Russia Introduces Two New Nightmare Missiles: One, a nuclear-powered missile [tr]

Popular Mechanics ^ | March 5, 2018 | Kyle Mizokami

[C19fan]

Russia has announced the existence two new nuclear-tipped missiles, including a previously secret nuclear-powered cruise missile. Unlike regular cruise missiles, which are powered by liquid fuel and gasoline engines, this missile would be powered by a nuclear chain reaction. Another missile, Kinzhal, is a hypersonic weapon designed to attack aircraft carriers and other well-defended targets.

Last week Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly announced the existence of several new nuclear weapons systems, including the RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, the Kanyon long-range nuclear torpedo, a nuclear-powered cruise missile, and the Kinzhal hypersonic missile. Although Sarmat and Kanyon were known weapons systems, the nuclear cruise missile—at least to outside observers—is a totally new weapon system. In many ways it resembles a U.S. weapon, Project Pluto, that the Pentagon tried and gave up building in the 1960s simply because it was too dangerous to even test.

[C19fan]

Would hate to be near a nuclear powered missile spewing out radioactive exhaust.

[Spok]

Don’t you know that worrying about Russia is “so eighties”? /sarc

[dynoman]

We had a nuclear powered missile in the 50s.

[SeeSharp]

Would hate to be near a nuclear powered missile spewing out radioactive exhaust

Sounds like a reboot of the old Pegasus project. If that's the case it shouldn't be spewing any radioactive substances. It's just a heat engine. It propels itself with hot air. Of course if any of the radioactive surfaces should crack or if someone shoots the missile down, that's going to be a different story.

[Sirius Lee]

We had a nuclear powered missile in the 50s.

[butlerweave]

Putin should spend money ,any amount on his Roads ,people are stealing the manhole covers ,LOL

[SeeSharp]

Sorry. Make that project Pluto, not Pegasus.

[doorgunner69]

Not so much the exhaust, that may of may not have radioactive debris in it. The problem is the barely or totally unshielded reactor. Thing has to be light enough to fly, and being one-way, no one cares about shielding. Sucks to be the guys launching the thing..............

[Ciaphas Cain]

I can see nuclear-powered propulsion for long-term space flight. What would be advantage of nuclear propulsion for an ICBM? Seems a gimmick more than anything.

[Secret Agent Man]

Sucks to be the guys making the thing, too.

[Secret Agent Man]

Nuclear powered nuclear misiles: now fortified with even more radioactive material

[doorgunner69]

For a cruise missile, not an ICBM.

Unlimited range and endurance, a problem for air breathing or rocket powered cruise missiles. The ingress route could be insanely convoluted to evade detection and tracking.

Fire it from Siberia and route it to come up from Mexico? The Russian deployment strategy would be fascinating to know.

[between_the_lines_mn]

the US researched this in the 40’s and 50’s
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_Nuclear_Propulsion

dang russians are using wikipedia to steal our secrets..

[Charles Martel]

I'm not so sure that the Project Pluto nuclear ramjet was just a "hot air" engine - tests mentioned "less radiation than expected" escaping into the exhaust. The missile was big, too - more of a supersonic nuclear bomber drone than the more conventional cruise missile designs - it could drop over a dozen separate H-bombs. One proposal, IIRC, was that surviving missiles that had completed bombing missions should be programmed to "orbit" for a time over enemy territory, roasting any survivors with contaminated exhaust.

Old thread about "The Flying Crowbar"

[PapaBear3625]

Sucks to be the guys launching the thing.

I would hope the fuel capsule would be inserted by robot, while humans stayed far away during launch. Of course, if it's a dud at launch, SOMEBODY is going to have the job of going up to it and finding out why...

[The_Media_never_lie]

Sucks to be the guys launching the thing.

I would hope the fuel capsule would be inserted by robot, while humans stayed far away during launch. Of course, if it's a dud at launch, SOMEBODY is going to have the job of going up to it and finding out why...

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From what I have read, Ivan is not too concerned about the health of a few when it comes to the state of its military weaponry.