The Russian Burevestnik missile has become a major player in both Russian- and English-speaking social media. It is a nuclear-powered strategic cruise missile with unlimited range and no fuel.
The tests took place during nuclear deterrence exercises, but they don’t seem to have impressed Trump, who plans to spend huge sums of money on the Golden Dome. However, if the missile tests are true, investing in the Golden Dome won’t be very useful for the US. Furthermore, the development of the Golden Dome missile defense system could take at least ten years, but even then it won’t provide the level of protection envisioned by US President Donald Trump, source WP.
The Burevestnik is the most mysterious of Putin’s “seven” missiles. This is the name given to the latest weapons systems announced by Vladimir Putin during his 2018-2019 address to the Federal Assembly. This list includes the Sarmat ballistic missile, the Poseidon unmanned submarine, the Avangard hypersonic warhead, the Peresvet combat laser, and so on.
During its latest flight test, the Burevestnik “performed vertical and horizontal maneuvers, demonstrating its ability to evade missile and air defense systems. This is its main uniqueness,” Dmitry Stefanovich, a member of the IMEMO and founder of the Vatfor project, told Sputnik. “Because its range is virtually unlimited, it can completely avoid entering the areas where enemy air defense systems are located,” approaching targets from any attack vector. This distinguishes it from other nuclear weapons delivery systems,” Stefanovich explained.
According to the same analyst, the missile could hypothetically be targeted using air-to-air missiles, but doing so would require costly upgrades to NATO hardware and could still prove inadequate, due to the Burevestnik’s flight below the radar horizon and its reduced radar cross-section compared to traditional ballistic threats.
Norwegian intelligence, led by Nils Andreas Stensenes, claims that Russia launched a Burevestnik missile from the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Barents Sea last week, Reuters reports (October 21).
According to Russian military experts, “the Burevestnik is not the first strategic-range cruise missile to be accepted into service and deployed.” The Russians are referring to the Relief missile system, one of the most enigmatic products in the Soviet Armed Forces’ arsenal. The system was based on a redesigned Granat cruise missile with a range of 2,600 kilometers. The six-missile launcher was based on the MAZ-543 chassis. The system (battalion) consisted of four launchers, a command vehicle, a transport/load vehicle, and a ground support complex. A military unit located near the city of Jelgava (then part of the Latvian SSR) was chosen as the deployment site for the relief effort.
Notably, despite its status as a ground base, the new system was assigned to the Long-Range Aviation. The new system was so secret that General Peter Deinekin, then commander of the Long-Range Aviation, did not mention it in his manuals. These systems were subsequently destroyed under the INF Treaty.
Based on their experience working on the Long-Range Aviation, Russian military experts offer several hypotheses about how the Burevestnik project could develop, at least starting with the branch or service of the Armed Forces to which the new system would belong.
In their assessment, the only viable option is the Long-Range Aviation. The new missile is too unusual for the Strategic Missile Forces’ arsenal. And the Long-Range Aviation Force is not only part of the Russian “nuclear triad” but also the primary operator of cruise missiles.
Some Russian military analysts speculate that the Burevestnik could join the Ground Forces, but others say this is unlikely. The missile test also hinted at the new missile’s “return home” mode. Military experts believe there is definitely a way to bring it home. This is confirmed by the conversation between Vladimir Putin and Chief of the General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, during their recent meeting. From several exchanges, it became clear that the missile had flown within the specified flight modes and landed. After the test, Vladimir Putin proposed identifying the missile’s intended uses and beginning preparations for its deployment.
According to Stensenes, Norwegian intelligence: “The Burevestnik missile was developed in December 2001. Tests began in 2016. The missile is equipped with a nuclear propulsion system and a nuclear warhead. The missile flies at subsonic or transonic speeds, changes trajectory, and can bypass air defense and missile defense detection zones. “The missile traveled 14,000 km in 15 hours during the test.”
The Russians write that its flight range is virtually unlimited: during tests, the Burevestnik traveled over 14,000 km in 15 hours. It can remain aloft for extended periods and evade any air defense or missile defense system. It flies at an altitude of 10-50 meters in the subsonic range. In its launch configuration, the missile is approximately 12 meters long, and after booster separation, approximately 9 meters. The body is ellipsoidal. Launch is provided by a solid-fuel booster, while cruising thrust is generated by a low-power open-air nuclear reactor that heats the airflow to high temperatures.
