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The concept of ‘missile flight time’ is becoming obsolete. Could the US Golden Dome missile and air defence system be obsolete even before it is completed? The world’s first missile to be powered by a nuclear reactor represents a significant technological breakthrough that will transform the field of aerospace engineering.
The watchman is preparing to retire
For more than half a century, the strategic nuclear forces of the world’s leading powers have prevented global conflict. The nine countries with nuclear weapons are the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, North Korea, India, Pakistan and possibly Israel. The first three of these countries have the most advanced nuclear deterrence systems. These consist of three components: land-based launch silos or mobile complexes; airborne strategic bombers; and sea-based submarines with nuclear missiles.
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Some of these forces are on constant combat duty, awaiting the command to act. Mobile missile complexes roam the vast expanses of Siberia, submarines lie quietly in the depths of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and bombers regularly fly in the direction of potential enemies.
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All of this is done with one goal in mind: to maintain the ability to launch a retaliatory strike in the event of a large-scale nuclear war. Neither Russia nor the United States would be able to destroy all nuclear weapons carriers in one salvo, meaning there is a high probability of receiving a retaliatory strike. It is this simple balance that holds the world together. Even during the most severe escalation, neither side would take action that could result in even a few nuclear strikes on its territory. Thus, the mere existence of such destructive weapons forces the parties to negotiate.
Given the current balance of power, the parties are continuing to improve their strategic systems in an attempt to outmanoeuvre their opponents. However, the main methods of delivering nuclear warheads to the enemy were invented over the past half-century: land- and sea-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as cruise missiles, which are a more modern technology but not a new one.
Each technology has a certain limit above which it cannot improve. For instance, a jet engine can be upgraded continuously to enhance its efficiency, thrust and operating time, but these changes will only increase the technology’s performance by a few or tens of percent at most. Similarly, no matter how wood is processed, it cannot be used to build a jet aircraft, only a light biplane.
The same rule applies to strategic nuclear forces. Intercontinental and cruise missiles are constantly being upgraded — their range and payload are increasing and their launch vehicles are becoming more efficient. However, the principle of their application is inherent in their very nature.
In exercises, leading powers have rehearsed methods of delivering and defending against enemy nuclear strikes hundreds of times. All possible ballistic missile flight paths and combat patrol areas for aircraft and submarines have long been explored and modelled. There are no surprises left. The mere fact that rival countries possess nuclear missiles makes it impossible to use them or to stop maintaining them. Either path leads to destruction.
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The self-regulating system seemed unshakeable. However, in November, Russia demonstrated a new type of strategic weapon that could render nuclear sentinels obsolete.
The power of the atom
On 26 October 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a combined forces command post and held a meeting with Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, and other commanders.
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Gerasimov stated that, during the training of the strategic nuclear forces, combat training launches of Yars and Sineva intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as two Kh-102 cruise missiles, were carried out. The report by the Chief of the Russian General Staff paid particular attention to the testing of the Burevestnik (Thunderbird) cruise missile with a nuclear power plant, which took place on 21 October.
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According to the Chief of the General Staff, the cruise missile travelled 14,000 kilometres, but this is not its limit. It remained airborne for around 15 hours, performing all the specified vertical and horizontal manoeuvres and demonstrating its ability to bypass anti-missile and anti-aircraft defence systems. In his closing remarks, the Russian president stated that the next step is to deploy the Burevestnik missiles with the Russian army.
The Burevestnik missile is equipped with a nuclear power plant based on a small reactor, enabling it to remain in the air for an extended period and giving it an almost unlimited range. The missile is equipped with a nuclear turbojet engine and a fast neutron reactor. Notably, foreign monitoring agencies did not detect any radioactive emissions during the missile tests.
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Thanks to its flight range, the Burevestnik missile does not require carriers, such as aircraft or submarines. It will most likely be based underground or on a mobile ground-based installation. Now, without exaggeration, any point on the globe has become accessible to Russian nuclear forces.
Its unprecedented technical capabilities will allow for the development of new tactics for using this promising missile. The design features of ballistic and cruise missiles determine how they can be used and have a number of drawbacks. Although intercontinental missiles are capable of manoeuvring to overcome air and missile defence systems, they cannot fundamentally change their route. Cruise missiles, on the other hand, are highly manoeuvrable, but their range is significantly shorter than that of ballistic missiles. This requires additional carriers, such as aircraft or submarines. Additionally, even nuclear versions have a relatively small payload and rarely exceed a flight speed of 1,000 km/h.
