Ballistic missile submarine

A submarine designed to carry and launch ballistic missiles, usually armed with nuclear warheads. Its concealment makes it a survivable platform for retaliatory nuclear strikes.

Submarine-launched ballistic missile: A ballistic missile designed for launch from a submarine, typically carrying nuclear warheads. These missiles are the principal weapons carried by ballistic missile submarines.
George Washington-class submarine: The first class of United States nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, commissioned in 1959. It established the modern pattern of a nuclear submarine carrying multiple ballistic missiles.
United States Navy: The maritime military service of the United States. It developed the first operational fleet of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.
Ballistic missile: A missile that follows a ballistic trajectory for most of its flight after powered acceleration. Submarine-launched ballistic missiles belong to this broader weapon class.
Attack submarine: A submarine designed primarily to hunt ships and submarines, gather intelligence, or conduct other tactical missions. Unlike ballistic missile submarines, attack submarines are not primarily strategic missile launchers.
Cold launch: A missile-launch method that ejects a missile from its tube before igniting its rocket motor. It lets a submerged submarine expel a missile without firing its motor inside the hull.
USS George Washington (SSBN-598): The lead ship of the United States George Washington class, commissioned in 1959. Its 1960 Polaris patrol demonstrated an operational sea-based ballistic missile force.
Soviet Navy: The naval service of the Soviet Union from 1918 until its dissolution in 1991. Its strategic submarine force developed in competition with the U.S. fleet.
Nuclear warhead: The explosive component of a weapon that releases energy through nuclear fission, fusion, or both. It is the payload most commonly associated with strategic submarine missiles.
Guided-missile submarine: A submarine configured to launch guided missiles, often for land attack or anti-ship missions. Its conventional strike role differs from the strategic nuclear mission of an SSBN.

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