These systems necessitate connectivity with the GPS or GLONASS satellite networks and facilitate adherence to predetermined flight paths. Cruise missiles can strike designated targets with unparalleled precision by leveraging specific coordinates, augmenting their role in modern warfare.

Enhancing Terminal Phase Precision

Cruise missiles deploy advanced guidance methods in the terminal phase of flight to elevate their accuracy.

Laser-Guided Precision: Target Painting

Laser-guided systems emerge as a crucial asset in this phase. Equipped with sensors, these systems detect targets designated by laser markers. While immensely accurate, this method can be vulnerable to interference from environmental factors such as dust and smoke, potentially hindering target acquisition.

TV Guidance: Human Intervention

Terminal guidance can also involve TV guidance, where an operator employs a nose-mounted camera to identify the target and manually guide the missile visually. This dynamic approach allows operators to abort the strike if anomalies are detected, underscoring the human element in precision warfare.

Radar Seekers: Radar-Equipped Accuracy

Certain cruise missiles integrate radar seekers in their nose sections to identify and remain on course toward their targets during the terminal phase. These seekers may utilize passive radar to detect emissions from the target’s radar or active radar to emit signals for target detection.

Infrared (IR) Guidance: Homing in on Heat

Infrared (IR) guidance presents yet another terminal phase technique, steering missiles toward heat-emitting sources like engines. Despite its efficacy, IR guidance’s simplicity renders it incapable of distinguishing between friendly, adversarial, or extraneous IR signals in crowded battlefields. Consequently, it is often employed alongside other guidance systems.

Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation (DSMAC): Image-Reliant Precision

Among the diverse guidance methods, Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation (DSMAC) relies on an onboard camera to identify the target. This image is then compared to a stored reference image using an image correlator, accentuating the missile’s ability to refine target identification during the terminal phase.

Cruise Missiles: Transformative Force in Modern Warfare

Cruise missiles hold a pivotal role across all military branches, reshaping the landscape of modern warfare. Their effective utilization in contemporary conflicts has the potential to sway the outcome without resorting to nuclear options. 

As technology advances, the horizon holds promises of more intelligent, self-managing, and hypersonic cruise missiles entering the global market. Irrespective of these changes, cruise missiles are poised to endure as one of the most dependable weapons in the foreseeable future.

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Why it’s so hard to defend against cruise missiles

A recent conference raises the question: What kind of threat does this type of weapon pose to the United States?

By Kelsey D. Atherton | Published Jul 25, 2022 7:00 AM EDT

On July 14, the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC held a one-day conference premised on a specific threat: What if, in the future, war comes to the United States via cruise missile? Pointing to new developments in cruise missile technology, and the limitations of existing early warning systems that are focused on the high arcing trajectories of ballistic missiles, the CSIS conference and accompanying report suggests that to defend the continental United States from such a threat, the military should adapt and deploy the kind of cruise missile defenses presently used as regional weapons.

Unlike ballistic missiles, which arc up into space before traveling back down towards earth, cruise missiles fly close to the ground, making it hard for radar on the ground that’s pointed up at space to see them.

The perceived threat from new cruise missiles is driven by tech developments occurring across the globe, as new materials, better aerodynamics, and sophisticated sensors and guidance systems make possible the fielding of weapons, like hypersonic missiles , that had mostly been just theoretical decades ago.

For the United States, the development of long-range bombers in the 1940s, followed by the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles, shattered the notion that the enormous distances of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans were enough to protect the continental US from direct attack. (During World War II, US territories in the Pacific came under direct attack, but the only long-range assault on the 48 states came in the form of incendiary-carrying balloons launched by Japan into the jet stream and carried over to the US.)

With atomic and then thermonuclear payloads, bombers and long-range missiles threatened devastation on an unprecedented scale, and the United States built an elaborate system of early warning sensors focused on detecting early signs of launch, and expanded its first-in-the-world nuclear arsenal to deter attack. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is run by both Canada and the United States, and maintains a series of radars and other sensors designed to detect early attacks across the Arctic or elsewhere. (Every December, NORAD highlights its existence by tracking Santa Claus, turning a system designed to detect oblivion into a kid-friendly Christmas tradition .)

At the conference held by CSIS, the threat from cruise missiles was discussed as a way that other countries could attack the United States that is hard to detect by employing existing, ICBM-focused measures. It is also considered hard to deter through threat of nuclear retaliation, operating on the assumption that if a cruise missile with a conventional warhead destroyed a building or killed people in the United States, the President would not immediately respond with a nuclear strike.

“You know, our adversaries are building diverse, expansive ranges of modern offensive missile systems, and we see them – we see them in the news every day,” Stan Stafira, Chief Architect of the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency, told the panel. “They’re capable of maneuvering in the midcourse and the terminal phases of their flight, like maneuvering reentry vehicles, multiple independent reentry vehicles, hypersonic glide vehicles, and cruise missiles.”

Part of the broader appeal of hypersonic weapons to nations like Russia, China, and the United States is that the speed and trajectories of the missiles make them harder to detect than ICBMs. The ballistic arc of ICBMs means the launch is visible to radar while it is still ascending, once it clears the horizon line. Meanwhile, both hypersonic glide vehicles and hypersonic cruise missiles, which travel at Mach 5 or above, are designed to fly below that radar horizon, with the cruise missile keeping a close trajectory to earth and the glide vehicle flying in the high atmosphere.

“I want to state that we absolutely believe that nuclear deterrence is the foundation of homeland defense,” said Lieutenant General AC Roper, deputy commander of Northern Command, the part of the US military responsible for North America. “However, we also must have credible deterrence options below the nuclear thresholds, options which allow for a balanced approach of deterrence by denial and deterrence by punishment or cost imposition.”