The Burevestnik, however, does not suffer from the main disadvantages of cruise missiles, such as limited flight range. No additional air or sea carriers are required to deliver it to its target. It can therefore be considered the world’s first intercontinental cruise missile.
During a period of threat, several dozen such missiles can be launched on a patrol flight over the southern Pacific Ocean, east of Australia, or over Antarctica, South America and possibly Africa, as one of the means of nuclear deterrence. As the Burevestnik can remain airborne for months and alter its combat patrol area thanks to its nuclear engine, it is difficult for the air defence/missile defence systems of a potential adversary to intercept it. Additionally, there is likely a system in place to return the missile to base if the threat is removed. This enables the risk of nuclear conflict to be avoided at the last moment.
A revolution in the sky
The world’s first successful test of a nuclear-powered cruise missile casts serious doubt on the effectiveness of all advanced air and missile defence systems.
Immediately after taking office on 27 January 2025, US President Donald Trump signed a decree to create an advanced system to replace the current NORAD system. The Golden Dome is a multi-layered American missile defence system designed to protect the continental United States from ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles. This ambitious project combines space- and ground-based elements, including satellite sensors for early detection, as well as interceptors (including space- and laser-based), radars, and other ground- and sea-based systems to destroy enemy missiles at various stages of flight.
It is unclear whether the capabilities of the recently unveiled Burevestnik missile are being taken into account in the development of this system. In any case, the emergence of such a technically advanced missile will force the Americans to reconsider their current defence strategy and allocate additional funds to it.
The presence of a nuclear power plant on a Russian cruise missile could also significantly impact aircraft manufacturing in the future. Its adaptation for civilian purposes is only a matter of time. It is possible that, within the next decade, aircraft engines will gradually become obsolete.
It could be argued that Russian engineers have sparked a revolution, particularly in engine design. The latest development renders existing air and missile defence systems ineffective. This will pose a significant challenge to the United States and the European Union.
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americunt inferior species like swallow hebrew jizz–like taliban jizz in anuz
two points in the article russia has announced it can overcome donalds latest global defence system talked about in the article–also saying israel is “suspected ” to have nukes is not true a nuclear scientist in israel was jailed for years and banned from leaving the country when he said israel has over 300 nukes .
in the land of poverty and dictatorship they have nuclear weapons, the kremlin’s 2-neuron gang will have to start drinking low-quality russian votka, the misery of the ussr has already arrived
you ve not even past your garden gaew obviously going to the letter box must take planning .
my take: 900km/h subsonic sea skimming cruise with low supersonic capability. can be plausibly countered by mach3+ interceptor fleet. problems are that this is cheap mk1 variant = large serial production possibility to make interceptor fleet uneconomical. 2ndly, a supersonic mk2 arrives after us invests in mach3 interceptor fleet.
quote: “during a period of threat, several dozen such missiles can be launched… as the burevestnik can remain airborne for months and alter its combat patrol area thanks to its nuclear engine, it is difficult…” vulnerable to fast interceptors is left unassisted. stealth and vast roaming area does give protection though. big serial protection also helps.
no country on earth has spent anywhere near america for decades routinely now .so you know don’t bother with the bs .
any drone can intercept .
the yanquies don’t have interceptors that fast and probably never will. their much-vaunted f35 can’t even go supersonic for more than a few minutes without overheating its engine and they don’t have enough f22s to cover the entire border. the usa simply does not have the techincal know-how to develop aircraft that fast; the technical geniuses of the last century were all stolen from other countries and they have all retired or died.
hahahaha go and do the real research chumpo .
the 14000 kilometers was not chosen by accident; it is just coincidentally the distance as the crow flies from the launch site, over the pacific, to washington dc. putin is saying he can hit the pentagon via the scenic route.
maybe he’s saying he can hit the city .????
wakey wakey.
they’ve tricked chucky into thinking he can be set free by overturning the pram and now he’s playing into their hands and he doesn’t even know it. allegedly
and after vaporized from tha face of the earth ?or russians are different?they have radiation immunity?
about the name: i wouldn’t have called it the “storm petrel”. my choice would have been shashka…..
could reporting be obsolete when it’s silly ?
if it doesn’t fly in a straight line it is useless to detect it for a few seconds here and there. not enough time to lock on it and develop an interception solution.