Russia Announces Accomplished Trial of Atomic-Propelled Storm Petrel Missile

The nation has evaluated the nuclear-powered Burevestnik strategic weapon, as stated by the country's senior general.

"We have executed a prolonged flight of a nuclear-powered missile and it traversed a 14,000km distance, which is not the maximum," Chief of General Staff the commander reported to the head of state in a televised meeting.

The terrain-hugging experimental weapon, originally disclosed in recent years, has been described as having a theoretically endless flight path and the ability to evade missile defences.

Foreign specialists have earlier expressed skepticism over the projectile's tactical importance and Moscow's assertions of having accomplished its evaluation.

The president declared that a "concluding effective evaluation" of the missile had been carried out in 2023, but the statement was not externally confirmed. Of at least 13 known tests, just two instances had partial success since 2016, according to an non-proliferation organization.

The military leader stated the missile was in the air for 15 hours during the test on the specified date.

He explained the weapon's altitude and course adjustments were assessed and were found to be complying with standards, according to a local reporting service.

"Consequently, it demonstrated high capabilities to evade missile and air defence systems," the news agency stated the general as saying.

The weapon's usefulness has been the subject of intense debate in military and defence circles since it was originally disclosed in 2018.

A 2021 report by a American military analysis unit stated: "A reactor-driven long-range projectile would provide the nation a unique weapon with worldwide reach potential."

However, as a foreign policy research organization commented the identical period, Russia encounters considerable difficulties in achieving operational status.

"Its integration into the country's inventory arguably hinges not only on surmounting the substantial engineering obstacle of securing the consistent operation of the reactor drive mechanism," analysts stated.

"There were multiple unsuccessful trials, and an incident leading to multiple fatalities."

A defence publication referenced in the report asserts the projectile has a range of between a substantial span, permitting "the projectile to be stationed across the country and still be able to target goals in the continental US."

The identical publication also says the missile can operate as at minimal altitude as 50 to 100 metres above ground, rendering it challenging for defensive networks to stop.

The missile, referred to as Skyfall by a foreign security organization, is believed to be driven by a nuclear reactor, which is intended to engage after initial propulsion units have sent it into the atmosphere.

An investigation by a news agency recently pinpointed a facility 295 miles above the capital as the possible firing point of the weapon.

Employing orbital photographs from August 2024, an specialist informed the outlet he had observed multiple firing positions in development at the facility.

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