Russia has deployed the Avangard Hypersonic Nuclear Weapon

Russia has been working on a number of new nuclear weapons due to their perceived threat of American missile defenses. These weapons have varied from the massive SARMAT[1] and Bulava[2] ballistic missiles to the insane Poseidon intercontinental nuclear torpedo[3] and the batshbt crazy Burevcestnik[4], a nuclear ramjet powered, nuclear armed cruise missile. Somewhere between the insane and the mundane lies another new nuclear weapon, the Avangard[5].

The Avangard is a new delivery vehicle for nuclear missiles. It is what is called a boost-glide[6] weapon and does not follow a traditional ballistic path. It uses aerodynamic forces to follow an inundating path down into and then up out of the atmosphere. The trajectory is something that our missile defenses cannot intercept. Just as bad, the glide vehicle is moving at hypersonic speeds. Missile defense is really, really difficult: hitting a bullet with a bullet, so to speak. The boost glide path makes it impossible with the current and near term capabilities to stop the incoming warheads.

This week, the Avangard was declared operational[7,8] and the first weapons placed in silos placed in a ready state. The US inspectors had been invited to verify the new missiles were compliant with the nuclear limitations treaties[9] prior to Moscow's declaration of operational status for the weapon.

The Avangard will not be deployed in large numbers according to Moscow. Speculation is that cost is the limiting factor. However, the probable role for Avangard is to kill the American missile defenses to clear the way for the regular ballistic missile launched warheads to follow unimpeded by any resistance. Avangard also allows Russia to reinstate its crazy 'escalate to deescalate' doctrine[10] that calls for launching a single nuclear weapon and nuking a single city to make all parties stop fighting. This doctrine has been around since the Cold War and one of the primary reasons Russia intensely dislikes and protests the installation of missile defenses in Europe, Japan and the US.

The US does not have an equivalent to the Avangard and will not have any for at least 3 more years. The American weapons will NOT be nuclear weapons, but rather conventional strike weapons[9]. There are no current plans to deploy hypersonic weapons with nuclear warheads in the US.


1. en.wikipedia.org...
2. en.wikipedia.org...
3. en.wikipedia.org...
4. en.wikipedia.org...
5. en.wikipedia.org...(hypersonic_glide_vehicle)
6. en.wikipedia.org...
7. theaviationist.com...
8. www.reuters.com...
9. www.themoscowtimes.com...
10. nuclearnetwork.csis.org...
11. www.nationaldefensemagazine.org...

a reply to: anzha

The US does not have an equivalent to the Avangard

Do we need one in order to be effective against Russia?

Russia has an economy the size of Italy. Just the picture looks like something made on an Amiga computer from 1991. They were towing their aircraft carrier to Syria because it broke down. Pathetic. They still have not landed a man on the moon or deployed a working rover on Mars but, somehow they can pull off all these technological marvels...meh.

a reply to: anzha

All we want for Christmas is a new Nuclear weapons system , what an intelligent species we are.

a reply to: Stupidsecrets

They could have spent the money on fixing their screw up in the Aral Sea.

One wonders has it occurred to the US, Russia, China, the NATO leaders that it may be wise to settle their differences
( whatever they are) and attempt to negotiate the elimination of these nuclear weapons. Of course, N. Korea, Pakistan, India, and Isreal too can be added to the list.

a reply to: Willtell

That requires a form of globalism, something far too many people are against now days. Collaborate with other nations? Pfff fat chance. ME FIRST.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: anzha

All we want for Christmas is a new Nuclear weapons system , what an intelligent species we are.

They will just launch it over the North Pole next Christmas eve and nobody will even suspect it isn't Santa coming to deliver presents.

originally posted by: strongfp
a reply to: Willtell

That requires a form of globalism, something far too many people are against now days. Collaborate with other nations? Pfff fat chance. ME FIRST.

I wouldn’t classify arms treaty’s as globalism. And even so, I think it’s more important to save the planet from annihilation than worry about globalism.


Let's face it, sooner or later these weapons are going to be used massively and the world will regret that unlike anything EVER.


For any politician, this time Putin, bragging about powerful nuclear weapons is utter madness.

Unless they want to destroy the planet. Maybe they do.

a reply to: Willtell

Arms treaties are what lead to the league of nations, and EU.

You have to remember that the reason the EU was made was because of the constant warring of European nations. Pre WW1 Europe was a vast network of micro nations that changed every five years or so, it all collaborated into one outburst which was WW1.

Globalism always starts with arms treaties, which evolves into national interest affairs like spaces races or economic arm wrestles. You are right tho, Russia had no need for such a weapon, it's just flexing muscle. You don't see China doing this do you? Instead we see them building tech, and rockets to go to the moon and beyond. They are also into the game of globalism as well.

As long as our Boomers are at sea, I rest well at night.

I wish Russia would disappear.

What's it for?

All it does is threaten death to the West.

Now its got unplugged internet so it can brainwash its people some more.

They should get going on something new and radical and take the #ing place off the map.

What happened to the Putin/trump bromance?


www.forbes.com...

You can still spot the launch and deploy your own ergo MAD.

All it does it cut down decision time making MAD more likely.

A bit like the B2 and B-21 dropping bombs on Russia, as soon as one goes bang the Russians will counter and everyone will die.

Pointless as t1ts on a nun.

Some people here fear the Russians for no reason. Russian people are cool in my book. I'm sure they got brainwashed to fear Americans too. It's time to forget Hollywood stereotypes.

Yeah, I know Putin looks scary but what do you think they feel when they see photos of those democrats with crazy eyes like Schiff or AOC, just you give an example.

We got more scary weapons than them. Relax.

a reply to: strongfp

Globalism=Globalism

Nuclear weapons=species annihilation

a reply to: anzha

Something isn't right... Why would Russia give away the existance their most effective distructive weapon in their arsenal? Of course this will promt all its enemies to find ways to access the data of its technology and put scientist on a 24/7/365 scedule to figure out how to blow it out of the sky before reaching the USA. Of course it will be a surprise to see a radiation mushroom eating up a city before hearing it coming....but now we all know it was t be expected, no surprise there.

Of course will the US militairy deny having such a weapon... that will make sense if it wasn't just to keep russia in the dark....the way it should with new significant top secret game changing weapons..of mass distruction.

There must be more to it and are we not told the entire story (read secret).

a reply to: gortex

I just don't get why any more of these are being created. There are already enough nukes to blow up the world many times over. Its just crazy to spend the resources on something like this

a reply to: anzha

The Russians I deal with at work are some of the smartest people I've ever met. They are extremely good engineers.

But I think the Chinese are the biggest threat. They have billions of dollars going into high tech research. Their schools are better. And they treat their people much better. Plus the economy in China is booming with 10% growth every year. In the US we can barely have a big enough economy to replace parts that break and people who die of old age. The growth in the US might as well be negative. If the Chinese were not such racists it would be a cool place to be for any talented engineer in their twenties.

China spending US$3.3 billion on molten salt nuclear reactors for faster aircraft carriers and in flying drones

The Chinese are going to bury Big Oil and fossil fuel. And it will happen sooner than later.

originally posted by: anzha

The US does not have an equivalent to the Avangard and will not have any for at least 3 more years. The American weapons will NOT be nuclear weapons, but rather conventional strike weapons[9]. There are no current plans to deploy hypersonic weapons with nuclear warheads in the US.

As far as you know, according to Wikipedia.