Avangard hypersonic boost glide weapon. First, hypersonic cruise missiles (HCM) are a faster version of existing cruise missiles, as they are powered by an air-breathing supersonic combustion ramjet engine, also called a scramjet. Such "boost-glide" systems, as they are known (Avangard appears to be one of these), are launched like a traditional ballistic missile, but instead of following an arc high above the atmosphere The Avangard, on the other hand, is a hypersonic glide vehicle designed to be launched by a ballistic missile as a booster and then deliver a nuclear warhead. Such "boost-glide" systems, as they are known (Avangard appears to be one of these), are launched like a traditional ballistic missile, but instead of following an arc high above the atmosphere The U. Avangard is a Russian hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) designed to be delivered by intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). This maneuverability, unlike the predictable trajectory of ballistic missiles, is the key to its potential effectiveness. While the Pentagon briefly showcased images of the Russia ended 2018 with a successful test of its Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle on December 26, which is expected to reach initial operating capability in 2019. accelerate a wedge-shaped unpowered hypersonic boost-glide vehicle sitting inside the nose cone on top of the missile and loft it to a desired altitude and speed. Two other concepts in development under DARPA are the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) and Tactical Boost Glide (TBG) weapon. Apart from Russia, only China is reported to have similar hypersonic systems. Avangard, a hypersonic boost-glide vehicle, capable of carrying a nuclear payload intercontinental distances, has already entered into service. The Avangard (Russian: Авангард, "Vanguard"; previously known as Objekt 4202, Yu-71 and Yu-74) is a Russian hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV). Some sources claim three Avangard unmanned wing gliders are placed on a single older UR-100UTTKh intercontinental ballistic missile or Hypersonic gliding vehicles use a boost-glide launch system: first, a rocket propels the weapon to the edge of space before the payload glides back into the atmosphere to its target at hypersonic speed. About 1 1⁄2 years later, on 27 December 2019, Russia announced that Avangard, a nuclear-armed hypersonic boost-glide weapon invulnerable to interceptio siderable attention, grabbing headlines and generating considera The Avangard hypersonic boost-glide weapon is shown during testing in July 2018. The Intermediate-Range Conventional Prompt Strike system is a boost-glide hypersonic weapon traveling at Mach 5 and above, maneuvering on an unpredictable depressed trajectory that current air defense architectures have no reliable answer to, with range often reported in the roughly 1,700-mile class. The vehicle’s propulsion system is based on a scramjet engine, which uses the atmosphere as a source of oxygen to combust its fuel, allowing it to achieve extremely high speeds. A MaRV, which uses atmospheric According to Russian sources, the Avangard hypersonic boost-glide weapon is designed to eliminate missile defense installations and high-value targets like heavily fortified sites such as missile silos or military command centers. “Hypersonic weapons – in particular, hypersonic boost-glide vehicles and hypersonic cruise missiles – are rapidly becoming a reality. Strategists hotly debate the strategic implications of Russia’s hypersonic advantage: Will it spell disaster for nuclear deterrence and the safety of the West? The Long, Weird History of Strobe Weapons Chinese Hypersonic Vehicle Could Be Future Missile Avangard is a unique weapon system commonly called a boost glide hypersonic weapon. Russia's defense minister on Friday declared a new hypersonic weapon capable of striking the United States is ready for war. hypersonic race, Russia hypersonic missile, US hypersonic weapons, Mach 5 weapons, Avangard glide vehicle, Kinzhal missile A big reason is the long-range CJ-1000, the world’s first and so far only operational land-based scramjet-powered hypersonic missile. That suggests that the Avangard is primarily a counter-value weapon intended for an assured retaliatory second strike capability designed to bypass missile defenses. [i] Avangard can presumably reach speeds up to Mach 20 and can be used to deliver nuclear and conventional payloads. Army’s “Dark Eagle,” officially the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), is now operational, but the rollout hasn’t been the triumphant march of technological superiority some predicted. The Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle is powered by a boost-glide system, which propels the vehicle to hypersonic speeds before releasing it to glide towards its target. The Russian Ministry of Defense shared footage of the Avangard, a nuclear-capable hypersonic glide vehicle, being readied for combat. The hypersonic glide vehicle, dubbed Avangard, which Moscow has been In particular, it is useful to compare hypersonic glide weapons to ballistic missiles flown on depressed trajectories (DTs) and carrying maneuverable reentry vehicles (MaRVs). The Avangard appears unparalleled—an offset military chess piece wrought from a Tom Clancy nightmare. China, Russia, the United States and several other countries are pursuing these weapons. It can be carried as a multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) payload of heavy intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), such as the UR-100UTTKh, [6][7] R-36M2 and RS-28 Sarmat. In this video, we dive deep into Avangard, Russia’s advanced hypersonic boost-glide system deployed on ICBMs — capable of maneuvering at 20+ Mach and defeating modern missile defenses. Two primary types exist: –Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs) : Launched by a rocket booster to high altitude, the glide body separates and manoeuvres through the atmosphere using lift and control surfaces. Even yet, it is said to be capable of dynamic maneuvering in the air in order to avoid detection. It can deliver both nuclear and conventional Aug 27, 2025 · The Russian Avangard hypersonic missile is launched during a test, demonstrating its high-speed boost-glide capability and advanced maneuverability. See also Avangard – Russia's ground-based hypersonic glide vehicle Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon – US planned hypersonic glide vehicle Is the new CJ-1000 missile better than the DF-17 and Avangard? The February issue of Shipborne Weapons magazine notes that scramjet engines are technologically superior for hypersonic missiles compared to glide vehicles like China’s DF-17 and Russia’s Avangard. Russia claims its Avangard glide vehicle hits Mach 27, reshaping global defense as hypersonic arms race heats up. 5 DTs refer to ballistic trajectories with significantly smaller loft angles, and therefore lower apogees and shorter pathlengths, than those that maximize the range of a ballistic missile. This In Focus addresses only the first of these technologies. This initial effort ceased around the time of the Soviet Union’s breakup in 1991. Here’s a key distinction highlighted by the Government Accountability Office in its analysis of hypersonic weapon systems. S. The Pentagon's Photo: Russian Defence Force. ” Avangard (Avangard-on-Boost): A boost-glide system launched atop an ICBM, this vehicle operates at hypersonic speeds with unmatched agility, enabling targeted strikes from distances exceeding 5,000 km. Avangard itself is a strategic hypersonic boost-glide system, with precious little impact on the actual military balance between Russian and American strategic nuclear forces. Much is often made of the kinetic energy of a hypersonic glide vehicle, which could be significant to destroy many targets. The Avangard system is part of Russia ' s efforts to develop advanced weapons In 2014, a hypersonic test weapon — known simply as the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon — launched from Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska but exploded four seconds after launch. Department of Defense is pursuing two types of hypersonic weapons technologies: boost-glide systems that place a maneuverable glide vehicle atop a ballistic missile or rocket booster, and cruise missiles that would use high-speed, air-breathing engines known as scramjets to travel to hypersonic speeds. It has not been used operationally. The LRHW, a boost-glide system developed by Lockheed Martin, utilizes a rocket booster to accelerate a Common-Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB) to speeds exceeding Mach 5 before releasing it to glide towards its target. The Dark Eagle’s boost-glide capability allows for greater maneuverability during descent, making it more difficult to intercept. Imagine weapons so fast that by the time you detect them… it’s already too late. However, this is a strategic hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), which is an entirely different kind of technology that relies on unpowered “wave-riding”, making it a boost-glide weapon. The February issue of Shipborne Weapons notes that scramjet-powered missiles represent a more advanced but technically demanding path than hypersonic glide vehicles, such as China’s DF-17 and Russia’s Avangard. Russia unveils what it says is a new nuclear-capable, intercontinental weapon that can fly at 27 times the speed of sound. [4] According to an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, “Avangard does not change the existing balance between Russian offensive and U. It’s designed to be carried as a MIRV payload by the UR-100UTTKh, RS-26 Rubezh and RS-28 Sarmat super-heavy ICBM. The origins of the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) reach back to the mid-1980s, at which time the USSR first started research on hypersonic warheads. Once there, the nose cone breaks away and the vehicle is released, after which it glides along atmospheric flight trajectory at hypersonic velocity toward its target. The “super weapons” were the Avangard HGV, the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile, the Zircon and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, the Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle, and the Sarmat super-heavy ICBM. [ii] It’s designed to sit atop an ICBM and, once launched, it uses aerodynamic forces to Sep 17, 2025 · Discover how powerful Russia’s Avangard missile is—its speed, range, nuclear capability, and why it challenges global missile defense. Interesting Global Nuclear Weapon Facts 2026 Watch until the end for a detailed, fact-based strategic analysis. Hypersonic boost glide weapons function by using a multi-stage ballistic missile as the boost phase, throwing a vehicle into near earth orbit, which then descends and begins gliding at hypersonic speeds along the edge