View source for Submarine-launched cruise missile

{{Short description|Seaborne weapon}}
[[File:Royal Navy Submarine HMS Astute Fires a Tomahawk Cruise Missile (TLAM) During Testing Near the USA MOD 45153387 (cropped).jpg|thumb|250x250px|[[HMS Astute (S119)|HMS ''Astute'']] launching a [[Tomahawk (missile family)|Tomahawk]] in 2011]]
A '''submarine-launched cruise missile''' ('''SLCM''') is a [[cruise missile]] that is launched from a [[submarine]] (especially a SSG or [[SSGN]]). Current versions are typically [[standoff weapon]]s known as [[land-attack missile|land-attack cruise missiles]] (LACMs), which are used to attack predetermined land targets with conventional or nuclear payloads. [[Anti-ship missile|Anti-ship cruise missiles]] (ASCMs) are also used, and some submarine-launched cruise missiles have variants for both functions.
==History of development==
The [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]]'s first land-attack cruise missile submarines (4 SSG and 1 SSGN) deployed with the [[SSM-N-8 Regulus|Regulus missile]] from 1958 until retired in 1964 with the arrival of the [[Polaris missile|Polaris]] [[ballistic missile submarine]]s (SSBNs) in the Pacific.<ref>Gardiner and Chumbley, pp. 609-611</ref> The US deployed the short-range [[Harpoon (missile)|Harpoon anti-ship missile]] on submarines beginning in 1981. The [[Soviet Navy]] converted 13 [[Whiskey-class submarine#Missile variants|Whiskey-class submarine]]s (Project 613) for the land-attack cruise missile (LACM) role in the late 1950s (Whiskey Single Cylinder, Whiskey Twin Cylinder, Whiskey Long Bin), armed with the [[SS-N-3 Shaddock]] (П-5) missile.
As Soviet SSBNs armed with [[submarine-launched ballistic missile]]s (SLBM) became available in the late 1960s, the Shaddock LACM was withdrawn and an [[Anti-ship missile|anti-ship]] (ASCM) version replaced it. The [[Echo-class submarine|Echo-]] and [[Juliett-class submarine]]s of the 1960s had a similar armament history, with the Echo I's converted to attack submarines because they could not accommodate an anti-ship guidance radar. The SS-N-3 ASCM was eventually replaced with the [[SS-N-12]] (P-500). Later, the [[Charlie-class submarine|Charlie]]- and [[Oscar-class submarine|Oscar]]-classes were designed to use long-range ASCMs, the [[SS-N-9]] (P-120) and [[SS-N-19]] (P-700) respectively. Only the Oscar-class remains in service. In 1990, it was reported that the Soviet Navy had deployed between 50 and 300 SLCMs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-9022647.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924165020/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-9022647.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 September 2015|title=Soviets have not hardened position on SLCM - Akhromeyev|work=Defense Daily|date=9 May 1990|access-date=8 August 2015}}</ref> The current [[Akula-class submarine|Akula-]] and [[Severodvinsk-class submarine]]s are armed with the [[SS-N-21]] (S-10) LACM.<ref>Gardiner and Chumbley, pp. 396-403, 405-408</ref>
Four U.S. Navy [[Ohio-class submarine|Ohio-class]] SSBNs were converted in the mid-2000s to be able to salvo launch up to 144 [[Tomahawk (missile family)|Tomahawk cruise missile]]s from their modified vertical launch SLBM tubes, as opposed to launching cruise missiles from torpedo tubes as is done from [[attack submarine]]s. The advantage that the submarines have over [[guided-missile destroyer]]s and [[cruiser]]s is the ability to remain undetected and launch while submerged. Tomahawk was deployed on US Navy attack submarines beginning in 1983, originally in LACM and ASCM versions, but the ASCM version was withdrawn in the 1990s.
The USSR′s [[RK-55|S-10 Granat]] subsonic cruise missiles designed by the [[NPO Novator]] may still be in service in Russia, albeit not deployed.<ref>[https://defendingrussia.ru/enc/strategicheskije_kr/raketnyj_kompleks_s10_granat_sovetskij_tomagavk-2374/ РАКЕТНЫЙ КОМПЛЕКС С-10 «ГРАНАТ». СОВЕТСКИЙ «ТОМАГАВК»] May 2015.</ref> In October 2015, Russia launched long-range [[3M-54 Klub|Kalibr (Klub)]] cruise missiles from its small ships in the Caspian Sea on targets in Syria; in December, several 3M14K cruise missiles from Kalibr-PL system were fired from the [[Kilo-class submarine|improved Kilo]]-class submarine B-237 ''Rostov-on-Don'' in the Mediterranean.<ref name="bbcsubmdec">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-35041656 | title= Russia hits targets in Syria from Mediterranean submarine | publisher=BBC|date=8 December 2015 |accessdate=9 December 2015}}</ref> The deployment of Kalibr missiles, long-range, low-flying, capable of carrying conventional or nuclear warheads, available in land-attack, anti-ship and anti-submarine variants, was said to have altered the military balance in Europe and potentially compromised the [[NATO missile defence system]] under construction in Europe.<ref>[http://russia-insider.com/en/military/how-russias-cruise-missiles-change-strategic-military-balance/ri10730 Russia's Cruise Missiles Have Changed Strategic Military Balance]</ref>
[[Jane's Defence Weekly]] reports that the [[Dolphin-class submarine]]s are believed to be [[Nuclear weapons and Israel|nuclear armed]], offering Israel a sea-based, [[second strike]] capability. In adherence to [[Missile Technology Control Regime]] rules the US Clinton administration refused an Israeli request in 2000 to purchase [[Tomahawk (missile family)|Tomahawk]] long range SLCMs. The [[Federation of American Scientists]] and GlobalSecurity.org report that the four larger torpedo tubes are capable of launching Israeli built nuclear-armed [[Popeye (missile)|Popeye Turbo cruise missiles]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/israel/missile/popeye-t.htm |title=Popeye Turbo |publisher=Federation of American Scientists |accessdate=2011-02-19}}</ref>
[[File:USS Santa Fe (SSN-763) VLS doors open.jpg|thumb|The fore section of [[USS Santa Fe (SSN-763)]], a [[Los Angeles-class submarine]] with the doors of the [[vertical launching system]] for [[Tomahawk (missile family)|Tomahawk missile]]s in the open position. The method of firing from VLS is in the minority.]]
