Posted on 03/07/2018 11:33:59 AM PST by 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 missileat least to outside observersis 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at popularmechanics.com ...
Don’t you know that worrying about Russia is “so eighties”? /sarc
We had a nuclear powered missile in the 50s.
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.
Putin should spend money ,any amount on his Roads ,people are stealing the manhole covers ,LOL
Sorry. Make that project Pluto, not Pegasus.
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..............
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.
Sucks to be the guys making the thing, too.
Nuclear powered nuclear misiles: now fortified with even more radioactive material
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.
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..
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...
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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