Russia is test-flying a new, hypersonic glide vehicle that follows the contrails of China’s WU-14, a delivery vehicle reportedly capable of carrying nuclear warheads at Mach 10 and less susceptible to U.S. anti-ballistic countermeasures.
Moscow has spent several years developing the new Yu-71 hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), which was first test-flown in February, according to this month’s Jane’s Intelligence Review. It is part of an ongoing escalated effort by the Kremlin to overcome U.S. missile defenses, known as Project 4202.
Project 4202 could turn out a limited number of glide vehicles armed with nuclear warheads by 2020, and up to 24 with new hypersonic payloads could be deployed at the Dombarovsky base between 2020 and 2025, the Intelligence Review said.
Reports indicate that by then, Russia could potentially deploy a new ICBM that could carry the Yu-71.
The advantage of the U-71 is about its speed and maneuverability. The vehicle is said to develop the speed ten times the speed of sound.
The vehicle carries nuclear warheads and was designed to overcome the US missile defense system
SOURCE- Washington Times, Pravda
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