Deterrence, at its most straightforward, is a strategy of making a big threat on a condition: One country publicly declares it will launch nukes at another if it launches nukes at it, with the intended effect that neither country launches nukes. But because the payload of a cruise missile—it could be nuclear or conventional, unlike ICBMs, which are always nuclear—is unlikely to be known until impact, generals like Roper would prefer to have a range of weapons with which to respond.

Missile defense is one of those options, and the US already employs a few forms. Part of any missile defense system is the sensors, like specially focused radar, that can detect incoming attacks, and then track those weapons as they travel. These radars then send that tracking information to interceptors, which are missiles launched to fly and destroy the incoming attacking missile. Shooting missiles at other missiles is a hard problem because an incoming threat arrives at great speed, and because the cost calculus can favor an attacker. Interceptors, like shorter-ranged Patriot missiles or longer-ranged ballistic interceptors , are often more expensive than the missiles they are intercepting. And unlike interceptors, which have to hit precisely to work, missiles launched in attack can deploy decoys or countermeasures to redirect interceptors away, or can instead be fired in a greater volume, overwhelming interceptors through sheer numerical advantage.

“The resulting 20-year cost to provide even a light defense of a vast area ranged from $77 billion to $466 billion,” reads the CSIS report , citing an analysis from the Congressional Budget Office studying a range of cruise missile defense options. “The considerable cost variation is due to alternative combinations of sensors and interceptors and varying desired warning times of 5 or 15 minutes.”

Kelsey D. Atherton is a military technology journalist who has contributed to Popular Science since 2013. He covers uncrewed robotics and other drones, communications systems, the nuclear enterprise, and the technologies that go into planning, waging, and mitigating war.

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Key characteristics of ballistic and cruise missiles

Ballistic missiles present key advantages (See Table 1) compared with cruise missiles (the latter are propelled until impact and include a guidance system). Ballistic missiles can reach a longer range with lower fuel in a relatively short time (around 30 minutes for an ICBM). Their very high speed in the ballistic phase also makes them harder to intercept and destroy, even if they are easily detected. For these reasons, cruise missiles have not replaced ballistic missiles for carrying nuclear weapons at long range even if cruise missiles provide better precision and are harder to detect due to their low altitude trajectory. Nevertheless, the cost of developing ballistic missiles and the infrastructure they require make them much more expensive than cruise missiles.

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Ballistic Missile vs. Cruise Missile, India’s Missile Systems, IGMDP

• August 2, 2019
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We frequently notice news related to ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and various missile systems of India. Memorizing names and salient features of various Indian missiles is hard without having a broader understanding of the concept of ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, and major missile defence systems. It is better to give these concepts a holistic structure rather than learning them in bits and pieces.

Ballistic Missile vs. Cruise Missile

The Hindu | GS3 > indigenization of technology

The terms ‘ballistic missile’ and ‘cruise missile’ appear in news articles wherever there is a missile test. It is essential for us to understand these terms to understand various Indian missile defence systems.

Ballistic Missile

• A ballistic missile follows a ballistic trajectory to deliver one or more warheads on a predetermined target.
• A ballistic trajectory is the path of an object that is launched but has no active propulsion during its actual flight (these weapons are guided only during relatively brief periods of flight).
• Consequently, the trajectory is fully determined by a given initial velocity, effects of gravity, air resistance, and motion of the earth (Coriolis Force).

Image Credits: Wikipedia

• Shorter range ballistic missiles stay within the Earth’s atmosphere.
• Longer-ranged intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), are launched on a sub-orbital flight trajectory and spend most of their flight out of the atmosphere.

Types of ballistic missiles based on the range

• Short-range (tactical) ballistic missile (SRBM): Range between 300 km and 1,000 km.
• Medium-range (theatre) ballistic missile (MRBM): 1,000 km to 3,500 km.
• Intermediate-range (Long-Range) ballistic missile (IRBM or LRBM): 3,500 km and 5,500 km.
• Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM): 5,500 km +

Cruise missile

• A cruise missile is a guided missile (target has to be pre-set) used against terrestrial targets.
• It remains in the atmosphere throughout its flight.
• It flies the major portion of its flight path at approximately constant speed.
• Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high precision.
• Modern cruise missiles are capable of travelling at supersonic or high subsonic speeds, are self-navigating, and are able to fly on a non-ballistic, extremely low-altitude trajectory.

Types of cruise missiles based on speed

• Hypersonic (Mach 5): these missiles would travel at least five times the speed of sound (Mach 5). E.g. BrahMos-II.
• Supersonic (Mach 2-3): these missiles travel faster than the speed of sound. E.g. BrahMos.
• Subsonic (Mach 0.8): these missiles travel slower than the speed of sound. E.g. Nirbhay.

Differences between Ballistic Missile and Cruise Missile

Integrated guided missile development programme (igmdp).

PIB | Source | The Hindu | 19-06-2019 | GS3 > indigenization of technology

• IGMDP was conceived by Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam to enable India attain self-sufficiency in missile technology.
• IGMDP was conceived in response to the Missile Technology Control Regime that decided to restrict access to any technology that would help India in its missile development program.
• To counter the MTCR, the IGMDP team formed a consortium of DRDO laboratories, industries and academic institutions to build these sub-systems, components and materials.
• IGMDP was started in 1983 and completed in March 2012.
• Keeping in mind the requirements of various types of missiles by the defence forces, the development of five missile systems was taken up.
• Prithvi: Short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile (Prithivi means Earth Surface to Surface)
• Agni: Intermediate-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile
• Trishul: Short-range low-level surface-to-air missile
• Akash: Medium-range surface-to-air missile (Akash means Sky Surface to Air)
• Nag: Third generation anti-tank missile (Nag means Snake Nag slithers like a Snake to hit a tank!)
• After its success, the Agni missile program was separated from the IGMDP upon realizing its strategic importance.

India’s Missile Systems

PIB | Source | The Hindu | GS3 > indigenization of technology

SLBM: Sub-marine launched ballistic missile

Prithvi Missiles

All the Prithvi variants are surface-to-surface SRBMs.

