UPSC Articles
Intercontinental Ballistic Missile
Part of: Prelims and GS III – Defence and security
Context: North Korea fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile.
- It was the most powerful launch since 2017.
- North Korea has launched nearly a dozen weapon tests this year like never before in defiance of UN sanctions.
Intercontinental ballistic missile
- An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a missile with a minimum range of 5,500 kilometres primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery.
- Conventional, chemical, and biological weapons can also be delivered with varying effectiveness, but have never been deployed on ICBMs.
- Countries that have ICBMs: India, Russia, the United States, North Korea, China, Israel, the United Kingdom and France.
- ICBMs are differentiated by having greater range and speed than other ballistic missiles.
- Short and medium-range ballistic missiles are known collectively as the theatre ballistic missiles.
News Source: TH
