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"In my home there are few publications that we actually get hard copies of, but [Arms Control Today] is one and it's the only one my husband and I fight over who gets to read it first."

– Suzanne DiMaggio
Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
April 15, 2019
Worldwide Ballistic Missile Inventories
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Last Reviewed: 
August 2023

Contact: Kelsey Davenport, Director for Nonproliferation Policy, (202) 463-8270 x102

The following chart lists 31 countries, including the United States and its allies, which currently possess ballistic missiles. For each country, the chart details the type of missile, its operational status, and the best-known public estimates of each missile’s range.

Only nine (China, France, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) of the 31 states below are known or suspected of possessing nuclear weapons. These nine states and Iran have produced or flight-tested missiles with ranges exceeding 1,000 kilometers. China and Russia are the only two states that are not U.S. allies that have a proven capability to launch ballistic missiles from their territories that can strike the continental United States. This factsheet does not list countries' cruise missiles.

Ballistic Missile Basics

Ballistic missiles are powered by rockets initially but then they follow an unpowered, free-falling trajectory toward their targets. They are classified by the maximum distance that they can travel, which is a function of how powerful the missile’s engines (rockets) are and the weight of the missile’s payload. To add more distance to a missile’s range, rockets are stacked on top of each other in a configuration referred to as staging. There are four general classifications of ballistic missiles:

  • Short-range ballistic missiles, traveling less than 1,000 kilometers (approximately 620 miles);
  • Medium-range ballistic missiles, traveling between 1,000–3,000 kilometers (approximately 620-1,860 miles);
  • Intermediate-range ballistic missiles, traveling between 3,000–5,500 kilometers (approximately 1,860-3,410 miles); and
  • Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), traveling more than 5,500 kilometers.

Short- and medium-range ballistic missiles are referred to as theater ballistic missiles, whereas ICBMs or long-range ballistic missiles are described as strategic ballistic missiles. Missiles are often classified by fuel-type: liquid or solid propellants. Missiles with solid fuel require less maintenance and preparation time than missiles with liquid fuel because solid-propellants have the fuel and oxidizer together, whereas liquid-fueled missiles must keep the two separated until right before deployment.

Country System 1 Status Range 2 Propellant
Afghanistan Frog-7 Operational 70 km Solid
Scud-B Unknown 3 300 km Liquid
Armenia Frog-7 Operational 70 km Solid
Scud-B 4 Operational 300 km Liquid
SS-21 Scarab-C Operational
*Alleged

 

