Submarine-launched missile
A submarine-launched missile is a missile that can be launched from a submarine.
Missiles characteristics
Missile types
The types of submarine launched missiles that exist include ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonic missiles, anti-submarine missiles, anti-air missiles.Missile roles
These missiles can be used for the following missions, such as land attack, anti-ship warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-aircraft warfare.Guidance
The guidance systems of the missiles are varied. They can be guided by GPS, by terrain countour matching, by inertial guidance system, astral guidance systems and infrared guidance. Those systems can be combined for more reliability and precision.Warheads
The warheads used by those missile are:- HE
- Pre-fragmented HE
- Penetrative warheads
- Warhead with submunitions
- Nuclear single warhead
- Nuclear missile with multiple warheads with a MIRV system
- Nuclear torpedoes
Missile launching submarines
Submarine types launching missiles
- Ballistic missile submarine (SSBN): they launched ICBM, they usually are large nuclear powered submarines. But in some rare cases, diesel submarines can be adapted to launch such missiles, but few can be on the submarine.
- Cruise-missile submarine (SSGN): these submarines were developed or adapted with a primary role focused on land attack. They can send missiles with nuclear and conventional warheads, although conventional warheads are a standard.
- Nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN) are multirole submarines that have the capability to launch several types of missiles, at the exception of ICBM. Most have used the torpedo tube to launch their missiles, although more and more, these submarines can be equipped with VLS sections. Most submarines become modular, and have the option for a section dedicated for a VLS system.
- Conventional attack submarines can launch the same type of weapons as the nuclear attack submarines, but the volume of weapons tend to be smaller. They can also be equipped with VLS systems, although a majority of the classes use the torpedo tube to launch missiles. Some small nuclear powers use such missiles to operate their submarine-launched nuclear cruise missiles. For these, a VLS in the sail can be used, or the torpedo tube can be used for the missile launch.
- Underwater unmanned vessels are being developed, and some might get the mission to carry and launch some missiles.
Submarine launching methods
The submarines can launch missiles in various ways:- A torpedo tube can be used to launch cruise missiles, ballistic missiles or anti-air missiles, and anti-submarine missiles. This launching method doesn't enable to launch missiles from under the Arctic ice.
- The vertical launching system was initially developed for the launch of SLBM. This system has been also adapted to launch cruise missiles, and it was adapted to launch anti-air missiles. These missiles are usually launched underwater, but there is a possibility to surface, for example from under the ice to deploy the missiles.
- MANPADS can be launched from a deployed mast while the submarine is underwater.
- Small anti-air missiles can be launched from the deck once surfaced.
Submarine launched anti-air missiles
This is a list of anti-aircraft warfare missiles that are, will or were used on submarines.Not included are MANPADS used by Russian/Soviet submariners, which requires exposing the conning tower and a dedicated submariner holding the launcher to launch.
| Model | Origin | Role | Status | Used with | Notes |
| IDAS Interactive Defence and Attack System for Submarines |  Germany |