Agni Missiles

MIRV: Multiple Independently targetable Re-entry Vehicle

Anti-satellite weapons (ASAT)

• In March 2019, India successfully tested its ASAT missile.
• The ASAT missile destroyed a live satellite in Low Earth orbit (283-kilometre).
• As per DRDO, the missile is capable of shooting down targets moving at a speed of 10 km per second at an altitude as high as 1200 km.

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wonderful sir

Thanks a lot for this fantastic compilation sir!

I was unable to find such complied information on internet, but I found it here. Thanks a lot to PMFIAS

Thanks a lot

What a work sirji. Thank you so much

Thanks for very useful information and systematic content is systematic view of point very fantastic please keep it up latest update by geneon source like Hindu PIB arc etc

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Difference Between Ballistic Missiles And Cruise Missiles

The most important advantage of a ballistic missile is its extremely high speed, extremely large range and can carry many warheads.

Ballistic missiles are generally divided into two categories, short-range ballistic missiles and long-range ballistic missiles (also known as intercontinental ballistic missiles). While short-range ballistic missiles have maximum altitude under the atmosphere, long-range ballistic missiles can reach space altitude before “falling” back to earth.

Due to its extremely high speed and high trajectory, ballistic missiles are extremely difficult to intercept. However, this type of missile is very easy to detect immediately after launch.

The second type of missile is more modern and also much more accurate, the cruise missile. Cruise missiles typically have a shorter range than long-range ballistic missiles, but their accuracy is extremely high.

Basically, a cruise missile is like a jet, it will use an engine to continuously maintain speed, can “glide” in the air, change the trajectory even on the fly. This gives cruise missiles a great deal of flexibility, able to fly at low or high altitudes. It can change its target while in flight, and change its altitude through each phase to ensure secrecy and surprise.

Thanks to its high accuracy, cruise missiles can hit even moving targets, such as enemy warships. Most anti-ship missiles today are cruise missiles. However, due to the need for fuel during flight, the cruise missile has a limited range, and its weight and number of warheads are also limited, often with a single warhead.

The maximum speed of the cruise missile is also not too high, usually only from Mach 0.8 like the Nirbhay missile to Mach 3 like the BrahMos missile. With hypersonic missiles, the speed is no more than Mach 5.

Due to its high accuracy, cruise missiles are often equipped with conventional warheads. Meanwhile, ballistic missiles are often equipped with nuclear warheads, enough to destroy the target even though the accuracy is not high.

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What’s the difference between a cruise missile and a ballistic missile?

• By Alex Hollings
• January 7, 2022

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It’s not at all uncommon to see news stories featuring discussions about missile platforms and their capabilities, from Darpa’s recent test of a hypersonic cruise missile to discussions about the destructive power of Russia’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile, the RS-28 Sarmat . As a result, you may have found yourself wondering… what exactly is the difference between a ballistic missile and a cruise missile ?

In the interest of brevity, you can really sum up the difference between these types of weapons with the trajectory that they follow. A ballistic missile follows a “ballistic flight path,” which often includes traveling along a long arc, whereas a cruise missile tends to follow a straighter, lower altitude trajectory. Another easy (if not exactly precise) way to think about them is that ballistic missiles are more like rockets, while cruise missiles are more like aircraft or drones.

Ballistic missile basics

While both ballistic and cruise missiles can carry nuclear payloads, the most commonly understood (and feared) nuclear weapon delivery vehicle of the modern era falls under the ballistic category: the ICBM. And while there are many variations in the employment of different sorts of ballistic missiles, the ICBM model offers a simple way to appreciate the concept behind a “ballistic flight path.”

A ballistic missile is propelled into the air by a rocket motor, or often (as is the case with ICBMs) multiple staged rocket motors. ICBMs bear a striking resemblance to the rockets that take astronauts into space for good reason, other than the payloads these platforms carry, they are mechanically very similar.

Related: What exactly is America’s nuclear triad?

These rocket motors carry the ballistic missile to a high altitude (boost phase) until the rocket fuel is entirely expended. At that point, known as the midcourse phase, the missile reaches its highest altitude before it begins to travel back down its arced flight path. For ICBMs, this phase can last up to 20 minutes, with the missile itself traveling at speeds of around 15,000 miles per hour.

It then begins its unpowered descent, known as the terminal phase, traveling at speeds of nearly 2,000 miles per hour until it collides with its target.

Related: How do America’s nuclear submarines get resupplied at sea?

Cruise missile basics

Unlike the long arcing trajectory of a ballistic missile, a cruise missile travels at lower altitudes and on far straighter trajectories. In fact, it might be easiest to think of a cruise missile as a drone of sorts that flies on its own to its intended target and then proceeds to crash into it. Perhaps the most commonly discussed cruise missile in modern use is the Tomahawk, which has become America’s weapon of choice for engaging targets at fairly long distances without deploying troops to a conflict.

Cruise missiles don’t leave the atmosphere at any point during their flight, nor do they travel unpowered for any significant duration. Rather than rocket engines, cruise missiles are powered by turbofans just like many tactical aircraft, and most often, even have wings that deploy after they’ve launched. Some cruise missiles can even be guided into their target by remote operators using cameras on the weapon’s nose, again, not unlike piloting a drone or UAV.

Modern cruise missiles are known for their range and excellent accuracy. In fact, the common rule of thumb regarding these weapons is, “It can fly 1,000 miles and hit a target the size of a single-car garage.”

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Difference Between Ballistic And Cruise Missile With Examples

A missile is one of the most important technological advanced projectile which is used for various purpose like scientific, military and space exploration. Missiles are guided and self propelled vehicles that can carry payload such as explosive warheads. In this article we are going to study about different types of missiles and difference between ballistic and cruise missile , cruise missile vs ballistic missile.

