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intermediate-range ballistic missile
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intermediate-range ballistic missile

military technology
Also known as: IRBM
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Quick Summary

An intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) is a type of ballistic missile with a range of approximately 1,000 to 5,500 kilometers (620 to 3,400 miles). These missiles are rocket-propelled and travel in a high, arcing trajectory after launch. Modern IRBMs, along with cruise missiles, trace their origins to German "Vengeance Weapons" like the V-1 and V-2 missiles used in 1944-45.12

Due to their long range, strategic missiles like IRBMs have primarily carried nuclear warheads, as pinpoint accuracy is difficult to achieve. The development of IRBMs was a significant aspect of the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, signed in 1987, aimed to eliminate entire categories of land-based intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles from both nations.21

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5 Britannica Sources
  1. IRBM
  2. rocket and missile system - The first ICBMs
  3. rocket and missile system - Ballistic missile defense
  4. rocket and missile system - Maneuverable warheads
  5. Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty

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