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Russia’s nuclear triad to gain new hypersonic component — expert

Alexander Stepanov cited projects such as the GELA hypersonic drone, capable of reaching speeds of up to 11,000 km/h, a new unmanned aerial vehicle capable of reaching Mach 7 and launching payloads into orbit, and the Champion long-range hypersonic drone bomber

MOSCOW, January 30. /TASS/. Advanced reusable hypersonic aircraft, which can fly both in Earth's airspace and outer space, could soon be integrated into Russia's strategic deterrence forces, Alexander Stepanov, a military expert at the Institute of Law and National Security at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), told TASS.

According to him, Russia is actively developing a range of hypersonic systems that extend beyond just the military domain. "I'm referring to the creation of reusable multi-discipline vehicles designed for flights in the atmosphere and near-Earth space at hypersonic speeds, including unmanned versions, to solve a wide range of tasks: from delivering payloads into orbit to defensive missions," the expert said.

He cited projects such as the GELA hypersonic drone, capable of reaching speeds of up to 11,000 km/h, a new unmanned aerial vehicle capable of reaching Mach 7 and launching payloads into orbit, and the Champion long-range hypersonic drone bomber. These developments, according to the expert, are aimed at ensuring superiority not only in the air but also in outer space for a wide range of applications, including terrain monitoring and reconnaissance, orbital deployment of civilian and military payloads, satellites, and potentially the use of high-precision systems and anti-satellite weapons. "Basically, this is potentially the fourth component of our comprehensive nuclear deterrence system, which will be capable of moving in two environments: airspace and outer space," Stepanov emphasized.

The expert also noted the successes of Russia’s strategic partners in this area. "The effectiveness of our practical cooperation and technology transfer within a single framework with China, North Korea, and Iran is confirmed by our allies’ possession of the hypersonic technologies, still unavailable to the Western military-industrial complex. This testifies to the development of specific practical advantages in the most promising area of global weapons systems," he concluded.