The fastest hypersonic aircraft in the world. Russian hypersonic aircraft. There is confirmation of the creation of hypersonic weapons in Russia Hypersonic glide vehicle Yu 71

The new top-secret Yu-71 glider is capable of reaching New York in 40 minutes. The top-secret glider Yu-71, from project 4202, is capable of maneuvering into near space and delivering a nuclear strike anywhere on the planet.

This top-secret aircraft, of which limited information began to appear in the press under the name Yu-71, is part of Project 4202, associated with the domestic missile program. From more or less reliable information about him: he is able to reach speeds of over 11 thousand kilometers per hour, has super-maneuverability, uses a gliding type of flight (hence the name glider) and is able to go into near space when maneuvering.

Tests are still ongoing, but their results allow us to talk about the undoubted success of Russian technical thought. It is assumed that by 2025 Russia through this new type of weapons will receive a powerful nuclear trump card in negotiations with the United States.

“The arms race at the end of the last century allowed our country to significantly outpace the NATO countries in military-technical terms and create fourth-generation weapons,” says Defense Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin. - The fifth generation, let's be objective, for a number of understandable reasons related to the collapse of the Soviet Union, is still stuck at the level of design bureaus. The current task of the military-industrial complex is not only to catch up and bring fifth-generation weapons to perfection, but also to take a step into the future - to work now on the sixth and seventh generations of weapons. And such developments, I note, very successful, already exist. This is a completely new, sometimes unpredictable weapon.”

Dmitry Olegovich did not name specific developments, limited himself only to the areas of technical development, but he, of course, also meant a hypersonic aircraft capable of carrying a nuclear warhead - Yu-71.

Russia has been developing this device, capable of hitting a target with a single missile, for several years, while conducting several successful tests. But the information leak occurred only in February 2015. The generals in the Pentagon were not only upset, but also completely discouraged: this Russian “argument” not only crosses out all plans to create a missile defense system along the Russian perimeter, but also makes the United States itself absolutely defenseless.

Among the technical capabilities of the Yu-71 is not only the delivery of instant and deadly strikes. A hypersonic vehicle equipped with an electronic warfare (electronic warfare) system is capable of crossing US territory in a matter of minutes and incapacitating all electronic detection stations on its way.

According to NATO, up to 24 hypersonic aircraft can be deployed from 2020 to 2025 in one of the regiments of the 13th missile division of the Strategic Missile Forces (Orenburg region), presumably in the village of Dombarovsky. And let's say, the U-71 can fly to Washington in 45-50 minutes, to New York - in 40, to London - in 20. It is impossible to detect, much less shoot down these devices. There is a serious reason for frustration here!

In Russia itself, plans for the adoption of objects 4202 were not announced. However, it is known from open sources that the development of devices is carried out by NPO Mashinostroeniya (the city of Reutov near Moscow) and it was started before 2009. The formal customer of ROC 4202 is the Federal Space Agency of Russia, but the Ministry of Defense is also showing increased interest in it. At least, in the General Staff back in 2004 it was stated that a spacecraft capable of flying at hypersonic speed was tested, while performing maneuvers both in course and in height.

“Even the current warheads of domestic intercontinental ballistic missiles develop hypersound in the passive section,” says Konstantin Sivkov, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Missile and Artillery Sciences (RARAN), doctor of military sciences. “However, the difference between a promising hypersonic warhead, most likely, lies in the fact that it acts not just like a ballistic warhead, but follows a rather complex trajectory, that is, it maneuvers like an aircraft with a huge flight speed.”

And if the Russian Strategic Missile Forces actually adopt missiles with hypersonic warheads by 2025, this will be a serious bid. Already, in America and Europe, Russian hypersonic vehicles are being called Moscow's new trump card in negotiations with Washington. They are not worried in vain: as practice shows, the United States can be seated at the negotiating table in only one way - to put into service systems that will make the Pentagon seriously scared.

“It's no secret that the combat equipment and payload of our ICBMs are constantly being improved,” says Victor Murakhovsky, a member of the expert council under the chairman of the military-industrial commission under the government of the Russian Federation. - And when President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the Army-2015 forum, said that this year more than 40 new intercontinental missiles would replenish the nuclear forces, everyone paid attention to this figure, but somehow missed the continuation of the phrase: "which will be able to overcome any, even the most technically advanced missile defense systems.

It is no secret that Russia is also developing hypersonic cruise missiles that reach targets at low altitudes. It is practically impossible to hit them even with promising missile defense systems, because these are, in fact, aerodynamic targets. In addition, modern missile defense systems have limits on the speed of hitting targets: interception is possible only within 700-800 meters per second. Plus, the anti-missile should have the ability to maneuver with overloads. And such in NATO does not yet exist.

Developments similar to our Yu-71 hypersonic vehicle are being carried out in China and the USA. At the same time, experts believe that only a Chinese development called Wu-14 can become a serious rival to the Russian hypersonic glider. This is also a planning apparatus, although it was tested only once - in 2012.

