Analytical Survey on the Use of Ballistic Missile Weapons from the Perspective of International Humanitarian Law

Since the launch of the world's first ballistic missile, the nature of warfare has changed forever, with profound military and political developments around the world. Ballistic missiles made it possible for a nation to move away from the battlefield and, with the relative immunity gained, to strike deep into enemy territory and inflict heavy losses. The hallmark of the ballistic missile index is its ability to carry heavy nuclear warheads weighing 40 megatons, which, in addition to its 12,000-kilometer range, has raised concerns among international powers. To this end, in the absence of consideration of specific international rules, they have made political and exclusive decisions about the legitimacy or illegitimacy of the use of this weapon. What is considered in this study is the answer to the legal status of ballistic missiles in international humanitarian law. The findings of the study indicate that, despite the legal nature of ballistic missiles, the assessment of the legitimacy or illegitimacy of the use of this weapon depends on the examination of experimental data from each missile exercise, which does not provide a general conclusion about the legal status of ballistic missiles. The experimental data of the launch missile should be reviewed and verified.