Table of Contents

Ballistic Missile Meaning

These are based on rocket technology, to maximize range they are fired at 45 degree, the long range ballistic missile are known as re-entry vehicles because they complete their journey in endo and exo atmosphere. They have three phases to take off midcourse, race and termination.

Classification of Ballistic missile

These are classified on various parameters i.e. Nature and Range.

• Nature – on the basis of nature they are surface to surface, surface to air, and air to air missiles.
• Short-Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBMs ) : These missiles range up to 700 km, it is a single stage solid fuel based. Examples : Iskander Missile (Russia), DF21 (China), LORA (Israel), Ghaznavi (Pakistan), Prithvi missile (India).
• Medium-Range Ballistic Missiles (MRBMs) : These missiles range range between approximately 1,000 and 3,000 kilometres (620 to 1,860 miles). Example Hwasong-12 (North Korea), Agni 1 (India), Khoramshahr 4 (Iran).
• Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBMs) : IRBMs missiles have a range between around 3,000 and 5,500 kilometres (1,860 to 3,420 miles). Example : Agni missile 2, 3, 4.
• Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) : ICBMs have the longest range exceeding 5,500 kilometres (3,420 miles). They are designed to travel across continents or even around the world. Example : RS 28 Sarmat (Russia), Minuteman III (United States), Dongfeng-41 (China), Hwasong-15 (North Korea) Agni 5 (India).
• Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs) : These missiles are launched from submarines.
• Hypersonic Ballistic Missiles : missiles travel at speeds greater than Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound).
• Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles (ASBMs) : ASBMs are designed to target ships, particularly aircraft carriers and other naval vessels.

Cruise missile

Cruise Missile is based on jet technology. Travels only in endo atmosphere, and move parallel to earth’s surface therefore airborne radars are completely effective in detecting them. These missiles are equipped with guidance systems.

Classification of Cruise missile

• Subsonic : These are guided missile that travels at speeds slower than the speed of sound, which is approximately 343 meters per second (or 1,125 feet per second). Example Nirbhay, Tomahawk, Harpoon Missile.
• Supersonic Missile : travels at speed which is more than speed of sound. Example Brahmos, kh 47m2 Kinzhal.
• Hypersonic : Travels at speeds which is greater than the speed of sound. Speeds are generally considered to be Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound) or faster. Example : Brahmos 2,  Kh-47M2 Kinzhal.

Nirbhay Missile

• It is India’s subsonic cruise missile with speed of 0.7 mach with range of 1100- 1300 km.
• It is nuclear capable and operated on principle of fire and forget.
• Nirbhay missile is not a stalled missile but to avoid detection from radar if enemy, it follows tree top trajectory.
• It is that uncomfortable fight for enemies’ radar which makes it difficult for them to detect consignment.

Tomahawk Missile

• It is a USA subsonic cruise missile with speed of 0.74 mach with range of approximately 2400 km.
• Tomahawk is a long range, all weather missile, primarily used by the United States of America Navy.
• It has an Inertial Navigation System , flies at very low altitude and during flight it can be reprogrammed to change target.

Brahmos Missile

• Fastest cruise missile in the world in its category.
• The Brahmos missile speed is Mach 2.8 and has a range of 290 kilometres, or approximately three times the speed of sound.
• The Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers in Russia inspired the its name, which was jointly developed with Russia.

Difference Between Ballistic And Cruise Missile

Also Read :

• Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme And System

Are ballistic missiles better than cruise?

Yes ballistic missiles are better than cruise, ballistic are not restricted to atmosphere they can travel both above it and into the outer space.

Is BrahMos a cruise or ballistic missile?

It is Supersonic Cruise Missile.

Is Agni a ballistic missile?

Yes, Agni is a ballistic missile.

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A BCA graduate, Web developer, Technophile and a reading enthusiast who likes to research and explore. Now professionally utilising my technical skills in blogging to create information and engaging content.

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Difference Between Cruise and Ballistic Missiles

Cruise missiles are guided, low-altitude, and precise. Ballistic missiles are unguided, high-speed, long-range, and follow a high trajectory. Know the Difference between Cruise and Ballistic Missiles

Table of Contents

Cruise missiles are guided, jet or propeller-driven projectiles that can fly at low altitudes, follow a flexible path, and are capable of precision strikes. Ballistic missiles, on the other hand, are unguided, rocket-powered weapons that follow a high, arching trajectory before descending toward their target. They are typically much faster and have longer ranges, but they lack the in-flight manoeuvrability of cruise missiles, making them more suitable for long-range and strategic strikes.

Recently North Korea continued its weapons testing, firing cruise missiles amidst escalating tensions and “war preparations” against South Korea. Know the Difference between Cruise and Ballistic Missiles in This article.

Cruise Missiles

Cruise missiles are self-propelled, guided weapons that can be launched from various platforms, including aircraft, ships, or ground-based launchers. They are designed to fly at low altitudes and can be programmed to follow a specific flight path, often hugging the terrain, which makes them difficult to detect and intercept. Cruise missiles can carry various types of warheads and are used for precise, long-range strikes on specific targets, such as military installations, infrastructure, or high-value targets. Their ability to navigate and adapt during flight provides them with a high degree of accuracy.

Examples Cruise missiles

• Tomahawk: The United States Navy’s Tomahawk cruise missile is one of the most well-known examples. It’s used for long-range precision strikes and can be launched from ships and submarines.
• BrahMos: A joint venture between India and Russia, the BrahMos cruise missile is one of the fastest supersonic cruise missiles in the world.
• AGM-86 ALCM: The United States Air Force employs the AGM-86 Air-Launched Cruise Missile as a nuclear-armed cruise missile.
• Storm Shadow / SCALP: Developed by France and the UK, this air-launched cruise missile is used for precision strikes against high-value targets.
• Kalibr: A family of cruise missiles used by Russia, including anti-ship, land-attack, and anti-submarine variants.
• JASSM: The Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, used by the United States and several other countries, is designed for precision strikes against high-value, well-defended targets.