Meanwhile, Moscow has announced that the Burevestnik test “was conducted in “compliance with international obligations.” This was stated by the deputy head of the Russian delegation, Konstantin Vorontsov, during a meeting of the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly.
A few words on the Russian nuclear triad. It is composed of three components, each of which presents vulnerabilities in a hypothetical scenario of a massive first strike by an enemy: Fixed silo launchers: These are located in pre-reconnaissance positions. They are the number one priority target for a first strike. They have a high probability of being destroyed.
Aircraft (Tu-95, Tu-160 strategic bombers): These are based at a limited number of airfields, which are also pre-reconnaissance and can be deactivated. Their take-off preparation time makes them vulnerable.
Naval Component (SSBN – Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarines). Submarines at base are vulnerable to attack. – Submarines at sea require stable communications (VLF/HF) to receive launch orders, which The enemy will attempt to suppress it. The enemy constantly monitors SSBNs at sea and could be attacked during a conflict.
The role of the Burevestnik is to address the vulnerabilities of the Russian nuclear triad: the 9M730 system is designed for use in a scenario where the classic triad is completely or partially paralyzed. The enemy launches a massive surprise attack. Command posts, silos, and airfields are partially destroyed. Communications with the SSBNs are disrupted. Before a conflict: 9M730 missiles are deployed on combat patrols over uninhabited areas of the Russian Federation (e.g., the Arctic) or internal territories; at the time of the first attack, they are already in the air, dispersed, and not tethered to fixed points. Destroying them with a first strike is impossible.
Activation: One of two scenarios integrated into the Perimeter system logic (known in the West as “Dead Hand”) can be used for activation. Command scenario: A coded activation signal is transmitted from A protected mobile or underground command post that has survived an attack via a stable channel (VLF/ELF). Autonomous Scenario. The system, having not received signals from the Main Command Post or other sensors for a certain period of time and having detected multiple nuclear explosions within the country, autonomously decides to launch a retaliatory strike. This represents an extreme but crucial deterrent.
Mission Execution. After receiving a signal (or not being prohibited by Perimeter conditions), the Burevestniks execute their sole mission: to fly along a predetermined and as circuitous as possible route to pre-designated targets in the aggressor’s territory and destroy them.
The Burevestnik is not part of the classic triad. It is a reserve component of the fourth echelon, designed to operate in conditions where the triad has ceased to function. Its purpose is not to supplement, but to guarantee. It does not increase the number of warheads in a first strike; it guarantees that at least some of them will reach their target even in the worst-case scenario. Its deployment is a direct implementation of the principle of “Inevitable Retaliatory Strike,” which is the foundation of Russian nuclear doctrine. It conveys the message: “Even if you destroy everything in sight, retaliation will still come from where you least expect it, and it will be unstoppable.”
The Burevestnik is essentially more than just a new missile. It is a tool that should make the very idea of winning a nuclear war against Russia completely meaningless for any potential aggressor. The Russians’ plan: “Infinitely raise the ‘threshold “Assured destruction” for the enemy.
Among the mysteries surrounding this missile is its name, Burevestnik. According to most, its real name is 9M730, but others maintain that nothing is known about it. The name “Burevestnik” was chosen by public vote, just like “Poseidon” and “Peresvet.” There are two main cruise missile manufacturers in Russia: GosMKB Raduga and NPO Novator. The former produces the Kh-55 and Kh-101 missile families. The latter is the manufacturer of the Kalibr naval and R-500 land-based missiles. The Burevestnik’s external appearance is entirely similar to that of the Kh-101 family. According to these sources, Burevestnik missiles use a new navigation principle that allows for long-range flights. However, its technical specifications are still unknown. It does not use satellite navigation, that’s the only certainty.
Finally, the Russians explain: “Is Burevestnik a flying Hiroshima? Does it leave a radioactive trail?” Total nonsense. The operating principle of the rocket’s propulsion system is extremely simple. The reactor generates electricity, which is fed by heaters. They heat the air passing through the air intake to several thousand degrees. This is what propels the rocket. The reactor does not interact with the air in any way and is most likely completely isolated by special shielding.
In recent days, Putin has also seen the Poseidon rocket tested, and Trump has called for an immediate resumption of nuclear research and testing.
Graziella Giangiulio
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