Moscow Confirms Successful Test of Reactor-Driven Storm Petrel Weapon

The nation has evaluated the atomic-propelled Burevestnik long-range missile, as reported by the state's leading commander.

"We have conducted a extended flight of a nuclear-powered missile and it traveled a 8,700-mile distance, which is not the limit," Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported to the head of state in a public appearance.

The low-altitude prototype missile, originally disclosed in the past decade, has been hailed as having a possible global reach and the capability to evade anti-missile technology.

Foreign specialists have previously cast doubt over the weapon's military utility and Russian claims of having accomplished its evaluation.

The national leader stated that a "final successful test" of the missile had been conducted in last year, but the assertion lacked outside validation. Of over a dozen recorded evaluations, just two instances had moderate achievement since 2016, based on an non-proliferation organization.

Gen Gerasimov reported the missile was in the atmosphere for fifteen hours during the evaluation on 21 October.

He explained the missile's vertical and horizontal manoeuvring were tested and were confirmed as meeting requirements, based on a domestic media outlet.

"Therefore, it exhibited high capabilities to circumvent missile and air defence systems," the news agency stated the general as saying.

The missile's utility has been the topic of heated controversy in military and defence circles since it was originally disclosed in recent years.

A recent analysis by a US Air Force intelligence center determined: "An atomic-propelled strategic weapon would give Russia a singular system with global strike capacity."

Yet, as a global defence think tank observed the identical period, Russia confronts major obstacles in achieving operational status.

"Its integration into the nation's inventory potentially relies not only on overcoming the considerable technical challenge of ensuring the reliable performance of the atomic power system," specialists noted.

"There were numerous flight-test failures, and an incident leading to a number of casualties."

A armed forces periodical quoted in the analysis states the weapon has a range of between 10,000 and 20,000km, enabling "the missile to be deployed throughout the nation and still be equipped to target objectives in the continental US."

The corresponding source also notes the projectile can operate as close to the ground as a very low elevation above the surface, making it difficult for aerial protection systems to stop.

The weapon, referred to as Skyfall by a foreign security organization, is believed to be driven by a nuclear reactor, which is intended to commence operation after primary launch mechanisms have propelled it into the atmosphere.

An examination by a news agency last year located a facility a considerable distance from the city as the likely launch site of the armament.

Employing orbital photographs from August 2024, an analyst informed the outlet he had identified nine horizontal launch pads in development at the location.

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