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Ballistic Missiles

Ballistic missiles are unguided rockets that follow a high, parabolic trajectory when launched, ascending into space and then descending rapidly toward their target. They can carry nuclear or conventional warheads and are categorized based on their range: short-range, medium-range, intermediate-range, and intercontinental-range missiles. Ballistic missiles are known for their high speed and long-range capabilities, making them suitable for delivering strategic or long-range strikes. Unlike cruise missiles, they lack in-flight maneuverability but rely on their high velocity and trajectory to reach their intended targets. They are a key component of many countries’ military arsenals.

Examples Ballistic Missiles

• Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM): The Minuteman III ICBM used by the United States is a prime example, designed for delivering nuclear payloads over intercontinental distances.
• Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM): The Trident II D5, used by the U.S. Navy, is an example of an SLBM capable of being launched from submarines.
• Medium-Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM): The Russian Iskander-M is an MRBM used for shorter-range precision strikes.
• Short-Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM): The North Korean Hwasong-15 is an example of a SRBM with an extended range, designed for regional threats.
• Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM): The Chinese DF-26 is an example of an IRBM designed for regional and strategic purposes.

Ballistic vs. Cruise Missiles

Difference between cruise and ballistic missile upsc.

Ballistic and cruise missiles are distinct in their propulsion, trajectory, and usage. Ballistic missiles are rocket-powered, following a high-arching trajectory that initially ascends before descending to their target, often carrying nuclear or conventional warheads. They come in four categories based on range, from short to intercontinental. Ballistic missiles have three flight stages: boost, midcourse, and terminal. In contrast, cruise missiles employ jet engines, flying at low altitudes within the atmosphere. They are self-guided, utilizing GPS, terrain mapping, and inertial guidance, and can be launched from various platforms. Cruise missiles offer precise targeting and real-time guidance options, making them versatile for different mission profiles.

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Difference Between Cruise and Ballistic Missiles FAQs

What's the main difference between cruise and ballistic missiles.

Cruise missiles are guided, air-breathing, and offer in-flight maneuverability, while ballistic missiles are unguided, rocket-powered, and follow a high-arching trajectory.

Is cruise missile better than ballistic missile?

The suitability of cruise or ballistic missiles depends on the mission. Cruise missiles excel at precision strikes, while ballistic missiles offer long-range and high-speed capabilities for strategic objectives.

Which is faster ballistic or cruise?

Ballistic missiles are generally faster than cruise missiles. Ballistic missiles can travel at supersonic to hypersonic speeds, while cruise missiles are typically subsonic or supersonic but slower than ballistic missiles.

Is the BrahMos cruise or ballistic?

The BrahMos is a cruise missile. It is a supersonic cruise missile developed jointly by India and Russia and is known for its high speed and precision in striking targets.

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Cruise Missiles vs Ballistic Missiles

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A Cruise Missile is a guided missile that flies with constant speed to deliver a warhead at specified target over long distance with high accuracy. A Ballistic Missile is lift off directly into the high layers of the earth’s atmosphere.

Cruise Missiles

Cruise missiles are unmanned vehicles that are propelled by jet engines, much like an airplane . They can be launched from ground, air, or sea platforms. Cruise missiles remain within the atmosphere for the duration of their flight and can fly as low as a few meters off the ground. Flying low to the surface of the earth expends more fuel but makes a cruise missile very difficult to detect. Cruise missiles are self-guided and use multiple methods to accurately deliver their payload, including terrain mapping, global positioning systems (GPS) and inertial guidance, which uses motion sensors and gyroscopes to keep the missile on a pre-programmed flight path. As advanced cruise missiles approach their target, remote operators can use a camera in the nose of the missile to see what the missile sees. This gives them the option to manually guide the missile to its target or to abort the strike.

• A cruise missile is a guided missile (target has to be pre-set) used against terrestrial targets.
• It remains in the atmosphere throughout its flight.
• It flies the major portion of its flight path at approximately constant speed.
• Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high precision.
• Modern cruise missiles are capable of travelling at supersonic or high subsonic speeds, are self-navigating, and are able to fly on a non-ballistic, extremely low-altitude trajectory.

Types of cruise missiles based on speed

• Hypersonic (Mach 5): These missiles would travel at least five times the speed of sound (Mach 5). E.g. BrahMos-II.
• Supersonic (Mach 2-3): These missiles travel faster than the speed of sound. E.g. BrahMos.
• Subsonic (Mach 0.8): These missiles travel slower than the speed of sound. E.g. Nirbhay.

Ballistic Missile

Ballistic missiles are powered initially by a rocket or series of rockets in stages, but then follow an unpowered trajectory that arches upwards before descending to reach its intended target . Ballistic missiles can carry either nuclear or conventional warheads. There are four general classifications of ballistic missiles based on their range, or the maximum distance the missile can travel:

• A ballistic missile follows a ballistic trajectory to deliver one or more warheads on a predetermined target.
• A ballistic trajectory is the path of an object that is lift of but has  no active propulsion during its actual flight  (these weapons are guided only during relatively brief periods of flight).
• Consequently, the trajectory is fully determined by a given  initial velocity, effects of gravity, air resistance, and motion of the earth ( Coriolis Force ).
• Shorter range ballistic missiles stay within the Earth’s atmosphere.
• Long-range intercontinental ballistic missiles  (ICBMs), are lift off on a sub-orbital flight trajectory and spend most of their flight out of the atmosphere.

Also read : petaFLOP Supercomputers

Types of ballistic missiles based on the range

• Short-range (tactical) ballistic missile (SRBM): Range between 300 km and 1,000 km.
• Medium-range (theatre) ballistic missile (MRBM): 1,000 km to 3,500 km.
• Intermediate-range (Long-Range) ballistic missile (IRBM or LRBM): 3,500 km and 5,500 km.
• Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM): 5,500 km +

How Cruise Missiles different from Ballistic Missiles?

