interkontinentalmissiler

Interkontinentalmissiler, or intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), are long-range ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear warheads across continents. Their typical range exceeds 5,500 kilometers, enabling strikes from one continental landmass to another. ICBMs are a central element of many nuclear deterrence strategies and are deployed as part of a country’s strategic forces.

Development began in the late 1950s with both the United States and the Soviet Union creating first-generation systems. Early missiles used liquid-fuel propulsion and required fueling at launch, which affected readiness. In the 1960s and 1970s, solid-fuel designs improved reliability, maintenance, and safety, and allowed quicker launch from fixed silos or mobile launchers. Over time, many ICBMs incorporated multiple stages and advanced guidance systems, with later generations adding features such as MIRVs, which release several independently targetable warheads from a single missile.

Flight profile of an ICBM is suborbital: the vehicle is launched, follows a high arc outside the atmosphere, and re-enters to deliver warheads to predetermined targets. Guidance has evolved from inertial systems to satellite-aided navigation in later generations.

Platforms and payloads: land-based ICBMs operate from hardened silos or mobile launchers; submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) provide a stealthier second-strike option. Warheads are typically nuclear, and many modern missiles are capable of carrying MIRVs to strike multiple targets.

Arms control and status: ICBMs have been central to strategic stability, with treaties such as SALT and START influencing deployments and modernization. Today several nuclear-armed states maintain ICBMs as a core part of their deterrence, with ongoing modernization programs.