Cavalier India Defence Training Academy

Ballistic Missile vs. Cruise Missile The terms ‘ballistic missile’ and ‘cruise missile’ appear in news articles wherever there is a missile test. It is  essential for us to understand these terms to understand various Indian missile defence systems  (Representative image) Ballistic Missile A ballistic missile follows a ballistic trajectory to deliver one or more warheads on a predetermined target. A ballistic trajectory is the path of an object that is launched but has no active propulsion during its actual flight   (these weapons are guided only during relatively brief periods of flight). Consequently, the trajectory is fully determined by a given initial velocity, effects of gravity, air resistance, and  motion of the earth (Coriolis Force). Shorter range ballistic missiles stay within the Earth’s atmosphere. Image Credits: Wikipedia Longer-ranged intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), are launched on a sub-orbital flight trajectory and spend  most of t...