Cruise missiles are unmanned vehicles that are propelled by jet engines, much like an airplane. They can be lift off from ground, air, sea or submarine platforms . Cruise missiles remain within the atmosphere for the duration of their flight and can fly as low as a few meters off the ground. Flying low to the surface of the earth expends more fuel but makes a cruise missile very difficult to detect . Cruise missiles are self-guided and use multiple methods to accurately deliver their payload, including terrain mapping, global positioning systems (GPS) and inertial guidance.

Also Read: Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet Technology

Read more: missiles, indian missiles, missiles of india, ballistic meaning, ballistic missile, ballistic, cruise missiles of india

• Ballistic Missiles , Cruise Missiles

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Explainer: Why is North Korea testing hypersonic missiles and how do they work?

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HOW DO THE MISSILES WORK?

Who leads the race, what is north korea's hypersonic goal, why does it matter.

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Fire in packed hong kong building kills five，dozens in hospital.

A fire broke out in a densely populated residential building in Hong Kong's bustling Kowloon district on Wednesday, killing five people and injuring 35 others, the city's hospital authority and fire services said.

Iskander-M: Russia's Hypersonic Ballistic Missile System

T he Iskander is a Russian mobile short-range hypersonic ballistic missile system that was developed shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Officially entering service in 2006, it has seen use in many Russian-involved combat situations, including the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Development of the Iskander missile system

Design work for the Iskander began in December 1988, with the intention of replacing the Scud missile , which was developed by Russia during the Cold War . The first attempt was the OTR-23 Oka , but this violated the 1987 Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty signed by US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.

The manufacture of the Iskander involved three separate parties. Votkinsk Machine Building Plant was tasked with producing the missiles, while the ground equipment fell under the purview of Production Association Barricades. The system as a whole came from the minds of those working with the Design Bureau in Kolomna (KBM), which began developing the weapon in 1993. The hope was this new weapon could overcome air defense systems.

The first successful launch occurred in 1996, and the Russian military began state trials two years later, completing 13 at Kapustin Yar test range. In 2006, following the completion of the tests, the Iskander system was adopted by the Russian Army. At present, they are using the 7.3-meters-long Iskander-M variant, which uses 9M723 missiles.

Iskander specs

As aforementioned, the Iskander-M system is equipped with two 9M723 missiles, which can be targeted independently. Each is equipped with its own warhead, with a payload of 1,500 pounds, and can maneuver in-flight with the use of an inertial and optical guidance system. This allows them to hit moving targets, as well as stationary ones, and be retargeted after launch.

Once the first missile has been launched, the second can be fired less than a minute later. To acquire a target, the operator uses a variety of tools, including satellite, aircraft, aerial photos, an artillery observer and a conventional intelligence system. Once launched, the missile travels at a hypersonic speed of between 1,200 and 2,600 m/s, and while in flight uses fins to reduce its radar signature.

The Iskander can make use of several types of warheads, including fuel-air explosive enhanced-blast warheads, cluster munitions and those designed for high explosive fragmentation. It can also be equipped with nuclear warheads with a yield of between five and 50 kilotons of TNT, along with ones that act like a flamethrower and can penetrate bunkers.

According to the Russian Army, a single warhead can cause 25,000-square-meters of destruction.

The Iskander system requires a host of vehicles and additional parts to ensure it's operational. Along with the missiles and the transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicle, it also features a re-loading vehicle carrying two reload missiles, a command/staff vehicle, an information preparation station vehicle, a maintenance vehicle and a life support vehicle.

Iskander variants

Aside from the Iskander-M, there are two main variants of the missile, the K and E. The Iskander-K was developed to fire the 9M728 (SSC-7) cruise missile, along with the new 9M729 (SSC-8) long-range missile.

The Iskander-E is the downgraded version of the missile system, intended solely for export purposes. In accordance with Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) restrictions, it features a smaller fuel tank and uses the 9M720 missile. It's equipped with a simplified inertial system with an accuracy of 30 to 70m CEP, which is not as accurate as the M variant used by the Russian Army.

Armenia became the first international purchaser of the Iskander-E in 2016. A year later, Algeria bought four regimes, totaling 48 TELs and 120 support vehicles.

Use in conflict

At present, only four countries use the Iskander missile system: Russia, Armenia, Belarus and Algeria. The weapons system has been used in four conflicts, beginning in 2008 during the Russo-Georgian War , when Dutch journalist Stan Storimans was killed .

Russia also deployed the Iskander to Syria during that country's civil war. In 2018, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov reported the missile system, along with the Smerch and Tornado-G rocket launchers, have proved their combat effectiveness in Syria.

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The Iskander has seen use in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War , when Armenia used the missiles against Azerbaijani forces, and during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine . According to an advisor to Ukraine's interior minister, Iskander missiles had been launched from Belarus to Ukraine in late February 2022.

On March 9, 2024, it was confirmed an Iskander ballistic missile destroyed two German-supplied M901 Launchers for the MIM-104 PAC-2 Mobile Patrol Air Defense System near Sergeevka. That was the first Patriot Air Defense System lost in Ukraine.

Some of Russia's 'prestigious' guided missiles may be malfunctioning and falling short of their targets: UK intelligence

• Some Russian missiles may be malfunctioning and missing their targets, per British intelligence.
• The AS23a Kodiak — or Kh-101 — is one of Russia's top precision-guided munitions.
• "Issues in its production" could lead to rushed production jobs, the UK MOD says.

Premium Russian cruise missiles might be malfunctioning and missing their targets, according to new intelligence from the UK Ministry of Defence.

The UK MOD said on Tuesday that it analyzed open-source images taken on March 31, 2024, which showed missile wreckage in a field in Saratov Oblast, southern Russia.

The UK MOD said the debris was initially considered remnants of a "possible Ukrainian uncrewed aerial vehicle." However, their analysis concluded that the pieces were likely "fragments of a Russian AS-23a KODIAK air-launched cruise missile."

