9M730 Burevestnik
The 9M730 Burevestnik (Template:Lang-ru; "Petrel", NATO reporting name: SSC-X-9 Skyfall)[1] is a Russian experimental nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile under development for the Russian Armed Forces. The missile is claimed to have virtually unlimited range.[2]
The Burevestnik is one of the six new Russian strategic weapons unveiled by Russian President Vladimir Putin on 1 March 2018.[3]
Design and development
The Russian defense industry began developing an intercontinental-range nuclear-powered cruise missile capable of penetrating any interceptor-based missile defense system. It is said to have unlimited range and ability to dodge missile defenses.[2] The name of the weapon was chosen by the unusual route of a public vote.[4] A major stage of trials of the cruise missile of the Burevestnik complex, the tests of the nuclear power unit, were successfully completed in January 2019.[5]
The "sister" project of Burevestnik, the Poseidon (Status-6) nuclear torpedo / drone submarine, is also built around a miniature nuclear propulsion unit.
On August 9, 2019, the Russian nuclear energy agency Rosatom confirmed that a release of radiation in Severodvinsk in northern Russia was linked to an accident involving the test of an “isotope power source for a liquid-fuelled rocket engine”, leading to the deaths of eight.[6][7] Journalists mentioned a possible connection between the accident and Burevestnik tests.[8] Russian government sources revealed little information, but experts disputed some of their assertions about the type of propulsion of the rocket.[8]
See also
References
- ^ Panda, Ankit (November 20, 2018). "Update from a source: Russia's Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile has a NATO designator — SSC-X-9 SKYFALL. (USIC also calls this missile the KY30.)".
- ^ a b Lendon, Brad (July 20, 2018). "Russia shows off new weapons after Trump summit". CNN. Retrieved 2018-07-20.
- ^ Gady, Franz-Stefan (March 2, 2018). "Russia Reveals 'Unstoppable' Nuclear-Powered Cruise Missile". The Diplomat. Retrieved 2018-07-20.
- ^ Osborn, Andrew. "Russia names Putin's new 'super weapons' after a quirky public vote". Reuters. Retrieved 2018-07-20.
- ^ "Tests of Burevestnik nuclear powered cruise missile successfully completed, says source". TASS.
- ^ Roth, Andrew (2019-08-10). "Russian nuclear agency confirms role in rocket test explosion". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-08-10.
- ^ Kramer, Andrew E. (2019-08-10). "Russia Confirms Radioactive Materials Were Involved in Deadly Blast". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-08-10.
- ^ a b "U.S.-based experts suspect Russia blast involved nuclear-powered..." Reuters. 2019-08-09. Archived from the original on 2019-08-11. Retrieved 2019-08-12.
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