New Russian missile is powered by a nuclear reactor that allows it to fly for more than 15 hours and in a practically undetectable way
Russia announced that the test of the Burevestnik cruise missile, a new generation of nuclear-powered weapons with virtually unlimited range, was successful. The missile, presented by Vladimir Putin as a “unique weapon that no other country in the world has”, covered 14 thousand kilometers in 15 hours of flight during its test, according to the head of the Russian General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, who highlighted that “this is not the limit” of the new Russian missile.
The Burevestnik is distinguished by flying between 20 and 100 meters in altitude, making it practically undetectable by air defense systems – and being able to do so for hours thanks to its nuclear propulsion.
“This system has a particularity: it flies between 20 and 100 meters above the ground, carries a nuclear warhead and is powered by a nuclear reactor that allows it to be in circuit for hours”, he explains to CNN Portugal, highlighting that the missile can be launched “from the Arctic and attack any European or American capital at discretion”.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the missile has similar dimensions to the Kh-101, but its nuclear reactor gives it unprecedented autonomy. It can be launched from an inclined platform, using a removable rocket booster, and remain in flight for an almost indefinite time.
The Pentagon acknowledged that the Burevestnik is capable of launching attacks “from virtually any aircraft carrier,” given its autonomy and maneuverability.
However, there are those who doubt its strategic value: Lieutenant General Rafael Martins, speaking to CNN Portugal, considers that the missile “does not add much to what Russia already has” and that “it is not interesting to go around the world twice and then hit a certain place”.
According to Russian sources, the missile measures about 12 meters at launch and 9 meters in flight, with an elliptical nose. “The technical characteristics of the Burevestnik missile allow it to be used with guaranteed precision against highly protected targets, regardless of distance”, declared Gerasimov, quoted by the Moscow Times.
