Watch Out For Russia's Avangard, A Deadly Nuclear Missile At 24,696 Kmph

Reports say that Russia has created a new hypersonic missile system, which Vladimir Putin, the President of the country, claims to be invulnerable to the defense system of the United States.

On Wednesday, the system was tested, passing with outstanding success. Due to this, Russia’s new system is likely to go into use from 2019.

As reported by a local state-run news agency, the President said Russia is the first nation across the globe to obtain a fresh kind of strategic weapon. And this time, the system will make sure the country, as well as its people, are safe in the coming decades.

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia

Putin added by stressing that this is a fantastic, remarkable New Year present for the entire country.

The system Putin was talking about is the Avangard hypersonic system, which the military tested at its Dombarovsky airbase. Previously, reports indicated that Avangard flies at Mach 20, which means its speed can go up to 24,696 kilometers per hour. Additionally, the system works on an intercontinental range, so with Avangard, the country can fire against a country located in a different continent.

There is a gliding warhead attached to the Avangard hypersonic system, which the military can monitor from the ground. The system can also adjust its height and direction to avoid defense efforts. Avangard is able to fly close enough to the surface to avoid most interceptors.

In short, practically, Avangard cannot be attacked, it is invulnerable, as declared by Putin during his speech in front of the parliament in March.

However, the US does not buy this, saying Russia is just bragging about some kind of technology they are not able to back up.  The US says this technology is feasible, for sure, but Russia cannot develop such a thing nor can it financially afford something like that in reality.

But if Russia is telling the truth, defense groups of the US say their existing satellites and radar devices cannot detect Avangard. In such cases, they will need to upgrade their sensors to identify a hypersonic threat.

Worse, such hypersonic systems enable preemptive strikes as the attacked country has little time to even notice, react or prepare its defense, which in result will change the already volatile concept of nuclear warfare.