In a Blink of an Eye: Russia's New Intercontinental Nuclear Missile
The Dark Empire, Russia, has really perfected and outdone the West this time with its new missile that flies 27 times faster than sound! It is actually hard for anyone to relate what this means unless one has flown at the speed of sound. That means it flies 20,790 mph! The speed of sound is 770 mph, but this new missile is 27 times that!
It IS a major technological breakthrough similar to the Russian 1957 launch of the first satellite. The missile, Avangard, is so fast, US authorities have said that it will be a few years before there is defense to it, which is now operational. The missile is unpredictable in its path and can change sudden directions making it hard to track and fix with today's technology. Intercepting it is nearly impossible. The first unit to receive these missiles is the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, and the unit is located in the Orenburg area in southern Ural Mountains.
The missile can withstand atmospheric temps of up to 3632 F or 2000 C. The weapon also carries a two megaton nuclear warhead. China is currently working on a similar missile while the USA has none and little defensive capability. The missile is also accurate judging from an earlier test where it was fired at a target 3700 miles away and hit it. This new missile actually piggy backs on top of the SS-18 and SS-19 ballistic missile systems and then is released above the atmosphere.
The Russians also have a similar missile, Dagger, that is carried by MiG-31 fighters and this missile flies 10 times faster than the speed of sound with a range of 1250 miles. It also can carry a nuclear warhead and can target land and naval units.
The Chinese version being developed travels five times the speed of sound and was first shown this past year as the DF-17 missile.
America is at at quandary as to what to do. Until they catch up, some defensive proposals are:
- A layer of sensors above the Earth to detect them
- Having space interceptors in space to attack them in the first minutes of flight before it is released from its booster
Thus, both Russia and China have the ability to strike American targets in lightening speed without much the US defenses can do for the next 2-5 years. This is a bad omen for America.
