submarine-launched ballistic missile

A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from submarines. SLBMs almost exclusively carry one or multiple nuclear warheads, and play an important role in nuclear strategy as a highly reliable and non-vulnerable second strike option. Nuclear-armed SLBMs are operated by China (JL-3), France (M51), India (Sagarika), Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. South Korea is the only nation developing a conventionally-armed SLBM, the Hyunmoo