Ballistic missile submarine

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A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine capable of deploying submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with nuclear warheads. These submarines became a major weapon system in the Cold War because of their nuclear deterrence capability. They can fire missiles thousands of kilometres (miles) from their targets, and acoustic quieting makes them difficult to detect (see acoustic signature), thus making them a survivable deterrent in the event of a first strike and a key element of the mutual assured destruction policy of nuclear deterrence. Many ballistic missile submarine policies also include provisions for nuclear first strike as well. For these reasons, 70% of nuclear warheads in the United States are carried by ballistic missile submarines. The deployment of ballistic missile submarines is dominated by the United States, Russia (following the collapse of the Soviet Union) and China. Smaller numbers are in service with France, the United Kingdom and India. North Korea is also...

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