==List of SLCMs==
Specific types of SLCMs (current, past and under development) include:
{{Incomplete list|date=July 2020}}
;{{flagicon|USA}} [[United States Navy|United States of America]]
*[[SSM-N-8 Regulus]]
*[[SSM-N-9 Regulus II]]
*[[BGM-109 Tomahawk]]
;{{flagicon|Russia}}/{{flagicon|USSR}}  [[Russian Navy|Russia]]
*[[RK-55|S-10]] (GRAU-index 3K10)(SS-N-21 'Sampson')
*[[SS-N-3 Shaddock|P-5 Pyatyorka]]
*[[P-500 Bazalt]]
*[[P-700 Granit]]
*[[P-800 Oniks]]
*[[P-1000 Vulkan]]
*[[3M22 Zircon]]
*[[3M-51 Alfa]]
*[[3M-54 Kalibr]]
;{{flagicon|India}} [[Indian Navy|India]]
*[[BrahMos]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/in-a-worlds-first-india-test-fires-brahmos-missile-from-underwater-platform/1090896/|title = In a world's first, India test fires BrahMos missile from underwater platform|newspaper = The Indian Express|date = 20 March 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/sci/2013-03/20/c_132249399.htm |title=India successfully testfires submarine-launched version of BrahMos missile - Xinhua {{!}} English.news.cn |website=news.xinhuanet.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130323062514/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/sci/2013-03/20/c_132249399.htm |archive-date=2013-03-23}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/submarine-variant-of-brahmos-testfired/article4529782.ece|title = Submarine variant of BrahMos test-fired|newspaper = The Hindu|date = 20 March 2013|last1 = Anandan|first1 = S.}}</ref>
*[[Nirbhay#Submarine Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM)|NGSLCM]]<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-02-15 |title=India likely to test 500 km strike range submarine launched cruise missile in March |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-to-test-500-km-strike-range-submarine-launched-cruise-missile-in-march/articleshow/107717199.cms |access-date=2024-02-15 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Roushan |first=Anurag |last2= |first2= |date=2024-02-15 |title=India likely to test indigenously developed Submarine Launched Cruise Missile in March: Know all about it |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/india-likely-to-test-indigenously-drdo-developed-submarine-launched-cruise-missile-in-march-know-all-about-it-navy-eastern-coast-2024-02-15-917023 |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=www.indiatvnews.com |language=en}}</ref>
;{{flagicon|Iran}} [[Iran Navy|Iran]]
*[[Jask-2]]
;{{flagicon|Pakistan}} [[Pakistan Navy|Pakistan]]
*[[Babur (cruise missile)|Babur III]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1307384|title = Pakistan attains 'second strike capability' with test-fire of submarine-launched cruise missile|date = 9 January 2017}}</ref>
;{{flagicon|Israel}} [[Israeli Navy|Israel]]
*[[Popeye (missile)|Popeye Turbo SLCM]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/israel/popeye-t.htm|title = Popeye Turbo - Israel Special Weapons}}</ref>
;{{flagicon|Republic of Korea}} [[ROKN|Republic of Korea]]
*[[Hyunmoo-3|Hyunmoo-3 (Cheonryong)]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.heraldcorp.com/view.php?ud=20130213000686&md=20130214003205_AN|title = 실전배치했다는 순항미사일, '천룡'인 듯| newspaper=헤럴드경제 |date = 13 February 2013| author1=김수한 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LSD&mid=sec&sid1=104&oid=040&aid=0000100273|title=네이버 뉴스}}</ref>
;{{flagicon|France}} [[French Navy|France]]
* [[MdCN (missile)|MdCN]]
;{{flagicon|France}}/{{flagicon|UK}}/{{flagicon|Italy}} [[French Navy|France]]/[[Royal Navy|UK]]/[[Italian Navy|Italy]]
* [[FC/ASW]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
* Gardiner and Chumbley, Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995, Conway Maritime Press, 1995, {{ISBN|1-55750-132-7}}
{{Missile types}}
[[Category:Missile types]]
[[Category:Submarine-launched cruise missiles]]