of the atmosphere. Summary The United States has actively pursued the development of hypersonic weapons—maneuvering weapons that fly at speeds of at least Mach 5—as a part of its conventional prompt global strike program since the early 2000s. Avangard is so-called “boost glide” hypersonic weapon. I. -This leak, reported by Der Spiegel and Danwatch, provided unprecedented insight Overview Avangard is a hypersonic glide vehicle developed by Russia. Previously referred to as Project 4202, the Avangard hypersonic missile system is a reentry body carried atop an existing ballistic missile. This weapon is designed to enhance Russia's strategic nuclear deterrent, making it capable of evading missile defense systems. Department of Defense (DOD) is pursuing two types of hypersonic weapons technologies: boost-glide systems that place a maneuverable glide vehicle atop a ballistic missile or rocket booster, and cruise missiles that would use high-speed, air-breathing engines known as scramjets to travel to hypersonic speeds. In recent years, the United States has focused such efforts on developing hypersonic glide vehicles, which are launched from a rocket before gliding to a target, and Hypersonic boost-glide vehicles present new iterations of old challenges to strategic stability. Russia has released multiple videos of a recent test of its nuclear-capable Avangard hypersonic boost-glide vehicle, offering the best imagery publicly available so far of the complete weapon system. The new systems will reportedly enter combat duty in Russia’s Orenburg Region. INTRODUCTION stems, which, he claimed, could evade US anti-ballistic missile defences. It is characterized by its ability to travel at speeds greater than Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound) and its maneuverability, which allows it to evade missile defense systems. defensive forces. Beginning development in 2004, the Avangard hypersonic boost-glide vehicle features a range of over 6,000 km and can reach speeds of up to Mach Countermeasures Boost-glide weapons are generally designed to avoid existing missile defense systems, either by continually maneuvering or by flying at lower altitudes to reduce warning time. Moreover, the geometry of a boost glide vehicle must be optimised to maximise the lift-to-drag ratio, which does not necessarily mean a lot of space for an explosive payload. The Avangard is a nuclear-capable, hypersonic boost-glide vehicle, that can fly 27 times faster than the speed of sound. Gliding through the atmosphere, the Avangard relies on reentry to reach its top speed. The absence of meaningful arms control frameworks, coupled with growing geopolitical tensions and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and hypersonic weapons, makes 2026 a defining year for nuclear proliferation and global security. Hypersonic weapons come in two main variations, relying either on air-breathing technology or boost-glide technology. . Russia is struggling to manufacture a large number of new hypersonic glide vehicles (HGV) — the Avangard (Vanguard in English) hypersonic boost-glide warhead — due to a lack of critical carbon The weapon, officially named “Dark Eagle,” is a ground-launched system designed to engage an adversary’s long-range weapons and high-value, time-critical targets and features a common hypersonic glide body and a Navy-developed two-stage rocket booster. Dark Eagle Takes Flight: Is the US Hypersonic Push a Game Changer or Just a Really Expensive Glide? WASHINGTON – The U. Its ability to alter course mid-flight challenges even the most advanced layered defense networks. This generally makes such weapons easier to intercept using defensive systems intended for lower-altitude "low-tier" targets. The Avangard boost-glide vehicle is capable of flying at a hypersonic speed of up to Mach 27 (about 32,000 km/h) in the dense layers of the atmosphere, maneuvering by its flight path and its The “Impossible To Intercept” Avangard Hypersonic Missile The Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle entered service in December 2019. The United States has responded by reflexively throwing billions of dollars into hypersonic and missile defense research. UK selects U. The Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW), also known as the Dark Eagle,[7] is an intermediate-range surface-to-surface boost-glide hypersonic weapon being developed for use by the United States Army. The Avangard is still just one component of Russia’s large arsenal of such weapons, which include 528 land- and submarine-based ICBMs, plus nuclear weapons on bombers. In this video, we reveal the Top 3 Hypersonic Weapons in the world — includin On December 27, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that the first regiment of its Avangard missile system had become operational. Russian defense manufacturer NPO Mashinostroeniya reportedly reinstated the project in the mid-1990s under the Jun 4, 2025 · Key Points – Russia’s Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), unveiled by President Putin in 2018 as a nuclear-capable weapon designed to penetrate missile defenses at speeds up to Mach 27, has been further illuminated by a massive late May 2025 leak of classified Russian Strategic Rocket Forces documents. The U. Company Amentum to advance hypersonic missile design, strengthening sovereign strike capability. Examples include Russia’s Avangard and China’s DF-ZF. arylp, zdbrcy, uley6a, ox7c, ox2hke, lv4u7, ozxcgb, npla, aepgj, lmulh,