70-120 km Liquid
SS-26 Stone (Iskander E) Operational 280 km Solid
Bahrain ATACMS Block 1 (MGM-140) Operational 165 km Solid
Belarus Frog-7 Operational 70 km Solid
SS-21 Scarab B (Tochka-U) Operational 120 km Solid
Scud-B Operational 300 km Liquid
SS-26 Stone (Iskander – M) Operational 400 km Solid
China 5 B611 (CSS-X-11) Operational 250 km Solid
M-7 (CSS-8) Operational 190-250 km Liquid
DF-4 (CSS-3) Retiring 5,500+ km Liquid
DF-5 (CSS-4, Mod 1) Operational 12,000 km Liquid
DF-5A (CSS-4, Mod 2) Operational 13,000+ km Liquid
DF-5B (CSS-4 Mod 3) Operational 12,000 km Liquid
DF-5C Tested/Development 13,000 km Liquid
DF-11 (CSS-7) Operational 280 km Solid
DF-11A (CSS-7) Operational 350 km Solid
DF-15A (CSS-6) Operational 900 km Solid
DF-15B (CSS-6) Operational 600-900 km Solid
DF-15C (CSS-6) Development Unknown Solid
DF-16 (CSS-11) Operational 800-1000 km Solid
DF-21 (CSS-5, Mod 1) Operational 1750+ km Solid
DF-21A (CSS-5, Mod 2) Operational 1,770+ km Solid
DF-21C (CSS-5 Mod 4) Operational 2,150-2,500 km Solid
DF-21D (CSS-5 Mod 5) ASBM variant Operational 1,500 km Solid
DF-26 Operational 4,000 km Solid
DF-31 (CSS-10 Mod 1) Operational 7,000+ km Solid
DF-31A (CSS-10 Mod 2) Operational 11,000+ km Solid
DF-41 (CSS-X-20) Operational 12,000-15,000 km Solid
Julang (JL) 1 (CSS-N-3) (SLBM) Retiring 1,000+ km Solid
Julang (JL) 2 (CSS-N-14) (SLBM) Operational 7,000+ km Solid
Julang (JL) 3 (SLBM) Operational 9,000+ km Solid
Egypt R-300 (SS-1-C Scud-B) Operational 300 km Liquid
Project-T (Scud B-100) Operational 450 km Liquid
Scud-C Operational 550 km Liquid
R-70 Luna M (Frog-7B) Operational 70 km Solid
Sakr-80 Operational 80+ km Solid
France M45 (SLBM) Retired 4,000-6000 km Solid
M51.1 (SLBM) Retiring (will be replaced by M51.2) 6,000+ km Solid
M51.2 (SLBM) Operational 8,000+ km Solid
M51.3 (SLBM) Development 9,000+ km Solid
Georgia* Scud B Unknown/exported to Georgia 300 km Liquid
Greece ATACMS Block 1 (MGM-140) Operational 165 km Solid
India 6 Prithvi-I Retiring 150 km Liquid
Prahaar Tested/Development 150 km Solid
Prithvi-II Operational 250-350 km Liquid
Prithvi-III Development 350 km Solid
Dhanush (ship-launched) Operational 400 km Liquid
Sagarika/K-15 (SLBM) Operational  700 km Solid
Agni-I Operational 700-1,200 km Solid
Agni-II Operational 2,000+ km Solid
Agni-P Tested/Development 1000-2000 km Solid
Agni-III Operational 3,200+ km Solid
Agni-IV Tested/Development 3,500+ km Solid
Agni-V Tested/Development 5,200+ km Solid
Agni-VI Development 8,000-10,000 km Solid
K-4 (SLBM) Tested/Development 3,500 km Solid
K-5 (SLBM) Rumored Development 5,000+ km Solid
Iran Qiam-1 Operational 500-1,000 km Liquid
Fateh-110 Operational 200-300 km Solid
Fateh-313 Operational 500 km Solid
Tondar-69 (CSS-8) Operational 150 km Solid
Shahab 1 Operational 300 km Liquid
Shahab 2 Operational 500 km Liquid
Zolfaghar Operational 700 km Solid
Shahab-3 (Zelzal-3) Operational 800-1,200 km Liquid
Ghadr 1/Modified Shahab-3 Development 2,000 km Liquid
Sejjil-2 Operational 1,500-2,500 km Solid
Khoramshahr Development 2,000 km Liquid
Emad-1 Development 2,000 km Liquid
Iraq 7 Al Fat’h (Ababil-100) Operational 160 km Solid
Al Samoud II Operational 180-200 km Liquid
Israel LORA Operational 280 km Solid
Jericho-2 Operational 1,500-3,500 km Solid
Jericho-3 Operational 4,800-6,500 km Solid
Kazakhstan Frog-7 Operational 70 km Solid
Tochka-U (SS-21 Scarab-B) Operational 120 km Solid
R-300 (SS-1-C Scud-B) Operational 300 km Liquid
Libya 8 Frog-7 Operational 70 km Solid
Al Fatah (Itislat) Tested/Development (on hold) 1,300-1,500 km Liquid
Scud-B Operational 300 km Liquid
North Korea KN-02 (Toksa/SS-21 variant) Operational 120-170 km Solid
Scud-B variant /Hwasong 5 Operational 300 km Liquid
Scud-C variant/ Hwasong 6 Operational 500 km Liquid
Scud-C variant / Hwasong 7 Operational 700-1,000 km Liquid
No-Dong-1 Operational 1,200-1,500 km Liquid
Frog-7 Operational 70 km Solid
Taepo Dong-1 9 Tested 2,000-5,000 km Liquid
Taepo Dong-2 (2-stage) 1 0] Tested/Development 4,000-10,000 km Liquid
