Intercontinental ballistic missile

An Intercontinental Ballistic Missile or ICBM is a long-range ballistic missile typically with a range exceeding 5,500 Kilometers, typically designed for Nuclear weapons delivery. The UNSC maintains at least one ICBM base equipped with 11-B1 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles.

Historically, ICBM's have been able to be launched from land-based missile silo's, mobile missile trucks, or sea-based Ballistic Submarines. Stationary bases allow easy maintenance and refueling, as well as protecting from military attack and (designers hope) a nuclear first strike. Submarine or truck-launched missiles have the advantage of quick mobility and, in the formers case, stealth, making them difficult for enemy forces to detect and counter quickly enough.

Trivia

 * The design currently employed by the UNSC is the 11-B1 ICBM
 * If one pays attention to the skies in Halo 3's level Standoff, you can sometimes see two ICBMs fly across the sky.

List of appearances

 * Halo 3