SRBM

SRBM stands for short-range ballistic missile, a class of ballistic missiles designed to deliver a warhead at ranges up to about 1,000 kilometers. The category is used to distinguish these weapons from medium- and long-range systems, and from glide or cruise missiles with similar ranges.

Most SRBMs use solid-fuel propulsion, which enables rapid launch readiness and safer storage. Guidance is typically inertial during the flight, with potential terminal guidance, GPS, or imaging seekers in some models to improve accuracy. Like all ballistic missiles, SRBMs follow a ballistic trajectory after burnout of the motor.

Warheads are typically conventional high-explosive, but some programs have carried nuclear payloads. Modern SRBMs may also employ submunitions or precision-guided munitions. Payload weights and accuracy vary by system, reflecting different tactical objectives.

Launch platforms include road-mobile and rail-mobile launchers and fixed silos on land. Some systems are designed for ship-based platforms as part of broader naval missiles, but most SRBMs are land-based and oriented toward regional rather than strategic targeting.

Operationally, SRBMs provide rapid, tactical strike capability against preplanned targets within a theater, support for maneuver warfare, and deterrence through credible retaliation at short ranges. Their development has been a feature of many states’ missile programs since the Cold War, with ongoing modernization to improve range, accuracy, and reliability. One of the best-known early SRBM families is the Scud, produced by the Soviet Union and proliferated widely.