Missile Classification by Type, Launch Platform, Range and Propulsion System
Science & Technology › Defence Technology and Missile Systems · Topic 16.19
Missiles can be classified in several ways at once. By type, they are ballistic or cruise. By launch platform and target, they are surface to surface, surface to air, air to air, air to surface, ship to ship, submarine launched and anti-tank. By range, they are short, medium, intermediate and intercontinental. By propulsion, they use solid fuel, liquid fuel, hybrid fuel, a ramjet, a scramjet, a turbojet or turbofan, or a cryogenic engine. By guidance, they use inertial, satellite, command, terrain matching, radar homing or infrared homing. By warhead, they carry conventional or nuclear payloads. Examples include the Agni, a surface to surface ballistic missile, Akash, a surface to air missile, Astra, an air to air missile and Nag, an anti-tank missile.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Science & Technology · Defence Technology and Missile Systems
At a Glance
- By type Ballistic, cruise
- By platform Surface, air, ship, submarine
- By range Short to intercontinental
- By fuel Solid, liquid, hybrid, ramjet
- By guidance Inertial, GPS, radar, IR
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Science & Technology: Defence Technology and Missile Systems
Where Does It Fit?
This topic follows the account of air defence systems. It collects the different ways in which missiles are sorted, so that the Indian missiles in the next topics can be placed correctly. Previous topic: Air Defence Systems. Next topic: Shaurya Missile, ASTRA Missile, Dhanush Missile and Prahaar Missile.
How Are Missiles Classified by Launch, Target and Range?
| Basis | Classes and examples |
|---|---|
| Surface to surface (SSM) | Fired from land or ships against ground or ship targets. Prithvi, Agni, Pralay, Prahaar |
| Surface to air (SAM) | Fired from the ground or ships at aircraft or missiles. Akash, MRSAM, S-400 |
| Air to air (AAM) | Fired from aircraft against aircraft. Astra, Derby, Meteor |
| Air to surface (ASM) | Fired from aircraft against ground or sea targets. BrahMos-A, Rudram anti-radiation missile |
| Anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) | Nag, Helina, Spike, Javelin |
| Anti-ship missile | BrahMos, Harpoon, Exocet |
| Submarine launched | K-15 Sagarika, K-4, and torpedo tube launched types |
How Are They Classified by Propulsion, Guidance and Range?
- Solid propellant: fuel and oxidiser are mixed into a solid block; simple, stored ready and quick to fire, as in Agni
- Liquid propellant: fuel and oxidiser stored separately; more thrust control but needs fuelling before launch, as in Prithvi
- Hybrid: a solid fuel with a liquid oxidiser
- Ramjet: air-breathing engine using the speed of the missile to compress air, as in BrahMos and Astra Mk-2 variants
- Scramjet: ramjet with supersonic combustion for hypersonic speeds
- Turbojet and turbofan: used in subsonic cruise missiles like Nirbhay
- Cryogenic: uses very cold liquid fuels, mainly in rocket stages
- Range: short, medium, intermediate and intercontinental for ballistic missiles; short, medium and long for cruise and air defence missiles
What Else Should You Remember?
