Submarine-launched missile

Template:Short description A submarine-launched missile is a missile that can be launched from a submarine.

Missiles characteristics

Missile types

The types of submarine launched missiles that exist include ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, anti-submarine missiles, anti-air missiles.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

Missile roles

These missiles can be used for the following missions, such as land attack, anti-ship warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-aircraft warfare.<ref name=":0" />

Guidance

The guidance systems of the missiles are varied. They can be guided by GPS, by terrain countour matching, by inertial guidance system, astral guidance systems and infrared guidance. Those systems can be combined for more reliability and precision.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Warheads

The warheads used by those missile are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• HE (high explosive)
• Pre-fragmented HE (high-explosive )
• Penetrative warheads
• Warhead with submunitions
• Nuclear single warhead
• Nuclear missile with multiple warheads with a MIRV system (Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle)
• Nuclear torpedoes

Missile launching submarines

Submarine types launching missiles

• Ballistic missile submarine (SSBN): they launched ICBM, they usually are large nuclear powered submarines. But in some rare cases, diesel submarines can be adapted to launch such missiles, but few can be on the submarine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Cruise-missile submarine (SSGN): these submarines were developed or adapted with a primary role focused on land attack. They can send missiles with nuclear and conventional warheads, although conventional warheads are a standard.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN) are multirole submarines that have the capability to launch several types of missiles, at the exception of ICBM. Most have used the torpedo tube to launch their missiles, although more and more, these submarines can be equipped with VLS sections. Most submarines become modular, and have the option for a section dedicated for a VLS system.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Conventional attack submarines can launch the same type of weapons as the nuclear attack submarines, but the volume of weapons tend to be smaller. They can also be equipped with VLS systems, although a majority of the classes use the torpedo tube to launch missiles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Some small nuclear powers (North Korea, Israel, Pakistan, and in the past India) use such missiles to operate their submarine-launched nuclear cruise missiles. For these, a VLS in the sail can be used, or the torpedo tube can be used for the missile launch.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Underwater unmanned vessels are being developed, and some might get the mission to carry and launch some missiles.

Submarine launching methods

The submarines can launch missiles in various ways:

• A torpedo tube can be used to launch cruise missiles, ballistic missiles or anti-air missiles, and anti-submarine missiles. This launching method doesn't enable to launch missiles from under the Arctic ice.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• The vertical launching system was initially developed for the launch of SLBM (Submarine-launched ballistic missile). This system has been also adapted to launch cruise missiles, and it was adapted to launch anti-air missiles. These missiles are usually launched underwater, but there is a possibility to surface, for example from under the ice to deploy the missiles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• MANPADS can be launched from a deployed mast while the submarine is underwater.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Small anti-air missiles can be launched from the deck once surfaced.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Submarine launched anti-air missiles

This is a list of anti-aircraft warfare missiles that are, will or were used on submarines.

Model	Origin	Role	Status	Used with	Notes
IDAS Interactive Defence and Attack System for Submarines	Template:Flag	SHORAD Short-range air-defence	Under development	Type 212A<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref> Type 212CD	<ref name=":5">Template:Cite web</ref> Underwater launch.
Template:Ill	Template:Flag	SHORAD Short-range air-defence	Under development	Potentially on: Template:Sclass Template:Sclass SNLE 3G Template:Sclass	<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref> Underwater launch.
Template:Ill		V/SHORAD Very short-range air-defence			<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> Low depth launch with a deployed mast above water.
Blowfish	Template:Flag	V/SHORAD Very short-range air-defence	Retired	Template:Sclass (temporarily)	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Low depth launch, 6 missiles on a mast that could be raised from the submarine's conning tower.

References

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