It turned out that, like the Russian glider, the Chinese one was able to maneuver at a supersonic speed of 11 thousand kilometers per hour. It is not known, however, what weapons the Chinese apparatus is capable of carrying.

But the results of American designers are much more modest than Russian and Chinese. A few years ago, the Falcon HTV-2 hypersonic drone during testing simply lost control in the 10th minute of flight and crashed.

The desire to create the fastest possible military equipment is a key goal for any state, because only high speeds are a guarantee of overcoming air defenses. For this reason, hypersonic weapons technologies were actively mastered even in Nazi Germany. Later they migrated to the allies, who continued their outstanding developments.

However, only in recent decades has technology made it possible to take a qualitative step forward. For Russia, this is expressed in the secret project Yu-71 - a hypersonic aircraft.

The history of the creation of hypersonic weapons

Hypersonic weapons reached their maximum development during the Cold War. Like many outstanding military projects of mankind, fundamentally new technologies were created in the conditions of competition between the USA and the USSR. The first attempts to surpass the speed of sound (namely, to overcome the barrier of 1234.8 km / h) did not lead to serious achievements. But it should also be noted that the tasks set were almost impossible even for such powerful powers.

Not much is known about these projects, but some information has reached that, for example, in the USSR, the designers were faced with the task of doing:

• an aircraft that could develop a speed of at least 7000 km / h;
• reliable design to use the technique many times;
• controlled aircraft to make it as difficult as possible to detect and eliminate it;
• finally, surpass a similar development of the states - X-20 Dyna Soar.

But during the tests, it became clear that it was impossible to even take to the air with close speeds and the necessary design, and the Soviet Union closed the project.

Fortunately for the leadership of the USSR, the Americans also did not achieve an advance: only a few times the hypersonic aircraft rose to suborbital altitude, but in most situations it lost control and crashed.

The development of supersonic technology in the 21st century

Hypersonic technologies are closely intertwined in two different directions: the creation of ballistic and guided missiles or the design of a full-fledged aircraft.

And if missiles exceeding the speed of sound by several times are already successfully created and even participate in hostilities, then aircraft require truly ingenious design solutions. The main snag is that overloads at high speeds during maneuvers are measured not even in tens, but in hundreds of g. Planning such loads and ensuring the reliability of equipment is a rather difficult task.

Technology does not stand still, therefore, in the 21st century, the 4202 project was implemented in Russia, which is often referred to as the Yu-71 - a hypersonic aircraft.

It grew out of the development of hypersonic technology in rockets.

Very little is known about the development, because such work was and is being carried out not only in the USSR, and then in Russia, but also in the USA, as well as China, Britain, and France. The desire of the world's leading powers to keep complex and expensive discoveries a secret is understandable, since serious military superiority will be achieved with hypersonic technology.

It is known that the first successes were achieved in the USSR, in 1991. Then the Kholod aircraft successfully took off into the air. The device was launched on the basis of the S-200 anti-aircraft missile system, using the 5B28 rocket. The engineers managed to carry out a controlled flight and develop a speed of 1900 km / h. After that, the possibilities only expanded, but in 1998 the tests were stopped. The reason turned out to be prosaic - the crisis that broke out in the country.

Given the high secrecy of information, there are not so many reliable sources.

However, the foreign press provides such information that in 20-2010. Russia has again begun to develop hypersonic projects. The tasks were set as follows:

1. To create ballistic and guided missiles at a faster pace for guaranteed overcoming of any known means of interception before reaching the target.
2. Develop missile systems with missile speeds up to 13 times the speed of sound.
3. Conduct tests of an aircraft with nuclear and non-nuclear weapons delivery systems.

The main reason for the development of such weapons was based on the fact that a similar project of the Americans, Prompt Global Strike, was developed to be based on ships and aircraft in order to be guaranteed to hit any point on the planet in 1 hour. Naturally, Russia should have responded with the same weapons, because no country has the means of interception capable of working on targets at such a high speed.

The most famous facts about Russia's secret weapon - Yu-71

Already at the start of the work, the ideas of the 4202 project were seriously ahead of their time, since the brilliant Gleb Lozino-Lozinsky was the chief designer. But they were able to create a full-fledged aircraft much later, already in Russia.

According to foreign sources, the tests of the glider, namely the Yu-71 aircraft, did not take place at the beginning of 2015, as the Russian military leadership says. There is evidence that already in 2004 a supposedly new hypersonic glider was launched at Baikonur. This version is confirmed by the fact that in 2012, at one of the country's defense enterprises in the city of Reutov, New Year's greetings were announced, where employees were announced that the 4202 project was the key one for the near future.

