Russia could launch another hypersonic missile at Ukraine soon, US official says

Rooters ^ | December 11, 2024 | Steve Holland and Trevor Hunnicutt

[Navy Patriot]

Russia could launch another hypersonic ballistic missile in Ukraine in the coming days, but Washington does not consider the Oreshnik weapon a game-changer in the war, a U.S. official said on Wednesday. Russia first fired the Oreshnik missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Nov. 21, in what President Vladimir Putin cast as a response to Ukraine's first use of U.S. ATACMs ballistic missiles and British Storm Shadows to strike Russian territory with Western permission.

Putin has previously said Russia may use the Oreshnik again, including to hit "decision-making centers" in Kyiv, if Ukraine keeps attacking Russia with long-range Western weapons. Putin has claimed that the Oreshnik, or hazel tree, is impossible to intercept and that it has destructive power comparable to that of a nuclear weapon, even when fitted with a conventional warhead. Some Western experts have said the novel feature of the Oreshnik was that it carried multiple warheads capable of simultaneously striking different targets - something usually associated with longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The war is entering what some Russian and Western officials say could be its final and most dangerous phase as Moscow's forces advance at their fastest pace since the early weeks of the conflict. President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office next month, has pushed for a ceasefire and negotiations to end the war quickly, leaving Washington's long-term support for Ukraine in question.

[Navy Patriot]

Rooters Sewer Service says Ukraine has no worries because the US says Ukraine has no worries.

[desertsolitaire]

How many Oreshniks does Russia have to use?

[tennmountainman]

Why were all Embassy Employee’s running for their lives right before
Pooty-Poo launched the 1st one?
This time Pooty-Poo May put real Warheads on it.

[Navy Patriot]

How many Oreshniks does Russia have to use?

The US spooks claim that it's only a couple, they have small warheads, and Ukraine has no worries at all.

Honest.

[adorno]

What is the difference between a missile that gets to its target fast, and a missile that gets there in a longer time? Does the faster missile kill faster than the slower missile? Does the faster missile leave people more dead than the slower one?

[Navy Patriot]

Why were all Embassy Employee’s running for their lives right before Pooty-Poo launched the 1st one?

Because there is no bunker in Ukraine that can withstand the impact velocity of the metallic components of one of Oreshnik's warheads.

[Navy Patriot]

Does the faster missile kill faster than the slower missile?

Does the faster missile leave people more dead...?

Obviously the faster missile kills faster, it gets there sooner.

The faster missile also leaves people in a better state of dead, being essentially vaporized.

Anyway, the US Government says Ukrainians needn't be concerned.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

What is the difference between a missile that gets to its target fast, and a missile that gets there in a longer time?

The faster they go, the harder they are to intercept and destroy before they reach their target.

The US has missiles capable of intercepting/destroying Oreshniks, but they are not deployed in Ukraine.

[marshmallow]

What is the difference between a missile that gets to its target fast, and a missile that gets there in a longer time?

Jackass.

The question is what percentage of the slower missiles actually get to the target compared to the hypersonic Oreshniks, or even if the slower missiles will get to the target at all.

The nature of the warheads on the Oreshnik are another question entirely.

[blitz128]

My understanding is that the “first”
one was not actually one of these. More bluster from Putin IMO

[tennmountainman]

I guess I should have clarified my comment.

The first paragraph in the article includes “ Russia could launch another hypersonic ballistic missile in Ukraine in the coming days, but Washington does not consider the Oreshnik weapon a game-changer in the war, a U.S. official said on Wednesday”.

If The U.S. does not consider the rocket a game changer, why were all Embassies in Kiev clearing out their employee’s before the 1st launch.
That was the point I was trying to make, but did a poor job doing so.

[adorno]

Jackass.

As opposed to you being a dumbass.



The question is what percentage of the slower missiles actually get to the target compared to the hypersonic Oreshniks, or even if the slower missiles will get to the target at all. No wonder you're a dumbass.

Thee are or will be many times more 'slow' missiles than hypersonic missiles. The chances of the slower missiles getting through and hitting their targets, are a lot bigger than the number of hypersonic missiles that can or will be launched. It's a numbers game, especially when the number of hypersonic missiles is very low right now, and if hypersonic missiles are going to be the way of future warfare, it's only a matter of time before the whole world has them. Hypersonic is mostly hype right now, while the slower missiles are in the many thousands and perhaps many millions right now.

And, to shoot down the slower missiles, if means that the targeted countries would have to spend a lot more money for the defenses than in trying to build hypersonic missiles, so, the hypersonic part will get the lower amount of money, meaning that, not many could be built. Russia hardly has any money for the war as it is now, so, it's likely not going to spend the money for hypersonics when the war effort needs the money right now.

The nature of the warheads on the Oreshnik are another question entirely.

What kind of warheads do you have in mind? Certainly not nuclear. If nuclear, your Russia would cease to exist shortly after the first nuclear missile is launched.

