Anti-ballistic missile
Surface-to-air missiles designed to destroy ballistic missiles in flight.
An anti-ballistic missile (ABM) is a surface-to-air weapon built to stop ballistic missiles while they are still in flight. It can destroy its target with a conventional or nuclear explosion, or by using a hit-to-kill kinetic vehicle that may also be able to maneuver on its own. Tactical ABMs are common and used against short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles carrying conventional warheads. Strategic systems, operated by the United States, Russia, China, and Israel, can intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), which are typically armed with nuclear warheads.
During the Cold War, the 1972 ABM Treaty was meant to limit the nuclear arms race, since producing large numbers of ICBMs would have been a way to overwhelm any ABM defense. Among modern strategic systems, Russia’s ABMs have historically used nuclear warheads, though it is not definitively confirmed that all have been replaced by non-nuclear interceptors as of 2017.
Only a few systems worldwide can intercept ICBMs. Russia’s A-135 system, which defends Moscow and became operational in 1995, replacing the earlier A-35, originally used Gorgon and Gazelle missiles armed with nuclear warheads. The A-235 is a separate system, not confirmed as having replaced the A-135 by 2017, and the A-135's nuclear-armed missiles have not been publicly confirmed as fully replaced by non-nuclear kinetic interceptors as of that date. Israel’s Arrow 3 system entered service in 2017 and is designed to intercept ballistic missiles—including ICBMs—outside the atmosphere during their spaceflight phase; it may also function as an anti-satellite weapon. The U.S. Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, first tested in 1997 with a successful intercept in 1999, uses a hit-to-kill kinetic projectile rather than an explosive charge. GMD is meant to protect the U.S. mainland from a limited nuclear attack by a rogue state like North Korea, but it cannot defend against a full-scale Russian strike because only 44 ground-based interceptors are currently deployed. This count does not include shorter-range systems like THAAD, Aegis, or Patriot. On 16 November 2020, the Aegis ballistic missile defense-equipped SM-3 Block II-A missile demonstrated it could shoot down an ICBM target. In a November 2020 test, the U.S. launched a surrogate ICBM from Kwajalein Atoll toward Hawaii, which triggered a satellite warning at a
- field
- Missile defense
- known_for
- Intercepting in-flight ballistic missiles, including ICBMs
- first_operational_strategic_system
- Russian A-135 (1995)
- notable_treaty
- 1972 ABM Treaty (limited nuclear arms race)
Lore & Background
During the Cold War, the 1972 ABM Treaty limited the nuclear arms race; excessive ICBM production would have been favoured to overwhelm ABM systems. For modern strategic systems, Russia's ABMs have historically used nuclear warheads, though it is not definitively confirmed that all have been replaced by non-nuclear interceptors as of 2017. The Russian A-135 anti-ballistic missile system is used for the defense of Moscow. It became operational in 1995 and was preceded by the A-35 anti-ballistic missile system. The system uses Gorgon and Gazelle missiles previously armed with nuclear warheads. The A-235 is a separate system, not confirmed as having replaced the A-135 by 2017, and the A-135's nuclear-armed missiles have not been publicly confirmed as fully replaced by non-nuclear kinetic interceptors as of that date.
The Israeli Arrow 3 system entered operational service in 2017. It is designed for exo-atmosphere interception of ballistic missiles during the spaceflight phase.
Reader's Guide
Anti-ballistic missiles represent a critical component of modern strategic defense, shaping nuclear deterrence and arms control. The 1972 ABM Treaty, which limited the nuclear arms race, reflected the destabilizing potential of ABM systems: if one side could intercept incoming ICBMs, the other might favor excessive ICBM production to overwhelm defenses. Today, only a few nations—the United States, Russia, China, and Israel—deploy strategic ABM systems capable of intercepting intercontinental ballistic missiles. The Russian A-135/A-235 system uniquely used nuclear-armed interceptors until a 2017 upgrade to non-nuclear kinetic kill vehicles. The American GMD system, with only 44 interceptors, is designed for limited threats, not a full-scale Russian attack. China's evolving systems, such as the HQ-29, claim ICBM interception capability, though official sources do not explicitly confirm this. Tactical ABM systems are more widely deployed, including by European nations via the Aster family and by China through various HQ-series missiles. The development of hypersonic defense interceptors, such as the EU's HYDIS and HYDEF programs, highlights the ongoing technological race to counter emerging threats. ABMs thus remain a focal point of international security, balancing defensive capability with strategic stability.
Did You Know?
- Russia's ABMs are the only strategic systems that were themselves armed with nuclear warheads, though they were updated in 2017 to use non-nuclear kinetic interceptors.
- The American GMD system has only 44 ground-based interceptors and is not designed to protect against an all-out nuclear attack from Russia.
- The Israeli Arrow 3 system, operational since 2017, may also act as an anti-satellite weapon.
- China's first ballistic missile defense program, Project 640, started in 1966 but ended in 1982 without producing a system.
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