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"It is highly likely the debris was the result of a malfunction of a KODIAK missile that was launched towards Ukraine earlier that morning," the UK MOD said.

"The highly likely malfunction of such a prestigious missile indicates issues in its production, likely impacted by sanctions and being rushed to meet the demands of the conflict," the department added.

The AS23a Kodiak is one of Russia's top precision-guided munitions and was designed to attack major military targets like airfields and warships. Also known as the Kh-101, it carries a 992-pound payload that can be equipped with high explosive or fragmentation warheads, per the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Russia has been using these missiles not just to hit military targets but also to take out Ukraine's grain silos and "hurt global food markets," UK intelligence said in October.

Russia's blockade of Black Sea ports has also destabilized Ukraine's food production and sent food prices soaring worldwide, even in places like Kenya and Egypt , which relied heavily on Ukrainian and Russian wheat imports.

While Russia is still losing hundreds of troops a month, Ukraine is struggling to prevent further Russian frontline advances. It has suffered blows from the huge barrage of missiles Russia unleashed on it this winter.

In March, Russia also pounded Ukraine with glide bombs, a tactic that Ukraine can only counter by taking out the planes that drop them. Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba said at a March 27 briefing that Russia dropped around 700 glide bombs on Ukraine within six days, bombarding targets consistently from March 18 to 24.

With US aid still stalled out in Congress, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now begging for more Patriot air-defense systems to defend cities like Kharkiv from Russian missile and bomb attacks. Ukraine is also looking to build drones that could hunt down Russian unmanned aerial vehicles instead of burning through their stockpiles of surface-to-air missiles to prevent aerial harassment.

Representatives for the Russian and Ukrainian defense departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Watch: Russia fires 120 missiles across Ukrainian cities

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North Korea Missile Test Hints at Greater Menace to U.S. Bases

The test, analysts said, may have involved a new intermediate-range hypersonic missile that is faster to launch and more difficult to intercept.

By Choe Sang-Hun

Reporting from Seoul

North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile off its east coast on Tuesday, an indication that the country was continuing to develop missiles capable of targeting American military bases in the Western Pacific.

The missile, launched from near Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, did not fly over Japan, as have some of the IRBMs that North Korea has launched in the past. Instead, it fell in waters between the two countries after flying for 372 miles, the South Korean military said.

South Korean and American officials were analyzing data collected from the test to learn more about the missile, the military said. But on Wednesday, the North Korean state media reported that the test had involved the Hwasong-16B, a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile powered by a solid-fuel engine. Last month, North Korea said it had tested one such engine on the ground.

In recent years, North Korea has tried to make its missiles a greater threat to the United States and its allies in the region by combining ​new solid-fuel and hypersonic technologies. Missiles using such technologies are faster to launch and more difficult to intercept.

North Korea last conducted an IRBM test on Jan. 14, when it said it had launched a solid-fuel IRBM loaded with a hypersonic warhead. On March ​19, it said it had conducted a ground jet test of a solid-fuel engine for a new hypersonic IRBM.

Unlike its short-range ballistic missiles, an intermediate-range ballistic missile fired from North Korea can theoretically cover all of Japan and Guam​, a U.S. territory in the Western Pacific.

If war broke out with North Korea, U.S. military bases in Japan and Guam would serve as launchpads for American reinforcement forces, including warplanes and naval fleets.​ Attacking those bases is a key part of North Korea’s war plan, according to military analysts.

While inspecting the missile engine test last month, North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, said the new intermediate-range missile was as important in strategic value as intercontinental ballistic missiles that it has been testing to target the mainland United States.

Mr. Kim had threatened to launch missiles into waters around Guam before starting direct diplomacy with President Donald J. Trump in 2018. He has doubled down on expanding his country’s missile capabilities​ after his talks with Mr. Trump collapsed without any agreement on how to end ​North Korea​’s nuclear weapons program or to ease United Nations sanctions imposed on the country​.

North Korea lacks sophisticated warplanes or submarines, leaving its missiles ​virtually the only means for Mr. Kim to ​launch nuclear weapons.

This year, North Korea has also conducted a series of tests involving an underwater drone and cruise missiles, which it said were being developed to carry nuclear warheads. The North’s last missile test took place on March 18, when it fired several short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast.

​In a 2022 report, the Pentagon ​said that “most of North Korea’s ballistic missiles have an assessed capability to carry nuclear payloads,” though using them against the United States or its allies would be suicidal for the regime. “There is no scenario in which the Kim regime could employ nuclear weapons and survive,” the Pentagon said in its Nuclear Posture Review.

​North Korea remains determined to make its nuclear threat credible. On Monday, it said that it planned to launch several reconnaissance satellites this year to help its military better monitor its enemies and target them with greater precision.

In November, North Korea successfully launched its first military reconnaissance satellite in orbit. It claimed that the satellite started its spying mission in December. But South Korea’s defense minister, Shin Won-sik, told reporters in February that the North Korean satellite was so rudimentary in technology that it appeared to be “circling the earth idly” without transmitting any valuable data.

Analysts fear that North Korea may be able to improve its satellites and other weapons with ​Russian help. North Korea was accused of shipping artillery shells and missiles ​to Russia to help its war in Ukraine​ and of getting oil, military technology and other help from Moscow in return. North Korea has been preparing for another satellite launch from a spaceport on its northwestern tip in recent weeks, South Korean officials have said.

Choe Sang-Hun is the lead reporter for The Times in Seoul, covering South and North Korea. More about Choe Sang-Hun

North Korea fires an intermediate-range missile, South Korea says

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea test-fired a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile toward waters off its eastern coast Tuesday, South Korea ’s military said, as it pushes to advance its weapons aimed at remote U.S. targets in the Pacific.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched from an area near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, and flew about 372 miles before landing in the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the launch most likely followed up on a North Korean test in March of a solid-fuel engine built for a new intermediate-range hypersonic missile it has been developing. If perfected, such weapons could reach the U.S. Pacific military hub of Guam and beyond, experts say.

