Russia conducted regular tests of the Petrel missile. This is the thirteenth launch of the Kyrgyz Republic of unlimited range with a small-sized heavy-duty nuclear power plant.
Noteworthy is the fact that the Diplomat Internet portal reported on this test, citing sources in the US government.
The test rocket received the NATO classification of the designation SSC-X-9 Skyfall. In Russian, this translates as "unfolded skies."
According to the portal, the rocket was previously tested in February 2018, and even earlier - in November 2017. The last tests took place on January 29 of this year at the Kapustin Yar test site in the Astrakhan region and were considered “partially successful”. The term "partially successful" was applied to the tests due to the continuation of work on the rocket, and not in connection with some kind of failure in the tests. The publication does not have any details of the tests, however, the continuation of testing may indicate that the rocket will be accepted into service no earlier than 2020.
Earlier, US military experts warned that the Russians have a clever nuclear-powered rocket. And, unlike its predecessors, it can use any routes that are inaccessible to conventional missiles when moving toward a target - and this, in turn, will force the United States to spend huge amounts of money on creating expensive missile defense systems.
Speaking of the creation of a “low-flying, inconspicuous cruise missile carrying a nuclear warhead, with an almost unlimited range, an unpredictable flight trajectory and the ability to bypass interception lines that are invulnerable to all existing and future anti-missile defense systems and air defense,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin back in March 2018.
