English: The first U.S.-designed ballistic missile was the MX-774, developed by Convair in the late 1940s at its own expense. Although the MX-774 never went into production, it provided valuable data in the 1950s when the United States began developing intermediate range and intercontinental ballistic missiles using nuclear warheads. IRBMs had a range of less than 1,500 miles, and ICBMs, more than 1,500 miles. (U.S. Air Force photo)