Russia Confirms Accomplished Trial of Nuclear-Powered Burevestnik Weapon
Moscow has trialed the nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile, as stated by the country's top military official.
"We have executed a multi-hour flight of a reactor-driven projectile and it traversed a vast distance, which is not the ultimate range," Top Army Official Valery Gerasimov informed the Russian leader in a televised meeting.
The terrain-hugging experimental weapon, originally disclosed in recent years, has been described as having a possible global reach and the capacity to evade missile defences.
Western experts have in the past questioned over the projectile's tactical importance and Russian claims of having effectively trialed it.
The national leader declared that a "last accomplished trial" of the weapon had been held in 2023, but the assertion was not externally confirmed. Of over a dozen recorded evaluations, merely a pair had partial success since 2016, as per an arms control campaign group.
The general said the weapon was in the air for a significant duration during the evaluation on October 21.
He said the missile's vertical and horizontal manoeuvring were evaluated and were found to be meeting requirements, according to a domestic media outlet.
"Consequently, it demonstrated high capabilities to evade missile and air defence systems," the media source quoted the commander as saying.
The missile's utility has been the topic of vigorous discussion in defence and strategic sectors since it was initially revealed in recent years.
A previous study by a foreign defence research body stated: "An atomic-propelled strategic weapon would offer Moscow a distinctive armament with intercontinental range capability."
Nonetheless, as a global defence think tank observed the identical period, Russia confronts considerable difficulties in achieving operational status.
"Its entry into the country's inventory likely depends not only on surmounting the significant development hurdle of ensuring the reliable performance of the reactor drive mechanism," experts noted.
"There were multiple unsuccessful trials, and a mishap leading to multiple fatalities."
A defence publication referenced in the study states the missile has a range of between 10,000 and 20,000km, permitting "the missile to be deployed throughout the nation and still be capable to reach objectives in the American territory."
The identical publication also explains the weapon can travel as close to the ground as a very low elevation above the earth, causing complexity for air defences to intercept.
The missile, referred to as Skyfall by a foreign security organization, is thought to be powered by a nuclear reactor, which is designed to commence operation after solid fuel rocket boosters have propelled it into the air.
An examination by a news agency recently identified a site a considerable distance north of Moscow as the likely launch site of the missile.
Employing orbital photographs from August 2024, an specialist told the outlet he had observed multiple firing positions in development at the location.
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