Back غواصة صواريخ بالستية Arabic Атамная падводная лодка з балістычнымі ракетамі Byelorussian Атомен подводен крайцер със стратегическо предназначение Bulgarian U-Boot mit ballistischen Raketen German Υποβρύχιο βαλλιστικών πυραύλων Greek Submarino de misiles balísticos Spanish زیردریایی موشک بالستیک Persian Sous-marin nucléaire lanceur d'engins French צוללת טילים בליסטיים HE Kapal selam peluru kendali balistik ID
A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine capable of deploying submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with nuclear warheads. These submarines became a major weapon system in the Cold War because of their nuclear deterrence capability. They can fire missiles thousands of kilometers from their targets, and acoustic quieting makes them difficult to detect (see acoustic signature), thus making them a survivable deterrent in the event of a first strike and a key element of the mutual assured destruction policy of nuclear deterrence. The deployment of ballistic missile submarines is dominated by the United States and Russia (following the collapse of the Soviet Union). Smaller numbers are in service with France, the United Kingdom, China and India; North Korea is also suspected to have an experimental submarine that is diesel-electric powered.[1][2]
Ballistic missile submarines should be distinguished from so-called nuclear submarines, which does not refer to a submarine carrying nuclear weapons, but instead refers to submarines with a nuclear propulsion engine.
- ^ James Kraska, Raul A. Pedrozo (2022). Disruptive Technology and the Law of Naval Warfare. Oxford University Press. p. 139.
- ^ "North Korea fires likely submarine-launched ballistic missile, South Korea says". Reuters. 7 May 2022.