Russia Confirms Effective Evaluation of Atomic-Propelled Storm Petrel Cruise Missile

Russia has tested the nuclear-powered Burevestnik long-range missile, according to the state's top military official.

"We have conducted a multi-hour flight of a atomic-propelled weapon and it traversed a 14,000km distance, which is not the limit," Senior Military Leader the general told the head of state in a broadcast conference.

The terrain-hugging prototype missile, initially revealed in 2018, has been hailed as having a theoretically endless flight path and the capability to bypass defensive systems.

Foreign specialists have in the past questioned over the weapon's military utility and the nation's statements of having effectively trialed it.

The head of state declared that a "final successful test" of the weapon had been carried out in 2023, but the statement was not externally confirmed. Of over a dozen recorded evaluations, merely a pair had partial success since the mid-2010s, according to an non-proliferation organization.

The general stated the weapon was in the sky for fifteen hours during the trial on October 21.

He said the weapon's altitude and course adjustments were tested and were confirmed as meeting requirements, based on a domestic media outlet.

"As a result, it exhibited advanced abilities to bypass missile and air defence systems," the media source quoted the commander as saying.

The weapon's usefulness has been the subject of vigorous discussion in armed forces and security communities since it was originally disclosed in 2018.

A recent analysis by a US Air Force intelligence center determined: "A reactor-driven long-range projectile would give Russia a distinctive armament with worldwide reach potential."

However, as an international strategic institute commented the identical period, the nation faces major obstacles in developing a functional system.

"Its integration into the country's arsenal potentially relies not only on resolving the significant development hurdle of securing the reliable performance of the atomic power system," specialists noted.

"There were several flawed evaluations, and an incident causing multiple fatalities."

A armed forces periodical cited in the report states the weapon has a operational radius of between 6,200 and 12,400 miles, enabling "the projectile to be deployed across the country and still be capable to target goals in the American territory."

The identical publication also notes the projectile can travel as close to the ground as a very low elevation above the surface, rendering it challenging for air defences to engage.

The projectile, referred to as Skyfall by a foreign security organization, is thought to be propelled by a atomic power source, which is intended to commence operation after primary launch mechanisms have launched it into the sky.

An investigation by a news agency recently identified a location a considerable distance from the city as the likely launch site of the weapon.

Using space-based photos from last summer, an specialist informed the service he had observed several deployment sites being built at the location.

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