noun
ballistic missile
Technical term for a missile that follows a ballistic trajectory. Often used in military or defense contexts.
その国は新型の弾道弾を発射した。
That country launched a new type of ballistic missile.
ミサイル is a broader term for any guided missile, while 弾道弾 specifically refers to a ballistic missile that follows a high, arching trajectory.
Compound of 弾道 (ballistic trajectory) + 弾 (projectile, bullet). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is a modern technical coinage.