Taepo Dong-2 (3-stage)/Unha-2 SLV Tested/Development 10,000-15,000 km Liquid
No-Dong-2(B)/ Musudan/BM-25/Hwasong-10 1 1] Tested/Development 2,500-4,000 km Liquid
KN-17/Hwasong-12 Tested/Development 4,500 km Liquid
KN-08/Hwasong-13 Development 5,500-11,500 km Liquid
KN-14/Hwasong-13/KN-08 Mod 2 Development 8,000-10,000 km Liquid
KN-11/Pukkuksong-1/Polaris-1 Tested/Development 1,200 km Solid
KN-15/Pukkuksong-2 Tested/Development 1,200-2,000 km Solid
KN-20/Hwasong-14 Tested/Development 10,000+ km Liquid
KN-22/Hwasong-15 Tested/Development 13,000 km Liquid
KN-18/ Scud variant Tested/Development 450+ Liquid
Pakistan Hatf-1 Operational 70-100 km Solid
Hatf-2 (Abdali) Operational 180-200 km Solid
Hatf-3 (Ghaznavi) Operational 290 km Solid
Shaheen-1 (Hatf-4) Operational 750 km Solid
Shaheen-1A (Hatf-4) Tested/Development 900 km Solid
Ghauri-1 (Hatf-5) Operational 1,250-1,500 km Liquid
Ghauri-2 (Hatf-5a) Tested/Development 1,800 km Liquid
Shaheen-2 (Hatf-6) Operational 1,500-2,500 km Solid
Ghauri-3 12 Development 3,000 km Liquid
Nasr (Hatf-9) Operational 60 km Solid
Ababeel Development 2,200 km Solid
Poland M57 ATACMS (TACMS 2000 Unitary) Sale Approved 70-300 km Solid
Romania Scud-B Operational 300 km Liquid
Russia RS-20V (SS-18 Satan) Operational 10,200-16,000 km Liquid
RS-18 (SS-19 Stiletto) Operational 10,000 km Liquid
RS-28 Sarmat (SS-X-30 Satan II) Tested/Development 10,000-18,000 km Liquid
SS-21 Scarab A Operational 70 km Solid
SS-21 Scarab B/ Tochka U Retiring (will be replaced by Iskander-M) 120 km Solid
SS-24 Operational 10,000 km Solid
RS-12M Topol (SS-25 Sickle) Operational 10,500-11,000 km Solid
RS-12M1 Topol-M (SS-27) 1 3] Operational 11,000 km Solid
RS-12M2 Topol-M (SS-27 Mod-X-2) (silo) Operational 11,000 km Solid
RS-24 Yars (mobile and silo versions) (SS-27 Mod 2) Operational 10,500 km Solid
RS-26 Rubezh/Yars M (SS-27) Tested 5,800 km Solid
SS-26 Iskander Operational 400-500 km Solid
SS-N-8 (R-29) (SLBM) Retired 8,000 km Liquid
RSM-50 Volna (SS-N-18) (SLBM) Retired 6,500-8,000 km Liquid
SS-N-20 Sturgeon (R-39) (SLBM) Retired 8,300 km Solid
RSM-54 Sineva (SS-N-23 or R-29RM) (SLBM) Operational 8,300 km Liquid
RSM-56 Bulava (SS-N-32) (SLBM) Operational 8,300 km Solid
SS-26 Tender (Iskander-M) Operational 500 km Solid
SS-26 Stone (Iskander-E) Operational 280 km Solid
Saudi Arabia DF-3 (CSS-2) Operational 2,600 km Liquid
DF-21 East Wind (CSS-5) Operational 2,100+ km Solid
Slovakia SS-21 Operational 120 km Solid
South Korea NHK-1 (Hyonmu-1) Operational 180 km Solid
NHK-2 (Hyonmu-2) Operational 180-250 km Solid
NHK-2B (Hyunmoo-2B) Operational 500-800 km Solid
NHK-2C (Hyunmoo-2C) Development 800 km Solid
ATACMS Block 1 Operational 165 km Solid
Syria SS-21-B (Scarab-B) Operational 120 km Solid
SS-1-C (Scud-B) Operational 300 km Liquid
SS-1-D (Scud-C) Operational 500-700 km Liquid
SS-1-E (Scud-D) Tested/Development 700 km Liquid
CSS-8 (Fateh 110A) Operational 210-250 km Solid
Frog-7 Operational 70 km Solid
Taiwan Qing Feng Operational 130 km Liquid
Tien Chi Operational 120 km Solid
ATACMS Block 1 Operational 165 km Solid
Turkey ATACMS Block 1 (MGM-140) Operational 165 km Solid
J-600T Yildirim I and II Operational 150-300 km Solid
Tayfun Tested/Development 561 km ?
Bora - 1 Operational 280 km Solid
Turkmenistan Scud-B Operational 300 km Liquid
Ukraine SS-21- Scarab B (Tochka – U) Operational/Aging *Alleged 120 km Solid
Hrim 2/ Grim 2 Development 280 km Solid
United Arab Emirates Scud-B Operational 300 km Liquid
ATACMS Block 1A Operational 300 km Solid
United Kingdom D-5 Trident II (SLBM) Operational 7,400-12,000 km Solid
United States ATACMS Block I Operational 165 km Solid
ATACMS Block IA Operational 300 km Solid
Minuteman III (LGM-30G) Operational 9,650-13,000 km Solid
D-5 Trident II (SLBM) Operational 7,400-12,000 km Solid
Vietnam Scud-B Operational 300 km Liquid
Scud-C variant Operational 500 km Liquid
Yemen Scud-B Operational 300 km Liquid
SS-21 (Scarab) Operational 70-120 km Solid
Scud C variant Operational 600 km Liquid
Frog-7 Operational 70 km Solid

