A ballistic missile is a type of missile that follows a ballistic trajectory and is powered only during a relatively brief initial period—most of the flight is unpowered.

Oct 24, 2025 · Ballistic missile, a rocket-propelled self-guided strategic-weapons system that follows a ballistic trajectory to deliver a payload from its launch site to a predetermined target. It can carry …

Jul 8, 2025 · Ballistic missiles are a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver explosive materials (warhead) from the launch site to their aimed target.

Any missile that lofts an explosive which descends to its target as a ballistic projectile — that is, solely under the influence of gravity and aerodynamics — is a ballistic missile.

Dec 6, 2016 · The meaning of BALLISTIC MISSILE is a usually rocket-powered missile that is launched in a high arc under guidance for its ascent but that is unpowered and unguided once it begins its …

BALLISTIC MISSILE definition: 1. a missile (= a flying weapon) that has power in order to direct it on its flight, but that…. Learn more.

Apr 8, 2025 · What Is a Ballistic Missile? A ballistic missile is a rocket-propelled weapon designed to deliver a payload—typically a warhead—to a predetermined target by following a high-arcing, …

Oct 31, 2025 · ballistic missile (plural ballistic missiles) (military, astronautics) A missile that is initially guided, but then follows a ballistic (freely falling) trajectory.

A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are powered only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered.

Aug 13, 2025 · Launched from fixed silos, mobile platforms, ships, aircraft, or submarines, ballistic missiles have reshaped global power dynamics. Post–World War II, the US and USSR developed …