Terminology » Other Wireless » Ballistic Missile vs Cruise Missile: Key Differences

Ballistic Missile vs Cruise Missile: Key Differences

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This page compares Ballistic Missiles and Cruise Missiles, highlighting their key differences.

Introduction:

Definition: A missile is essentially any object launched at a target with the intent of striking it. Even something as simple as a stone thrown at a bird could be considered a missile.

Let’s imagine a scenario: a bird, using its instincts, evades a stone thrown at it by altering its flight path. In this instance, the missile (the stone) fails to achieve its objective.

However, what if the stone were imbued with some level of intelligence and the ability to react swiftly to the bird’s movements, compensating for aiming errors and the bird’s evasive maneuvers? It would then become a guided missile.

A guided missile is a rocket-propelled projectile whose trajectory can be controlled during flight, either through radio signals or internal homing devices. Based on their launch methods, there are two primary types of missiles: Ballistic Missiles and Cruise Missiles.

alt: Ballistic missile

A ballistic missile follows a ballistic trajectory for the majority of its flight path, irrespective of whether it’s carrying a weapon or not.
It is launched high into the Earth’s atmosphere, travels beyond the atmosphere, and then the warhead detaches and descends to the target.
Its reliance on gravity to reach the target is why it’s called a ballistic missile.
Ballistic missiles are categorized based on their range – the maximum distance along the Earth’s surface from launch to the point of impact of the final payload element.
They can be launched from ships or land-based facilities.
Examples: Agni-I, Agni-II, Prithvi-I, Prithvi-II, Dhanush

alt: Cruise Missiles

A cruise missile is an unmanned, self-propelled guided vehicle that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight and delivers a payload to a target.
They fly within the Earth’s atmosphere, utilizing jet engine technology.
Based on their speed, they’re classified as subsonic, supersonic, or hypersonic.
Examples: Brahmos (Supersonic, 290 Km), Nirbhay (Subsonic, 1000 Km), Shaurya (Hypersonic, 750-1900 Km)

Difference between Ballistic Missile and Cruise Missile

The following table highlights the differences between ballistic and cruise missiles based on various features:

Features	Ballistic Missile	Cruise Missile
Range	From low to very high, up to 15000 Km	Mostly around 1000 Km, up to 4000 Km
Altitude	High, easily detectable on radar	Low, hard to detect on radar
Precision	Low (around a few hundred meters), fit for large targets	High (a few meters), fit for small and mobile targets
Speed	Up to 25000 Km/h at impact, very hard to intercept	Around 1000 Km/h, possibility to intercept
Target mechanism	It has a boost stage and later falls unpowered onto the target. Ballistic missiles travel mostly vertically on a rocket motor and come down unpowered.	It has a cruise motor which burns all the way to the target. Cruise missiles have jet engines which kick on during the cruise phase, providing continuous thrust.