ENDNOTES:

  1. All missiles are surface-to-surface unless otherwise noted. SLBM is an acronym for a submarine-launched ballistic missile and ASBM is an acronym for an anti-ship ballistic missile.
  2. The ranges, given in kilometers (km) are estimates based on publicly available sources. These figures, however, do not all necessarily reflect the missile’s maximum range, which may vary with its payload. Equipping a missile with a lighter payload would increase its range. Similarly, a heavier payload would diminish a missile’s range.
  3. A January 15, 2001 report by the UN Monitoring Group on Afghanistan concluded that, prior to the October 2001 U.S.-led offensive in Afghanistan, there were approximately 100 Scud-B missiles and at least four Scud mobile launchers in Afghanistan. The current distribution and operational capability of the missiles are unknown, although the UN Monitoring Group speculated that up to 30 of the missiles might be under control of the Northern Alliance.
  4. According to a 1997 report by Lev Rokhlin, then-Chairman of the Russian State Duma’s Committee on Defense, Russia transferred eight Scud-B ballistic missiles and 24 Scud launchers, along with other military hardware, to Armenia between 1993-1996. Responding to publication of the report in the Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta and to formal requests by the Azerbaijan government, then-Russian President Boris Yeltsin ordered an investigation into the claims. They were subsequently confirmed in April 1997 by Aman Tuleyev, then-Russian minister for relations with the Commonwealth of Independent States.
  5. According to the Department of Defense’s 2009 report on China’s military power, Beijing is investing in conventionally-armed ASBMs based on the CSS-5 airframe which could employ “terminal-sensitive penetrating sub-munitions” in order to hold surface ships at risk.
  6. India and Pakistan claim that their missiles are not deployed, meaning that the missiles are not on launchers, aimed at particular locations, or kept on a high state of alert. The missiles are in a state of “induction” with the nuclear warheads stored in facilities separate from the missile units and airfields. Pakistan and India, however, have deployed their missiles on a number of occasions, such as the Kargil crisis in July 1999.
  7. Because of lack of current documentary evidence and inconsistencies in source reporting, the status of Iraq’s ballistic missile arsenal is unclear. The United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) determined in 2003 that the Al Samoud II and the Al Fat’h missiles exceeded the range permitted under UN Security Council Resolution 687. That resolution prohibited Iraq from possessing missiles with ranges exceeding 150 kilometers. UN inspectors began the destruction of these missiles on March 1, 2003, but the inspectors were withdrawn before all of the missiles had been eliminated. According to UNMOVIC’s 13th Quarterly Report, only two-thirds of the Al Samoud II missiles declared by Iraq had been destroyed. The 2004 Iraq Survey Group Report by the United States asserted that a “full accounting of the Al Fat’h missiles may not be possible.”
  8. According to a CIA Report, Libya privately pledged to the United States in 2003 that it would eliminate all missiles classified as Category I systems by the MTCR. Category I pertains to missiles capable of traveling 300 kilometers or more with a payload of at least 500 kilograms, the presumed minimum weight for a first-generation nuclear warhead. Libya, however, still maintains a missile development program for systems that fall below the Category I threshold capability. Given Libya's obligations under its 2003 WMD renunciation, development of its Al-Fatah missile is on hold until it can meet MTCR requirements. Additionally, Libya's Scud-B arsenal is of questionable utility due to poor maintenance and testing record.
  9. The Taepo Dong-1 was first flight-tested August 31, 1998. Its first two stages worked but a third stage failed. The missile has not been flight-tested again and is widely believed to have been a technology demonstrator rather than a missile system intended for deployment.
  10. North Korea has carried out two flight tests of what is believed to be its Taepo Dong-2 missile. The test of a two-stage version failed about 40 seconds into its flight on July 5, 2006. The missile is assessed to have used a cluster of No Dong missiles for its first stage and a Scud or No Dong-based second stage. On April 5, 2009, North Korea launched what it called its Unha-2 space launch vehicle, widely believed to be a three-stage variant of its Taepo Dong-2. The first two stages of the rocket were successful and fell in the splashdown zones previously announced by North Korea. U.S. Northern Command said the day of the launch that the third stage and its payload both landed in the Pacific Ocean. Independent analysts assess that the second stage of the Taepo Dong-2 is based on a variant of the Soviet SS-N-6.
  11. Although North Korea has never flight-tested the intermediate-range Musudan, a variant of the SS-N-6, Washington alleges that Pyongyang has deployed the missile. The SS-N-6 originally was a Soviet submarine-launched ballistic missile, but North Korea is reportedly deploying it as a road-mobile missile. There also is speculation that North Korea has transferred this missile to Iran.
  12. Development of the Ghauri-3 missile was reportedly abandoned for unknown reasons.
  13. The SS-27 (Topol-M/RS-12M) is deployed in both road-mobile and silo-based configurations.

* Numerous sources online point out that Scud-B missiles were once exported to Georgia. However, an authoritative source in neither English nor Georgian could be found.