A ballistic missile (BM) is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are powered only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) typically stay within the Earth's atmosphere, while most larger missiles are exo-atmospheric. The largest ICBMs are capable of full orbital flight. These weapons are in a distinct category from cruise missiles, which are aerodynamically guided in powered flight and thus restricted to the atmosphere.

One modern pioneer ballistic missile was the A-4,^[1] commonly known as the V-2 developed by Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 1940s under the direction of Wernher von Braun. The first successful launch of a V-2 was on October 3, 1942, and it began operation on September 6, 1944, against Paris, followed by an attack on London two days later. By the end of World War II in Europe in May 1945, more than 3,000 V-2s had been launched.^[2]

The R-7 Semyorka was the first intercontinental ballistic missile.^[3]

An intercontinental ballistic missile trajectory consists of three parts: the powered flight portion; the free-flight portion, which constitutes most of the flight time; and the re-entry phase, where the missile re-enters the Earth's atmosphere. The flight phases for shorter-range ballistic missiles are essentially the first two phases of the ICBM, as some ballistic categories do not leave the atmosphere.^[4]

Ballistic missiles can be launched from fixed sites or mobile launchers, including vehicles (e.g., transporter erector launchers), aircraft, ships, and submarines. The powered flight portion can last from a few tenths of seconds to several minutes and can consist of multiple rocket stages.^[4]

When the fuel is exhausted, no more thrust is provided and the missile enters free flight. In order to cover large distances, ballistic missiles are usually launched into a high sub-orbital spaceflight; for intercontinental missiles, the highest altitude (apogee) reached during free-flight is about 4,500 kilometers (2,800 mi).^[5]

The re-entry stage begins at an altitude where atmospheric drag plays a significant part in missile trajectory, and lasts until missile impact.^[4] Re-entry vehicles re-enter the Earth's atmosphere at very high velocities, on the order of 6–8 kilometers per second (22,000–29,000 km/h; 13,000–18,000 mph) at ICBM ranges.^[6]

Ballistic missiles vary widely in range and use, and are often divided into categories based on range. Various schemes are used by different countries to categorize the ranges of ballistic missiles:

• Air-launched ballistic missile (ALBM)
• Tactical ballistic missile: Range from about 150 to 300 kilometres (93 to 186 mi)
• Theatre ballistic missile (TBM): Range from 300 to 3,500 kilometres (190 to 2,170 mi)
  • Short-range ballistic missile (SRBM): Range from 300 to 1,000 kilometres (190 to 620 mi)
  • Medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM): Range from 1,000 to 3,500 kilometres (620 to 2,170 mi)
• Intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) or long-range ballistic missile (LRBM): Range from 3,500 to 5,500 kilometres (2,200 to 3,400 mi)
• Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM): Range greater than 5,500 kilometres (3,400 mi)
• Submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM): Launched from ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs)

Long- and medium-range ballistic missiles are generally designed to deliver nuclear weapons because their payload is too limited for conventional explosives to be cost-effective in comparison to conventional bomber aircraft.

A quasi-ballistic missile is a category of SRBM that is largely ballistic but can perform maneuvers in flight or make unexpected changes in direction and range.^[7] Large guided MLRS rockets with range comparable to an SRBM are sometimes categorized as quasi-ballistic missiles.^[8]

List of quasi-ballistic missiles

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (July 2020)

 India

• Shaurya (active)^[9]
• Pralay (active)^[10]

 Israel

• LORA (active)

 Soviet Union /  Russia

• Iskander (active)

 United States

• MGM-140 ATACMS (active)^[11]
• Precision Strike Missile (under development)^[12]

Many ballistic missiles reach hypersonic speeds (i.e. Mach 5 and above) when they re-enter the atmosphere from space. However, in common military terminology, the term "hypersonic ballistic missile" is generally only given to those that can be maneuvered before hitting their target and don't follow a simple ballistic trajectory.^[13][14]

Throw-weight is a measure of the effective weight of ballistic missile payloads. It is measured in kilograms or tonnes. Throw-weight equals the total weight of a missile's warheads, reentry vehicles, self-contained dispensing mechanisms, penetration aids, and any other components that are part of the delivered payload, and not of the rocket itself (such as the launch rocket booster and launch fuel)^[15]. Throw-weight may refer to any type of warhead, but in normal modern usage, it refers almost exclusively to nuclear or thermonuclear payloads. It was once also a consideration in the design of naval ships and the number and size of their guns.

Throw-weight was used as a criterion in classifying different types of missiles during Strategic Arms Limitation Talks between the Soviet Union and the United States.^[16] The term became politically controversial during debates over the arms control accord, as critics of the treaty alleged that Soviet missiles were able to carry larger payloads and so enabled the Soviets to maintain higher throw-weight than an American force with a roughly comparable number of lower-payload missiles.^[17]

The missiles with the world's heaviest payloads are the Russian SS-18 and Chinese CSS-4 and as of 2017^[update], Russia was developing a new heavy-lift, liquid-propellant ICBM called the Sarmat.^[6]

The following ballistic missiles have been used in combat:

• 9K720 Iskander
• Ababil-100
• Al-Samoud 2
• DF-12^[21][22]
• Fateh-110
• Ghadr-110^[23]
• LORA^[24][25]
• MGM-140 ATACMS
• OTR-21 Tochka
• Qaher-1/2M^[26]
• Scud
• Toufan (Houthi version of Iranian Ghadr-110)^[27]
• V-2
• Zolfaghar
• Kh-47M2 Kinzhal

• Ballistic missile flight phases
• Missile (guided)
• MIRV
• NATO reporting name (has lists of various Soviet missiles)
• Surface-to-surface missile
• Weapons of mass destruction
• List of currently active missiles of the United States military
• List of ICBMs
• List of missiles
• List of missiles by nation
• List of NATO reporting names for ballistic missile submarines