Russia Confirms Effective Test of Nuclear-Powered Storm Petrel Missile

Russia has tested the nuclear-powered Burevestnik long-range missile, as reported by the country's leading commander.

"We have conducted a extended flight of a reactor-driven projectile and it traversed a 8,700-mile distance, which is not the ultimate range," Senior Military Leader the commander reported to the head of state in a televised meeting.

The low-altitude advanced armament, originally disclosed in recent years, has been hailed as having a possible global reach and the capacity to avoid defensive systems.

Western experts have earlier expressed skepticism over the weapon's military utility and Russian claims of having successfully tested it.

The head of state stated that a "last accomplished trial" of the weapon had been held in last year, but the claim could not be independently verified. Of a minimum of thirteen documented trials, only two had partial success since 2016, as per an arms control campaign group.

Gen Gerasimov stated the weapon was in the sky for a significant duration during the evaluation on October 21.

He said the weapon's altitude and course adjustments were assessed and were found to be up to specification, as per a domestic media outlet.

"As a result, it demonstrated high capabilities to circumvent missile and air defence systems," the outlet quoted the official as saying.

The weapon's usefulness has been the topic of heated controversy in defence and strategic sectors since it was originally disclosed in the past decade.

A 2021 report by a foreign defence research body stated: "A nuclear-powered cruise missile would provide the nation a singular system with worldwide reach potential."

Yet, as a global defence think tank commented the identical period, Moscow encounters major obstacles in making the weapon viable.

"Its integration into the nation's stockpile arguably hinges not only on overcoming the substantial engineering obstacle of ensuring the reliable performance of the atomic power system," analysts noted.

"There occurred multiple unsuccessful trials, and an incident resulting in multiple fatalities."

A military journal quoted in the analysis claims the projectile has a range of between a substantial span, enabling "the missile to be deployed across the country and still be equipped to target targets in the United States mainland."

The identical publication also explains the missile can operate as at minimal altitude as 164 to 328 feet above ground, making it difficult for defensive networks to engage.

The missile, referred to as an operational name by a foreign security organization, is considered driven by a nuclear reactor, which is intended to activate after solid fuel rocket boosters have propelled it into the sky.

An examination by a reporting service recently identified a location 295 miles north of Moscow as the probable deployment area of the weapon.

Using space-based photos from last summer, an analyst told the agency he had detected nine horizontal launch pads in development at the location.

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