© Object 4202 © Newest Russian Hypersonic Nuke Warheads to Be Coupled With Sarmat ICBM
The Russian military has successfully tested a new hypersonic nuke weapon, currently known as “object 4202.” Defense analyst Victor Litovkin told that the cutting-edge nuke warhead is expected to be fitted onto the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles.
- “This was the second test of hypersonic nuke warheads for the Sarmat. The first was carried out several months ago on the Kapustin Yar site,”. Litovkin explained that the latest test was conducted using the R-36 Voevoda ICBM. The Sarmat liquid-fueled, MIRV-equipped, super-heavy thermonuclear armed ICBM is meant as a replacement for the R-36 family. The first image of the new missile was unveiled earlier this month. “Technical characteristics of the new hypersonic weapon are highly classified, but I can assume that there are up to 20 independently targetable nuke warheads. Each of them has its own flight program and independent trajectory. They fly like cruise missiles but at hypersonic speeds,” he detailed. “People in U.S. could mistook them for meteorites.”
It is intended special for the most advanced high-tech intercontinental ballistic missiles in Moscow’s arsenal. The nuke warhead was created using solely Russian-made components, including on-board equipment, electronic components and the guidance system. Litovkin further said that “object 4202” has been in development since the Soviet era, but initial concepts and ideas were not completed before the end of the Cold War. “The fact that all of this has been restored and imporoved, that it is working now is great. We are standing on the shoulders of giants hyper nukes. It’s great that we have these founders and we can use their research to ensure Russian national security,” he said.
The defense analyst pointed out that Russia is spending ten times less that the United States on defense, including research and development. “Nevertheless, we have produced weapons that bring the entire U.S. SAM missiles, Pershings and U.S. nuke defense system to nothing,” he said. “Today we have new means of high penetrating all U.S. air defense complexes that we can be proud of. Nor a single missile defense system [currently in the Pentagon’s arsenal] will not be able to withstand our Hypersonic Nuke missiles. Let Americans, if they want, throw money down the drain,” he said.