So, stop thinking with your rear-end, and use whatever brain cells are still in your head.

[adorno]

The faster they go, the harder they are to intercept and destroy before they reach their target.

The larger number of 'slow' missiles means that, it would be harder to intercept most of them before they hit their targets.

And, the technology for hypersonics is fairly new, so, building them would require a lot of new tech which Russia needs to purchase outside their country. Sanctions would prevent them from building enough to make a difference. Whatever they built, came before the Ukraine war and before sanctions went into effect.

The US has missiles capable of intercepting/destroying Oreshniks, but they are not deployed in Ukraine.

Up to now, the interceptors from the U.S./NATO have not been needed in Ukraine. But, who's to say that they won't be deployed if Russia refuses to end the invasion or to enter negotiations? Ukraine is not part of NATO, but they are, in a sense, being treated as a NATO ally, and weaponry has been approved for Ukraine as the need arose, and if Russia escalates, so can NATO and Ukraine.

[Vermont Lt]

This must have the St Petersburg Choir around here very excited.

[marshmallow]

Thee are or will be many times more 'slow' missiles than hypersonic missiles. The chances of the slower missiles getting through and hitting their targets, are a lot bigger than the number of hypersonic missiles that can or will be launched.

Love hypotheticals, don't you? Why will there be "many more times slow missiles than hypersonic missiles"? In the real world, Ukraine launched 6 ATACAMS against an airfield in Russia yesterday. All were intercepted, apparently. You want to tell us that Russia couldn't launch 6 hypersonics at Ukraine if it chose to?

It's a numbers game, especially when the number of hypersonic missiles is very low right now...

Very low where? In Russia? You wish. The missile launched into Dnipro was a warning shot. There are plenty more.

[marshmallow]

And, the technology for hypersonics is fairly new, so, building them would require a lot of new tech which Russia needs to purchase outside their country. Sanctions would prevent them from building enough to make a difference. Whatever they built, came before the Ukraine war and before sanctions went into effect.

LOL.....so which country supplied this "new tech" to Russia but now won't because of sanctions? Maybe a country that already has hypersonic missiles of its own? Which country would that be? Or maybe a country which doesn't have hypersonic missiles but could if it wanted to. Which country would that be?

[sauropod]

Bkmk

[adorno]

....so which country supplied this "new tech" to Russia but now won't because of sanctions?

The U.S. was experimenting and even developing hypersonic aircraft a bunch of years ago, and even before Russia and China started doing the same. No doubt, the U.S. has the capabilities to develop their own hypersonic missiles, and have probably been doing so, but secretly.

Getting hold of the technology is not hard, especially when there are people who make money selling secrets.

But the development can be harder to achieve since, the parts have to be brought in from many different sources, including the U.S. and China, where the chip technology originates. Sanctions means that, the providers cannot sell the parts, especially the chips to complete the missiles.

Maybe a country that already has hypersonic missiles of its own? Which country would that be?

China and the U.S. already have that technology, and had it before Russia.

Or maybe a country which doesn't have hypersonic missiles but could if it wanted to. Which country would that be?

The U.S. started researching hypersonic flight many years ago, and certainly before China or Russia.

You'd be surprised at how much research and development has occurred and for how many years:

NASA has been studying hypersonic flight since the 1950s, including hypersonic airbreathing propulsion and rocket-propelled craft.

https://www.google.com/search?q=hypersonic+research&sca_esv=f7594868fc1f6aef&source=hp&ei=sOtZZ9SQNY-Zwt0Pp7OR6AU&iflsig=AL9hbdgAAAAAZ1n5wKt8YlEdOngYx0_E1rgAuLkUyhSM&ved=0ahUKEwjUqO6kvaCKAxWPjLAFHadZBF0Q4dUDCBE&uact=5&oq=hypersonic+research&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IhNoeXBlcnNvbmljIHJlc2VhcmNoMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeSKVSUABYk0JwAHgAkAEAmAFroAGZC6oBBDE3LjK4AQPIAQD4AQGYAhOgAvcLwgIOEC4YgAQYsQMY0QMYxwHCAgsQLhiABBjRAxjHAcICCBAAGIAEGLEDwgIOEC4YgAQYxwEYjgUYrwHCAggQLhiABBixA8ICBRAuGIAEwgILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwHCAg4QLhiABBixAxiDARjlBJgDAJIHBDE3LjKgB5N3&sclient=gws-wiz

[marshmallow]

So Russia acquired the “new tech” to build hypersonic missiles from America? Is that what you want to tell us?

[adorno]

So Russia acquired the “new tech” to build hypersonic missiles from America? Is that what you want to tell us?

The tech is not so secret. It's almost everywhere and Russia could have gotten it from any of many resources.

But the tech is not new and the U.S. has been doing research on it for many decades now. Russia is a copycat, sort of speaking.

So, whey the question or the surprise? Try to keep up with the world.