Megaprojects

9M730 Burevestnik: Russia's Cruise Missile with "Unlimited Range"

The video examines Russia’s 9M730 Burevestnik, dubbed “Skyfall,” the world’s first nuclear‑powered cruise missile. Putin and Russian officials present it as a low‑flying, reactor‑driven weapon capable of staying aloft for days and striking any target without range limits. Unlike conventional ICBMs that rely on finite propellant, Burevestnik’s reactor powers a ram‑jet (or turbo‑jet) after a solid‑fuel booster, theoretically giving it unlimited endurance. At roughly 12 m long and 24 t heavy, it is larger than the KH‑101 but can launch from ground platforms, fly as low as 50 m, and maneuver to evade defenses. Analysts debate whether the reactor uses an open‑loop or closed‑loop heat exchange, and NATO experts estimate its speed is subsonic, contrary to early expectations of high‑Mach performance. Putin’s statement that the missile is “invulnerable” to existing defenses is tempered by a troubled test record. Between 2016 and 2024 Russia logged 13 trials, with only two partial successes; a 2019 engine explosion killed five engineers and caused a radiation spike. In October 2025 a successful 15‑hour flight covered 14,000 km, demonstrating low‑altitude flight and defense‑evasion capabilities, but the system remains unreleased for service. If fielded, Burevestnik could undermine current missile‑defense architectures and complicate strategic calculations, forcing NATO to reconsider early‑warning and interception doctrines. However, the weapon’s technical complexity, high cost, and safety risks—especially radioactive exhaust—may limit mass production, leaving its true strategic impact uncertain.