Designed to deliver nuclear or conventional warheads, cruise missiles travel at incredibly high speeds, some reaching supersonic velocities. They fly to their targets at low altitudes for hundreds or even thousands of miles using self-navigating systems.
Unlike intercontinental ballistic missiles, the world’s long-distance nuclear-warhead haulers, cruise missiles are designed to fly fast and low for shorter distances, typically delivering heavy conventional warheads at smaller targets like vehicle convoys or buildings. (See how far the most powerful missiles can travel.)
To determine the top cruise missiles in the world, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from Autojournalism.com, which ranked cruise missiles based on speed, range, technology, and warheads.
Currently, the fastest cruise missile is the BrahMos ramjet, a type missile that requires assisted takeoff until it reaches a velocity that allows the airbreathing jet engine to fly on its own power. The cruise missile developed jointly by Russia and India can reach a top speed of Mach 3, or three times the speed of sound (2,250 miles per hour), for up to 310 miles of range. It was designed as an anti-ship missile with a 200 kg (441 lbs) warhead.
The cruise missile with the longest range, the 3M54 Kalibr, was also developed by Russia. It can travel up to nearly 2,800 miles at up to 2,175 miles per hour, delivering either conventional or thermonuclear warheads. (Militaries also use drones to deliver bombs. Here are 13 of the world’s top military drones.)
The fastest cruise missiles are operated by the armed forces of Russia, India, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Turkey, Sweden, and Norway. The slowest of these cruise missiles reaches a top speed of 525 miles per hour for a range of up to 174 miles.
Here are the most powerful cruise missiles
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
10. Rgm 84 Harpoon Block II
> Length: 15 feet
> Speed Mach 0.7 (525 mph)
> Range: 174 miles
> Warhead: Penetration, high-explosive blast
> Used by: United States
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
9. Rbs-15 Mk III
> Length: 14 feet
> Speed Mach 0.9 (675 mph)
> Range: 155 miles
> Warhead: 200 kg HE blast and pre-fragmented warhead
> Used by: Sweden
24/7 Wall St.
8. Standoff Missile
> Length: 11.8 feet
> Speed Mach 0.9 (705 mph)
> Range: 112 miles
> Warhead: 230 kg HE blast fragmentation warhead
> Used by: Turkey
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
7. Naval Strike Missile
> Length: 12.9 feet
> Speed Mach 0.9 (675 mph)
> Range: 115 miles
> Warhead: 125 kg HE blast-fragmentation
> Used by: Norway
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
6. Agm-86B ALCM
> Length: 20.7 feet
> Speed Mach 0.7 (548 mph)
> Range: 1,491 miles
> Warhead: 200 kt W80-1 nuclear warhead
> Used by: United States
5. Storm Shadow
> Length: 16.9 feet
> Speed Mach 0.9 (675 mph)
> Range: 350 miles
> Warhead: 450 kg BROACH
> Used by: France
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Source: Stocktrek Images / Stocktrek Images via Getty Images
4. Tomahawk Block IV
> Length: 18.2 feet
> Speed Mach 0.7 (555 mph)
> Range: 1,000 miles
> Warhead: Penetration, high-explosive blast
> Used by: United States, U.K.
3. P-800 Oniks
> Length: 29.1 feet
> Speed Mach 2.5 (1,875 mph)
> Range: 174 miles
> Warhead: 300 kg semi-armor piercing HE, thermonuclear
> Used by: Russia
2. 3M54 Kalibr
> Length: 20.3-29.2 feet
> Speed Mach 2.9 (2,175 mph)
> Range: 2,796 miles
> Warhead: 400-500 kg HE or thermonuclear
> Used by: Russia
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1. BrahMos
> Length: 28 feet
> Speed Mach 3.0 (2,250 mph)
> Range: 310 miles
> Warhead: 200 kg conventional semi-armor piercing nuclear
> Used by: Russia, India
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