Golden Dome for America: Current and Future Missile Threats to the U.S.

Homeland
DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

Missile threats to the U.S. homeland will expand in scale and sophistication in the coming Traditional
decade. China and Russia are developing an array of novel delivery systems to exploit gaps ICBM FOBS
Boosted Hypersonic Weapon
in current U.S. ballistic missile defenses, but traditional ballistic missiles—which are guided
1
A highly maneuverable system that achieves hypersonic
during powered flight and unguided during free flight—will remain the primary threat to speed (Mach 5+); includes:
ICBM and FOBS
the Homeland. North Korea has successfully tested ballistic missiles with sufficient range
to reach the entire Homeland, and Iran has space launch vehicles it could use to develop a
Trajectories Aeroballistic Missile: A type of hypersonic missile
3
carrying nuclear or conventional warheads that can
militarily-viable ICBM by 2035 should Tehran decide to pursue the capability. The majority be launched from air, sea, or ground platforms

BIT
Fractional Orbital
Bombardment and combines aerodynamic maneuvers with

OR
of systems presented here have nuclear-capable variants. phases of ballistic loft to extend range.
System (FOBS)

H
RT
-E Russia can currently strike portions of

A
W
LO the Homeland with aeroballistic missiles
Depicted are selected missile threats to the launched from aircraft, ships, or ground launchers, and will
Homeland from notional launch points. Missiles probably add a launch capability from submarines.
from mobile platforms—aircraft, submarines Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV): A maneuverable
and ships—can penetrate farther should the aerodynamic body that is typically delivered 4
platform risk a closer approach to the United by a ballistic missile, achieves sustained
hypersonic glide at altitudes of 15-50 km,
States. Numbers below are approximate inventory and glides for at least half of its flight to its
totals with the exception of submarine-launched target. HGVs can be armed with a nuclear
ballistic missiles. warhead, but China may have deployed a
3 conventional HGV with sufficient range to strike Alaska.
Country
a
sk Current 600 200-300
China Russia North Korea Iran a
2035 4,000 1,000

l
A
Intercontinental Ballistic 1 5
Land Attack Cruise Missile
Missile (ICBM) 2 4
A missile that flies through the atmosphere,
A ground-based missile with a range potentially with reduced signatures, that
exceeding 5,500 km that flies on a can maneuver extensively in flight and
ballistic trajectory and is typically be armed with a nuclear or conventional
armed with a nuclear warhead or warhead; some may achieve hypersonic
P

warheads. There is no part of speeds. Russia can currently strike large portions of the
A

the Homeland which cannot be Homeland with cruise missiles launched from aircraft,
C

C
O

F
I

struck by existing ICBMs. IC ground launchers, ships, or submarines, and China is

TI
A
E

N beginning to field similar capabilities against Alaska,

N
Country

N
Hawaii, and the U.S. West Coast.

A
A
Current 400 350 10 or fewer -

E
L
Country

C
2035 700* 400* 50 60

O
Current 1,000 300-600
Dashed line represents
2035 5,000 5,000
potential Iranian capability
Submarine-Launched 2 Washington, D.C.
H

UNI
aw

a TED S
Ballistic Missile (SLBM) ii TATES OF A MER ICA Fractional Orbital Bombardment 6
A ballistic missile, typically System (FOBS)
carrying nuclear warheads,
launched from a submarine. An ICBM that enters a low-altitude orbit before
There is no part of the reentering to strike its target, with much shorter
Homeland which cannot be flight times if flying the same direction as
struck by existing adversary SLBMs. Included traditional ICBMs, or can travel over the South
below are maximum loadout numbers for current 5 Pole to avoid early warning systems and missile
and future submarine fleets. defenses. It releases its payload before completing a full orbit.
Country 6 Country
Current 72 192 Dashed line represents Current - -
future FOBS capability
2035 at least 132 192 2035 60 fewer than 12

*Number includes FOBS

Visualization: DIA, EPD Design • 2503-02214 • DIA_F_25M5A_A