A ballistic missile submarine have the capability to launch its missiles from distances spanning thousands of kilometers distant from its intended targets. These devices are specifically designed to reduce sound, making them hard to detect. This characteristic ensures their ongoing survival in the case of a preemptive attack and makes them an essential component of the principle of mutual assured destruction in nuclear deterrence. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the United States and Russia have become the primary powers in the deployment of ballistic missile submarines. France, the United Kingdom, China, and India possess a smaller number of ballistic missile submarines. Furthermore, there are accusations that North Korea possesses a preliminary diesel-electric submarine with the capacity to launch ballistic missiles.