Ballistic Missile Submarines

Ballistic Missile Submarines

A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine equipped to launch ballistic missiles (SLBMs). The world's first ballistic missile submarine was a Soviet converted Zulu class submarine equipped with a single ballistic missile launch tube in its sail. Today's ballistic missile submarines are larger than any other type of submarine, in order to accommodate SLBMs such as the Russian R-29 or the American Trident. Although some early models had to surface to launch their missiles, modern vessels typically launch while submerged at keel depths of usually less than 50 meters (164 feet).