Despite the fact that Germany is considered a founding father of ballistic missiles, history indicates that the Soviet Union (USSR) launched the world’s first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). In the 1950s, the Soviet Union (USSR) secretly experimented with the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). By threatening nuclear attacks on European countries, Russia hoped to strategically pressure the United States and its allies.
During a short period of time, the Soviet Union made great advancements. It launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) successfully.
While Russia’s research was not fundamental, it was based on the German V-2 short-range rocket or missile that was widely used during World War II. The Soviet Union, the United States, and other ally countries secretly invaded Germany after Hitler was defeated in the second world war.
A number of German scientists involved in the research were abducted along with several important documents and blueprints related to Germany’s V-2 missile development. While the entire world was oblivious of the possibility of any powerful continental ballistic missile like this being formulated, the Soviet Union, based on its decade of research and the technology of the V-2 missile, made this impossible.
Eventually, the Soviet Union developed its own multi-stage R-7 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM).
A renowned scientist, Sergei Korolyov, was instructed by the Soviet government to design an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that could carry a powerful, modern thermonuclear weapon in 1953. On May 15, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first ballistic missile, code-named R-7. However, it crashed 400 kilometers (250 miles) away from the launch site unexpectedly.
A second test of the R-7 missile weighing 280 tons was conducted on August 21. The tank of the missile was full this time, and the test was successful. As a result, the R-7 ICBM missile traveled 6,000 kilometers or 3,700 miles in this test, making it the first intercontinental ballistic missile in history.
A KB-11 type warhead was also installed in the R-7 ICBM missile for the first time in 1980 weighing around 5,500 kg. Despite being massively old, the Soviet warplanes of that time were capable of carrying powerful warheads capable of destroying three to five megatons.
This success of the Soviet Union had deeply disappointed the United States and its allies. This is why the United States also decided to test its first ballistic missile, the SM-65 Atlas, in 1957, the same year. America wanted to challenge the Soviet Union. The test was a success. However, China itself was not lagging too far behind.
The other superpower was developing its own technologies to build an intercontinental ballistic missile. The Dongfeng-4 missile was successfully launched in 1960. Since then, every nation has made tremendous progress. The developed countries have produced numerous fearsome missiles for national security, which are every time more horrifying than the one before. Gradually, developing countries have joined the same group as well.
In spite of this technological advancement, a question still remains at the end of the day! Aren’t we the ones destroying the world by creating such terrifying weapons?