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"The Arms Control Association’s work is an important resource to legislators and policymakers when contemplating a new policy direction or decision."

– General John Shalikashvili
former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Worldwide Ballistic Missile Inventories

Last Reviewed: 
December 2017

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

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

Operational

120 km

Solid

Scud-B

Operational

300 km

Liquid

China

B611 (CSS-X-11)

Operational

250 km

Solid

M-7 (CSS-8)

Operational

190-250 km


Liquid

DF-4 (CSS-3)

Operational

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

50-800 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)

Development

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)

Development

unknown

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)

Operational (Will be replaced by M51)

4,000-6000 km


Solid

M51.1 (SLBM)

Operational

6,000+ km


Solid

M51.2 (SLBM)

Tested/Development

6,000+ km


Solid

M51.3 (SLBM)

Development

unknown

Solid

Georgia

Scud B

Operational

300 km

Liquid

Greece

ATACMS Block 1 (MGM-140)

Operational

165 km

Solid

India[6]

Prithvi-I

Operational

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)

Tested/Development

700 km

Solid

Agni-I

Operational

700-1,200 km

Solid

Agni-II

Operational

2,000+ 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

6,000+ km

Solid

Iran

 

Mushak-120

Operational

130 km

Solid

Mushak-160

Operational

160 km

Solid

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

Scud-B (Shahab 1)

Operational

300 km

Liquid

Scud-C (Shahab 2)

Operational

500 km

Liquid

Zolfaghar

Operational

700 km

Solid

Shahab-3 (Zelzal-3)

Operational

800-1,000 km

Liquid

Ghadr 1/Modified Shahab-3/Kadr Ghadr 110

Tested/Development

1,000-2,000 km

Liquid

Ashura/Sejjil/Sejjil-2

Operational

1,500-2,500 km

Solid

BM-25/Musudan (Suspected)

Unclear

2,500+ km

Liquid

Khoramshahr

Tested/Development

2,000 km

Liquid

Emad-1

Tested/Development

1,750-2,000 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) [10]

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 [11]

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)

Development

60 km

Solid

Ababeel

Development

2,200 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

SS-21 Scarab A

Operational

70 km

Solid

SS-21 Scarab B/ Tochka U

Operational

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) [13]

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/Development

5,800 km

Solid

SS-26 Iskander

Operational

400-500 km

Solid

SS-N-8 (R-29) (SLBM)

Operational

8,000 km

Liquid

RSM-50 Volna (SS-N-18) (SLBM)

Operational

6,500-8,000 km

Liquid

SS-N-20 Sturgeon (R-39) (SLBM)

Retiring

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

Turkmenistan

Scud-B

Operational

300 km

Liquid

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 abandonded for unknown reasons.

13. The SS-27 (Topol-M/RS-12M) is deployed in both road-mobile and silo-based configurations.


Sources: Arms Control Association; Missile Defense Agency; U.S. Department of Defense; Congressional Research Service; National Air and Space Intelligence Center; U.S. Department of State; Federation of American Scientists; Center for Strategic and International Studies; Nuclear Threat Initiative

-Research assistance by Brianna Starosciak