Moscow Reports Successful Trial of Reactor-Driven Burevestnik Weapon
Russia has tested the atomic-propelled Burevestnik cruise missile, as reported by the nation's top military official.
"We have launched a multi-hour flight of a reactor-driven projectile and it traversed a 8,700-mile distance, which is not the maximum," Senior Military Leader the commander told President Vladimir Putin in a broadcast conference.
The low-altitude advanced armament, originally disclosed in 2018, has been described as having a potentially unlimited range and the capacity to evade missile defences.
International analysts have earlier expressed skepticism over the projectile's tactical importance and the nation's statements of having successfully tested it.
The president said that a "concluding effective evaluation" of the weapon had been held in 2023, but the statement could not be independently verified. Of at least 13 known tests, merely a pair had partial success since the mid-2010s, based on an arms control campaign group.
The military leader stated the missile was in the atmosphere for a significant duration during the test on October 21.
He noted the projectile's ascent and directional control were tested and were confirmed as complying with standards, according to a local reporting service.
"Consequently, it displayed advanced abilities to bypass defensive networks," the outlet reported the general as saying.
The missile's utility has been the topic of vigorous discussion in military and defence circles since it was initially revealed in the past decade.
A 2021 report by a US Air Force intelligence center concluded: "An atomic-propelled strategic weapon would offer Moscow a singular system with worldwide reach potential."
Nonetheless, as a global defence think tank noted the corresponding time, Moscow encounters major obstacles in making the weapon viable.
"Its integration into the nation's arsenal arguably hinges not only on surmounting the significant development hurdle of ensuring the consistent operation of the atomic power system," specialists wrote.
"There occurred several flawed evaluations, and a mishap causing a number of casualties."
A military journal referenced in the analysis asserts the weapon has a operational radius of between 10,000 and 20,000km, permitting "the projectile to be deployed across the country and still be equipped to target goals in the continental US."
The corresponding source also notes the missile can travel as low as 164 to 328 feet above the earth, rendering it challenging for air defences to engage.
The projectile, designated Skyfall by a Western alliance, is believed to be propelled by a nuclear reactor, which is designed to commence operation after initial propulsion units have sent it into the atmosphere.
An inquiry by a news agency recently pinpointed a facility a considerable distance from the city as the probable deployment area of the armament.
Utilizing satellite imagery from last summer, an specialist told the outlet he had detected nine horizontal launch pads being built at the site.
Associated Updates
- President Authorizes Modifications to Atomic Policy
