Year after year, you must have seen that some powerful nations around the globe come up with the fastest missile, only for some other nation to surpass that speed in the next few years or so. Why? Well, speed isn’t just like an advantage in warfare; it is more like a survival game right now. If you had to guess, how fast do you think the fastest missile is in the world? Well, the answer is Mach 27, which is about 33,339 kilometres. Mind-boggling, isn’t it? And for some reason, if you’re feeling intrigued by the speed of the fastest missiles in the world, well, we’re here to satisfy your curiosity with this list of the Top 10 Fastest Missiles in the World 2025. Here we go then.
1. Avangard
First and foremost on our list is a missile whose speed is so incredible that it can go around the Earth in just a little over one hour, and yes, we’re referring to the Russian Avangard. Its highest velocity is Mach 27 (about 33,339 km/h), which is more than 27 times the speed of sound. It is different from normal ballistic missiles in that Avangard is a hypersonic glide vehicle, which means it separates at the middle of the flight and then keeps on gliding at very high speeds while changing its route all the time. That makes it almost impossible for existing defence systems to stop it. It is equipped to throw off either in nuclear or in standard warheads and thus, it is the most lethal and fastest missile in the world at this point of time, no doubt about it.
2. DF-41
Securing the second position is China’s pride in missile tech, the DF-41. An intercontinental ballistic missile of this kind is capable of hit to Mach 25 (about 30,870 km/h) and boasts such an amazing firing range of up to 15,000 km. What makes it even more awesome is its capability to have 10 nuclear warheads at the same time, each targeting a different place. Moreover, if you consider that it can be transported and fired from both streets as well as tracks, then you are dealing with one of the most difficult missiles to get a hold of before hitting.
3. Trident II D5
Third on our list is the Trident II D5, the core of the U.S. and U.K. submarine-launched nuclear weapon systems. Being able to hit a top speed of up to Mach 24 (29,635 km/h), this is basically the most accurate of its kind, alongside that it normally only misses the target by less than 100 meters. As it can carry out its attack without being detected in the ocean, it belongs to the category of the most trustworthy “retaliation” arms worldwide.
4. Minuteman III
Minuteman III from the United States is ranked fourth fastest, which is still a very fast missile even though it has been in service for more than 50 years. It is capable of reaching a speed of Mach 23 (28,300 km/h) and can strike targets as far as 13,000 km. It stays in below-ground silos and is thus always prepared for a sudden or quick fire, plus, its tech has been revamped many times over the years.
5. Hwasong-15
On the fifth place is the most powerful missile of North Korea, Hwasong-15. With the speed of Mach 22 (approximately 27,000 km/h) and a range of 13,000 km, it is almost able to reach the whole U.S. from North Korea. It became very famous because it had heavy nuclear warheads and was going by strange flight paths, this being a big jump in Pyongyang’s long-range strike capability.
6. RS-28 Sarmat
Coming in at number six is the Russian RS-28 Sarmat, which is also known as “Satan 2” by NATO. This is one extremely large ICBM which can go up to Mach 20 (25,500 km/h) and has an amazing range of 18,000 km. It is loaded with so many warheads or hypersonic glide vehicles that it can even get nearer to the target from unanticipated angles, making it very difficult for missile defence systems to deal with it.
7. AGM-183A ARRW
The seventh position is occupied by the AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon of the U.S., which is among the fastest air-launched missiles. The rocket goes on to achieve almost Mach 20 (24,500 km/h) speeds, as well as being launched from a B-52 bomber-type aircraft before the rocket booster is activated. The missile, which has a range of approximately 1,600 km, is meant to perform firebranded attacks that grants nearly no reaction time to opponents.
8. Kh-47M2 Kinzhal
The Kinzhal (meaning Dagger) is an air-launched missile from Russia ranked as the number eight most destructive weapon in the world. Its velocity can reach 10-12 Mach (12350-14700 km/h). Besides that, it can be discharged from the likes of the MiG-31K and Tu-22M3, with the maximum distance achievable being 3,000 km, depending on the carrier.
9. DF-ZF
China’s DF-ZF is placed at number nine in the list of hypersonic glide vehicles. It is one of the most impressive hypersonic glide vehicles, which can achieve speeds of about Mach 10 (12,250 km/h). After being launched on top of a ballistic missile, it separates and unpredictably glides to the target, thus avoiding the attempts of the interception. As a result of the vehicle being able to carry both nuclear and conventional warheads, it theoretically becomes China’s military flexible tool that can be used in any situation.
10. 3M22 Zircon
The 3M22 Zircon is Russia’s last but not least on the list of ultra-fast cruise missiles, being the fastest cruise missile on the planet. With a speed up to Mach 9 (approximately 11,000 km/h) and a scramjet engine as a power source, it is a weapon that can do damage both on the water and on land. Thanks to its low-altitude flight and the radar-blocking plasma that envelops it, Zircon is very difficult to find until it is almost at the target.
Conclusion
There you have it. See, after the Mach 9 speed, there sure are many more missiles that we could list down on this list, but if we’re talking about the fastest 10 missiles in the world right now, then these had to be the ones you should know about. That’s all.