- Inertial guidance: uses gyroscopes and accelerometers
- Satellite aided: GPS, GLONASS or NavIC updates the inertial system
- Command guidance: an operator or radar sends steering commands
- Beam riding: the missile follows a radar or laser beam to the target
- Active radar homing: the missile carries its own radar, as in Astra
- Semi-active homing: the target is lit by the launcher and the missile follows the reflection
- Passive homing: follows signals emitted by the target, such as radar signals in anti-radiation missiles
- Infrared homing: follows heat of engines
- Terrain contour matching: compares terrain with stored maps
- Beyond visual range: air to air missiles that engage targets beyond sight
- Strategic and tactical: strategic missiles are for deterrence and often carry nuclear warheads, and tactical missiles are for the battlefield
- Warhead types: high explosive, fragmentation, penetration, thermobaric, nuclear and submunitions
- Stage: single stage or multi-stage missiles drop used stages to reach range
- Fire and forget: the missile needs no guidance after launch
- Mobility: fixed silo, road mobile, rail mobile, canister, ship and submarine
- Link: ballistic and cruise differences are in Classification of Missiles: Ballistic vs Cruise Missiles
- Link to Indian missiles: see India’s Missile Systems: Prithvi, Trishul, Nag, Akash, Agni Series
- Air to surface examples: anti-radiation missile Rudram, and air launched BrahMos help the Air Force destroy radars and ships
- Nuclear capable and dual capable: some Indian missiles can carry either type of warhead
- Thrust vector control: movable nozzles steer a rocket motor
- Missile defence interceptors: AD-1 and AD-2 are interceptor missiles with their own classes
- Cold launch and hot launch: cold launch pushes the missile out by gas before ignition, which is used in canisters and submarines
- Specific impulse: a measure of how efficiently a fuel gives thrust, higher for liquid and cryogenic fuels than for solid ones
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Platform: SSM, SAM, AAM, ASM
- Fuel: solid versus liquid
- Guidance: inertial, radar, infrared
- Current affairs link: new test announcements
- Common errors: calling Akash a surface to surface missile or Prithvi solid fuelled
As an analytical point, the classification is useful because modern missiles combine features, for example a surface to surface cruise missile with ramjet propulsion and satellite plus radar guidance. Knowing the base helps to place any new missile in a test report.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Platform Launch and target
- Engine Fuel types
- Guidance Homing
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the Shaurya, Astra, Dhanush and Prahaar missiles. Next topic: Shaurya Missile, ASTRA Missile, Dhanush Missile and Prahaar Missile.
Key People and Terms
- SSM Surface to surface missile
- SAM Surface to air missile
- AAM Air to air missile
- Solid propellant Pre-mixed solid fuel
- Homing Self guidance to target
- BVR Beyond visual range
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Prithvi: liquid; Agni: solid.
- Astra is an air to air BVR missile.
- Akash is a surface to air missile.
- BrahMos uses a ramjet.
- Nirbhay uses a turbofan.
Do Not Confuse With
- SSM and SAM Ground target versus air target
- Solid and liquid Pre-loaded versus fuelled at launch
- Active and semi-active homing Own radar versus external illumination
Memory Hook
Platform to target, fuel to flight, guidance to find; Agni solid, Prithvi liquid.
Mains Angle
Questions ask for placing a named missile in the right class. These points help.
- Classes Many bases
- Propulsion Fuel types
- Guidance Homing
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Classify missiles on the basis of launch platform, propulsion and guidance with examples from India.”
How to Answer
- Platform SSM, SAM.
- Propulsion Solid, ramjet.
- Guidance Inertial, homing.
- Examples Indian.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
How are missiles classified by launch platform?
By launch platform and target, missiles are classed as surface to surface, surface to air, air to air, air to surface, ship launched, submarine launched and anti-tank missiles. For example, Prithvi is surface to surface, Akash surface to air, Astra air to air, and Nag an anti-tank guided missile.
What is the difference between solid and liquid propellant missiles?
A solid propellant missile has fuel and oxidiser mixed in a solid block, so it can be stored ready and launched quickly, as with Agni. A liquid propellant missile stores fuel and oxidiser separately and needs fuelling before launch, as with Prithvi, but the thrust can be controlled more finely.
What is a ramjet?
A ramjet is an air-breathing jet engine with no compressor. The speed of the missile forces air into the engine, where it is slowed, mixed with fuel and burned. It works only at high speed, so a booster is needed to start, as in BrahMos, and it is more efficient than a rocket at supersonic speed.
What is active radar homing?
In active radar homing, the missile carries its own small radar that finds the target in the last phase of flight and guides the missile to it, without help from the launcher. It makes the weapon a fire and forget type. India's Astra air to air missile uses an active radar seeker.
What is a beyond visual range missile?
A beyond visual range, BVR, missile is an air to air missile that can hit targets farther than a pilot can see, usually more than 20 to 40 km away, using radar guidance. India's Astra missile is a BVR weapon with a range of over 100 km in its Mk-1 version.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Agni missiles use solid propellant.
Unlike Prithvi.
2 Akash is an air to air missile.
It is a surface to air missile.
3 A ramjet needs a booster to reach working speed.
It has no compressor.
4 Astra is a beyond visual range air to air missile.
Developed by DRDO.
Past Mains Questions on This Topic
This topic comes under Defence Technology and Missile Systems. UPSC Mains questions asked on the matching syllabus topic, year-wise with marks:
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