Top 10 Cruise Missiles in the World in 2026

Cruise missiles are guided weapons that fly like small, pilotless jets, usually low over the ground or sea, to strike targets hundreds or even thousands of kilometers away with great precision. The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have shown how central they have become, and how hard they are to stop. This ranking weighs range, accuracy, survivability and real-world combat use.

1. Tomahawk (United States)

The world’s best-known cruise missile, used in combat since 1991. The latest Block V has a range of over 1,600 km and can retarget in flight; the Maritime Strike version can hit moving ships. Japan, Australia and the Netherlands are among new buyers, and the Army now fires it from the Typhon land-based launcher.

2. JASSM-ER (United States)

A stealthy air-launched missile with a range of around 1,000 km, carried by the F-15E, F-16, B-1B and B-2. Its anti-ship sibling, LRASM, is being integrated on more platforms, including the B-52.

3. Kalibr (Russia)

Launched from ships and submarines, the land-attack 3M-14 version has a range of about 1,500-2,500 km and has been fired in large numbers at Ukraine from the Black Sea and Caspian.

4. Kh-101 (Russia)

A stealthy air-launched cruise missile carried by Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers, with a claimed range of up to 5,500 km. It has become one of Russia’s main long-range strike weapons in Ukraine.

5. Storm Shadow / SCALP-EG (UK and France)

A low-observable missile with a range of over 250 km and a powerful penetrating warhead. Supplied to Ukraine since 2023, it has been used to hit headquarters, airfields and ships.

6. BrahMos (India and Russia)

One of the fastest cruise missiles in service, flying at around Mach 2.8-3. Extended-range versions reach about 450-500 km. India used it in combat in May 2025, and it has been exported to the Philippines.

7. Taurus KEPD 350 (Germany and Sweden)

A heavy air-launched missile with a range of over 500 km and a two-stage warhead built to destroy bunkers. A new version, Taurus Neo, is in development.

8. CJ-10 / CJ-100 (China)

China’s land-attack cruise missile family, launched from bombers and ground vehicles. The newer CJ-100, shown at the 2025 parade, is believed to be much faster and longer-ranged.

9. Naval Strike Missile / Joint Strike Missile (Norway)

A stealthy, highly accurate anti-ship and land-attack missile built by Kongsberg, chosen by the US Navy, Marines and many NATO navies. The JSM version fits inside the F-35’s internal bay.

10. 3M22 Zircon (Russia)

A ship-launched hypersonic cruise missile claimed to fly at Mach 8. Ukraine reported Zircon strikes in 2024, though its real-world performance remains debated.

The trend

Two shifts stand out: cruise missiles are getting faster, with hypersonic designs entering service, and cheaper, with new low-cost missiles built in large numbers to overwhelm air defenses. Both trends are pushing countries to invest heavily in layered missile defense.

Featured image: U.S. Navy / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons