The Select Club: Which Countries Have Their Own Ballistic Missiles
Kyiv • UNN
Ukraine is implementing a ballistic missile program. Although for us this is primarily a matter of effectively countering the enemy, the emergence of such a technology places Ukraine among the few countries that possess ballistic missiles.
Developing an indigenous ballistic missile is a technologically complex task. Far from all countries even have tactical-level ballistic missiles in their arsenals. Read about which countries have ballistic missiles in their arsenals in the UNN article.
Ukraine is on the path toward its own ballistic missile launch. This is fundamentally important in the war with russia, because ballistic targets are among the most difficult to intercept, and such missiles have the potential to carry a significant explosive charge and thus strike major targets on enemy territory.
However, the emergence of Ukrainian ballistic missiles also has a certain element of prestige and pride, because by obtaining its own missile of this type, Ukraine will join a fairly small list of countries possessing similar technologies.
Most countries implemented their own ballistic missile programs over many decades, whereas Ukraine is forced to do everything within incredibly tight deadlines.
Ukraine’s ballistic missile program
In July, the Ministry of Defense announced ballistic missile tests. It concerned the "Sapsan" operational-tactical missile system developed by the "Pivdenne" Design Bureau. Fire Point also has its own ballistic missile program. Its portfolio includes two missiles: the FP-7 and FP-9. The former has a stated range of up to 200 km, while the latter has a range of 855 km.
The FP-7’s range can be compared with that of the American ATACMS. Ukrainian troops need such tactical ballistic missiles to strike warehouses and enemy concentrations beyond the "kill zone" at a distance of up to 200 km.
According to Fire Point, the missile has undergone about 15 test launches and is currently at the certification stage at the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. As for the FP-9, it is already a short-range missile, but with the ability to cover more than 800 km, this missile will be able to reach moscow.
Intercontinental missiles
Only a small number of countries in the world have the technological capabilities to develop and operate intercontinental ballistic missiles. This list includes nuclear-armed states, because ICBMs have become the primary carriers of nuclear weapons.
This class includes missiles with a range of more than 5,500 kilometers.
The U.S. military has land-based Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, with an average flight range of 13,000 kilometers depending on the payload, as well as Trident II missiles deployed on submarines, with a range of up to 12,000 km. Experts estimate the arsenals of both types at approximately 600 missiles.
russia’s ICBM stockpile is estimated at around 500 missiles, most of which are probably the relatively new, land-based Yars missiles, with a potential range of up to 12,000 km, as well as the sea-based Bulava and Sineva missiles. As for the Oreshnik, based on its range classification, it more likely belongs to the category of intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
China has the Dongfeng missile series—"East Wind." At least two of them—the DF-31 and DF-41—belong to the intercontinental class. According to various estimates, their range may be up to 15,000 kilometers.
France has ICBMs only on submarines. Thus, the French M51 missile has a potential range of up to 10,000 km.
Some countries, such as Israel, do not publicize the presence of ICBMs in their arsenals, but according to unofficial information, the Jericho IIІ missile is capable of covering more than 6,000 km. Information regarding India is also controversial—the Agni-V missile is estimated by various sources to have a range of between 5,000 and 8,000 km.
Information about North Korea is the most closely guarded, but it is assumed that the Hwasong missile family includes at least one missile of this class.
Who has shorter-range missiles
A somewhat larger number of countries have shorter-range ballistic missiles.
These include tactical ballistic missiles—with a range of up to 300 km; short-range ballistic missiles—with a range of 300 to 1,000 km; and intermediate-range ballistic missiles—with a range of 1,000 to 5,500 km.
We have already mentioned Chinese "Dongfeng" missiles – among them are systems that operate at tactical ranges, as well as medium-range missiles. Interestingly, China supplied ballistic missiles to Turkey. The Yıldırım systems were developed based on the Chinese B-611 missile, and later the Bora system also emerged through cooperation with China. Today, Turkey already has its own developments, such as the Tayfun Block-2, with a stated range of up to 800 km.
The US Army has ATACMS – 300 km (with upgrades extending the range to 450 km) – and PrSM (with a range of 500 km) in its arsenal.
Ukraine experiences the effects of Russian ballistic missiles almost every night. These include the Iskander-M, with a range of up to 500 km, as well as the already mentioned Yars and Bulava systems, capable of launching missiles of various ranges.
If we are talking about missiles with a range of up to 5,500 km, Iran, India, North Korea and Pakistan also have domestic production of such ballistic missiles.