Lee did not specify why the South Koreans were assessing the missile as an IRBM or whether it was flown at less than its capacity, but said the North Koreans were most likely experimenting with new warhead technologies.

Japan’s Defense Ministry gave more details in its assessment, saying the missile flew about 403 miles while reaching a maximum altitude of 62 miles before landing in waters outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. The Japanese military did not immediately say whether it assessed the missile as intermediate range or something else.

It was the North’s first known launch event since March 18, when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un  supervised a live-fire drill of artillery systems designed to target South Korea’s capital.

Japan’s coast guard shared an assessment of the country’s Defense Ministry that the missile has already landed but still urged caution for vessels passing the area.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters that no damage related to the missile had been reported. He said North Korea’s frequent missile launches “threaten the peace and safety of not only Japan but also the region and the international security.”

Tensions in the region have risen since 2022 as Kim used Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a distraction to accelerate his testing of missiles and other weapons. The United States and South Korea have responded by expanding their combined training and trilateral drills involving Japan and sharpening their deterrence strategies built around strategic U.S. assets.

There are concerns that North Korea could further dial up pressure in an election year in the United States and South Korea.

Following the March 19 test of the solid-fuel IRBM engine, Kim said the strategic value of such weapons would be just as important as his intercontinental ballistic missiles targeting the U.S. mainland.

In recent years, North Korea has been focusing on developing more weapons with built-in solid propellants. Those weapons are easier to move and hide and can be made to launch quicker than liquid-propellant missiles, which need to be fueled before launch and cannot stay fueled for long periods of time.

Kim has also vowed to acquire hypersonic missiles that can overwhelm his adversaries’ missile defense systems. Other weapons North Korea has tested this year include  cruise missiles  and “super-large” multiple rocket launchers aimed at Seoul, the capital of South Korea.

The latest launch came two days after North Korea reaffirmed its plans to launch several reconnaissance satellites this year. South Korea’s military said Monday there were no signs that a satellite launch is impending at the North’s main launch facility in the northwest.

Kim has described satellites as crucial for monitoring U.S. and South Korean military movements and enhancing the threat of his nuclear-capable missiles. Last November, North Korea put a military spy satellite into orbit for the first time.

The Associated Press

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North Korea fires an intermediate-range missile into its eastern waters, South Korea says

A news program airs a file image of a missile launch by North Korea at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. South Korea’s military says it has detected that North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile toward waters off its eastern coast, adding to a series of weapons demonstrations that have raised tensions in the region. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea test-fired a suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile toward waters off its eastern coast Tuesday, South Korea’s military said, as it pushes to advance its weapons aimed at remote U.S. targets in the Pacific.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched from an area near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, and flew about 600 kilometers (372 miles) before landing in the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Lee Sung Joon, spokesperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the launch likely followed up on a North Korean test in March of a solid-fuel engine built for a new intermediate-range hypersonic missile it has been developing. If perfected, such weapons could reach the U.S. Pacific military hub of Guam and beyond, experts say.

Lee didn’t specify why the South Koreans were assessing the missile as an IRBM or whether it was flown at less than its capacity, but said the North Koreans were likely experimenting with new warhead technologies.

Japan’s Defense Ministry gave more details in its assessment, saying the missile flew about 650 kilometers (403 miles) while reaching a maximum altitude of 100 kilometers (62 miles) before landing in waters outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone. The Japanese military didn’t immediately say whether it assessed the missile as intermediate range or something else.

Hours after the launch, Seoul’s Defense Ministry announced that South Korea, the United States and Japan conducted a combined aerial exercise above waters near Jeju island that involved at least one nuclear-capable U.S. B-52 bomber.

The United States in recent months has been increasing its deployment of strategic assets to the region, also including aircraft carriers and missile-firing submarines, in a show of force against North Korea. The South Korean ministry said Tuesday’s training, which also involved the three countries’ fighter jets, was aimed at enhancing their response capabilities against North Korean nuclear and missile threats.

It was the North’s first known launch event since March 18, when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a live-fire drill of artillery systems designed to target South Korea’s capital.

Japan’s coast guard shared an assessment of the country’s Defense Ministry that the missile has already landed but still urged caution for vessels passing the area.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters that no damage related to the missile has been reported. He said North Korea’s frequent missile launches “threaten the peace and safety of not only Japan but also the region and the international security.”

Tensions in the region have risen since 2022 as Kim used Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a distraction to accelerate his testing of missiles and other weapons. The United States and South Korea have responded by expanding their combined training and trilateral drills involving Japan and sharpening their deterrence strategies built around strategic U.S. assets.

There are concerns that North Korea could further dial up pressure in an election year in the United States and South Korea.

Following the March 19 test of the solid-fuel IRBM engine , Kim said the strategic value of such weapons would be just as important as his intercontinental ballistic missiles targeting the U.S. mainland.

In recent years, North Korea has been focusing on developing more weapons with built-in solid propellants. Those weapons are easier to move and hide and can be made to launch quicker than liquid-propellant missiles, which need to be fueled before launch and cannot stay fueled for long periods of time.

Kim has also vowed to acquire hypersonic missiles that can overwhelm its adversaries’ missile defense systems. Other weapons North Korea have tested this year include cruise missiles and “super-large” multiple rocket launchers aimed at the Seoul capital area.

The latest launch came two days after North Korea reaffirmed its plans to launch several reconnaissance satellites this year. South Korea’s military said Monday there were no signs that a satellite launch is impending at the North’s main launch facility in the northwest.

Kim has described satellites as crucial for monitoring U.S. and South Korean military movements and enhancing the threat of his nuclear-capable missiles. Last November, North Korea put a military spy satellite into orbit for the first time.

AP journalist Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Follow AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific