Which countries have missiles that can cross continents with nuclear bombs?

Ballistic missiles have been at the center of many tensions in recent months. Recently, North Korea has been accused of secretly testing its new weapon, which has strained relations with other countries. In September, the US also launched the Minuteman 3 – an unarmed missile that travels 6,760 km. Russia displayed Sarmat, one of the most modern in existence.

The Intercontinental Ballistic Missile is a weapon designed to carry nuclear warheads over distances in excess of 18,000 km, that is, to cross all continents and reach a target almost anywhere in the world without being stopped by any available anti-missile shield.

It follows a planned route, and to reach this distance it must pass through the higher layers of the Earth’s atmosphere. To do this, it relies on the laws of ballistics, hence the name, which is the branch of physics that studies the motion of bullets.

They usually carry bombs, chemical weapons, or one or more thermonuclear warheads (atomic bombs) or nuclear fusion bombs (such as hydrogen bombs).

Missiles can be launched from land or submarine.

Currently, only seven countries have intercontinental ballistic missiles. Their payloads and the type of weapon they carry vary greatly.

United States of America

There are two types of ballistic missiles active in your arsenal:

• 400 Minuteman 3, ground launch;
• 14 ballistic submarines with a capacity of 20 Trident 2 missiles and carrying up to 8 nuclear warheads.

They are arranged on different launch pads.

In tests carried out in August, the missile was ingenious to travel It fell about 6,760 km away at a speed of 28,000 km/h.

To give an idea, the distance in a straight line between the center of the USA and the center of Brazil is 7,300 km.

Russia

According to estimates, the Russians have about 306 intercontinental ballistic missiles with the potential to carry more than a thousand nuclear warheads. The most known are:

• Yars, a second generation weapon that works with thermonuclear fusion (like hydrogen bombs) reaching a distance of 10,500 km. This means much more destructive power than first generation atomic bombs in a more compact unit.
• The Sarmat, a fifth-generation weapon of great destructive power, capable of carrying up to 16 small nuclear warheads or 10 large warheads. It has an autonomous navigation system and covers a distance of 18,000 km, exceeding the speed of sound when performing vertical and horizontal maneuvers.
• pioneerequipped with a warhead glider can pierce the US missile shield and 2,000ºC. Your strength nuclear power up to 2 megatons — The Hiroshima bomb was 100 times weaker, about 15 kiloton???????? And it has already reached a speed of 32,202 km/h, which is 26 times the speed of sound.
• 11 submarine missiles of the Delta and Boreii type.

For example, the distance between Russia and the USA, This about 8,800 km.

The Sarmatian test, also known as Devil 2, took place in April 2022.

North Korea

The exact number and range of North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missiles is unknown, but the country continues to test and develop long-range missiles, even under sanctions and denials from many countries.

It is estimated that the country has several small and short-range ballistic missiles in addition to 20 to 30 nuclear warheads.

Chinese

Estimates show that the Chinese have:

• 240 land-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of carrying 272 nuclear warheads.
• 4 submarines for 12 ballistic missiles, each reaching a distance of 7,200 km.

France

The French armed forces have only 4 ballistic submarines, each capable of carrying 16 ballistic missiles and six nuclear warheads.

India

India’s arsenal consists of four ballistic missiles.

• Prithvi-2 and Agni-1 are short range, maximum 250 km and 700 km respectively.
• Agni-2 and Agni-3 reach 3,500 km and 5,000 km.

United Kingdom

The UK military only has sea-launched missiles.

There are 4 ballistic submarines carrying 8 ballistic missiles reaching a distance of 7,400 km.

By 2030, the British fleet will be replaced by four new submarines capable of carrying 12 ballistic missiles.