The World Could Be Destroyed: A List of the World's Most Powerful Missiles
The Middle East has once again heated up following a joint attack by the United States (US) and Israel on Iran on Saturday (28 February 2026). In fact, tensions among the three countries have intensified and spread to the Gulf region as of last Saturday. Loud explosions were heard in several major cities in the region, including Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Doha in Qatar, and Manama in Bahrain. Attacks were also reported in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
The escalation in the Middle East has prompted global interest in the militaries of various countries involved in the conflict. One of the weapon systems of particular interest is the ballistic missile. A missile is the military rocket with an automatic guidance system designed to seek a target or adjust its trajectory. Missiles are designed to destroy targets by delivering explosive, chemical, or nuclear payloads.
Ballistic missiles, meanwhile, are strategic weapons that follow ballistic trajectories to convey a payload from their launch site to a predetermined target. Originally, ballistic missiles were associated with rockets, but they later transitioned to free-fall trajectories toward their targets without sustained propulsion.
Based on range, ballistic missiles can be classified as intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBM) and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). Here are the details of ballistic missiles by their range.
Modern land-based strategic missiles almost all have ICBM ranges, whereas nearly all ballistic missiles launched from submarines (submarine-launched ballistic missiles/SLBM) have intermediate ranges.
After discussing ballistic missiles by their range, several countries possess credible missile systems, with two superpowers—the United States (US) and Russia—surely owning such arsenals. So which countries have long-range ballistic missiles? Here is the list:
- 9M730 Burevestnik – Russia
This missile is one of the most ambitious projects in Russia’s arms history. Using a compact nuclear reactor as a power source, the Burevestnik can fly thousands of kilometres without refuelling, with speeds reaching Mach 8–9. Russia claims the missile can carry a nuclear warhead of up to 1 megaton, and can circumnavigate the globe to strike from an unexpected direction. In a test conducted in October 2025, the missile covered more than 14,000 km in 15 hours non-stop, making it a symbol of Russia’s military-technology supremacy.
- Tomahawk – United States
The Tomahawk missile is the United States’ emblem of precision attack power. This subsonic, medium-range cruise missile is launched from warships and submarines, providing long-range, highly accurate strike capability. In its latest variant, Block IV TLAM-E, the cruise missile has a range of up to 1,600 km and a warhead weighing around 450 kg. Its strength lies in its ability to change targets en route and even perform a loitering flight in the air to await confirmation of a target. With real-time guidance and high speed, the Tomahawk remains a cornerstone of US strategic strike capability.
- 3M22 Zircon – Russia
The Zircon (Tsirkon) is the world’s first hypersonic cruise missile that has been officially operated by Russia. Zircon can be launched from surface ships or submarines, with a range of 1,000–1,500 km and speeds reaching Mach 9. This missile uses scramjet propulsion and is designed to penetrate advanced air defences such as the US Aegis system.
- BrahMos – India & Russia
The BrahMos (PJ-10) is a joint project between India and Russia. It travels at Mach 2–2.8, making it one of the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles. BrahMos has a range of 300–500 km, depending on variant and launch platform. It can be launched from warships, aircraft, land platforms, and even underwater barges. Propelled by a twin-stage ramjet, it can carry a warhead of 200–300 kg and is equipped with stealth technology to evade radar. Its high speed makes BrahMos difficult to intercept and highly lethal against maritime and land targets.
- 3M14 Kalibr – Russia
Kalibr, or SS-N-30A, is the backbone of the Russian Navy’s long-range cruise missiles. The latest 3M14 variant has a range of 1,500–2,500 km and can carry conventional or nuclear warheads. Kalibr became widely known after Russia used it in operations in Syria and Ukraine. This missile is launched from ships.