In general, the Russian Yu-71 supersonic aircraft is extremely difficult to shoot down and even track. Therefore, a lot of information is hidden from the public. According to reports, Yu-71 has the following characteristics:

1. The hypersonic aircraft is launched from near-Earth orbit. It is delivered there by UR-100N UTTKh missiles. At the level of opinions, it is said that in the future the latest Sarmat missile of the RS-28 ICBM will be responsible for the delivery.
2. The maximum recorded speed of Yu-71 is estimated at 11,200 km/h. Experts say that the device is able to maneuver on the final part of the trajectory. But even without this ability, it remains out of reach for air defense and missile defense systems due to its high speed. According to the assurances of the Russian military, the Yu-71 can maneuver in altitude and course from the moment it starts in near-Earth orbit.
3. Yu-71 can go into space, which makes it even more invisible to most detection tools.
4. It is believed that from the moment of launch, the glider can fly to New York in 40 minutes, carrying nuclear warheads on board.
5. Hypersonic modules are distinguished by a very large mass, so the military leadership is considering the possibility of delivering several Yu-71s to low-Earth orbit at once with more powerful missiles than are currently used.
6. The glider has 3 compartments with various equipment and weapons.
7. There is an opinion that Russia is starting active production of the Yu-71 project. So, presumably, the Strela software near Orenburg is being completely technically rebuilt to assemble hypersonic weapons.

The only information that is called accurate is the speed developed by the aircraft and the ability to maneuver in flight.

The rest of the information is kept secret. But it is already clear that Russia is ready to respond adequately in the hypersonic race.

Yu-71 competitors

Hypersonic technologies are the subject of work of the leading world powers. Some have achieved serious achievements, for some the costs turned out to be large or it was not possible to pull out extremely technological projects. Russia's main competitors today are the United States and China.

Humanity in the 21st century has come close to hypersonic weapons.

If information leaks are to be believed, then Russia may be the first to announce the final stage, namely the adoption of such technologies. This will bring a tangible advantage in military terms.

Prospects for the Russian Yu-71

According to some reports, the Yu-71 has been tested and is being prepared for serial production. Although the project is secret, a number of sources indicate that by 2025 Russia will have 40 such gliders with nuclear warheads.

Even though Yu-71 launches are expensive, the device can be used for different purposes. The ability to deliver a warhead to any point on the planet in the shortest possible time is also called, and, for example, the transportation of food and supplies.

Due to its maneuverability, the Yu-71 can be used as an attack aircraft or bomber deep behind enemy lines.

The Yu-71 will most likely be located near Orenburg, in the rear, since the most vulnerable part of the flight is the launch and reaching the orbit. After the separation of the glider from the missile, it becomes impossible to track its movement and, moreover, shoot it down, for modern missile defense or air defense systems.

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30-06-2015, 16:01

By 2025, Russia will have a serious nuclear trump card in negotiations with the United States

Russia is testing a new Yu-71 (Yu-71) hypersonic glide vehicle capable of carrying nuclear warheads. This was reported on June 28 by the Washington Free Beacon, citing a publication by the well-known British military think tank Janes Information Group.

According to WFB, Russia has been developing the device for several years, but its first tests were carried out in February this year. The device is allegedly part of the Russian secret project "4202" associated with the missile program. According to the authors of the publication, this will give Russia the opportunity to hit the target with only one missile. According to the Washington Times, Russia intends to use the hypersonic military project as an instrument of pressure during negotiations with the United States on arms control.

Hypersonic devices like the one created by Russia are extremely difficult to track down and shoot down, as they move along an uncalculated trajectory, and their speed reaches 11,200 km / h, experts from the British center say. According to them, up to 24 of these hypersonic aircraft (warheads) can be deployed in the Dombarovsky regiment of the Strategic Missile Forces in the period from 2020 to 2025. Previously, this designation - Yu-71 - did not appear in open sources.

It is worth noting that even retired generals of the Strategic Missile Forces prefer to refrain from commenting on the 4202 object, referring to the closed nature of the topic and the possible consequences of discussing this topic in the "SP".

Plans for the adoption of objects "4202" were not really announced. But it is known from open sources that the development of devices is carried out by NPO Mashinostroeniya (Reutov), ​​and it was started before 2009. The formal customer of R&D "4202" is the Federal Space Agency of Russia, which, according to some experts, can serve as a kind of "cover". In the 2012 NPO Mashinostroeniya's New Year's greetings, the 4202 facility was named one of the most important for the corporation for the next few years. Most likely, the first test of the device from object "4202" was carried out not in February 2015, according to British experts, but as part of the "Safety-2004" exercises at the Baikonur training ground, because at a press conference, the then First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Russian Yuri Baluyevsky said that during the training, "a spacecraft was tested that is capable of flying at hypersonic speed, while performing maneuvers, both in course and in height."

Corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences (RARAN), Doctor of Military Sciences Konstantin Sivkov says that the current warheads of intercontinental ballistic missiles develop hypersound in the passive section. However, the difference between a promising hypersonic warhead, most likely, lies in the fact that it acts not just like a ballistic warhead, but follows a rather complex trajectory, that is, it maneuvers like an aircraft with a huge flight speed.

It is possible that experts on the subject of "4202" use Soviet technologies, which were developed by one of the leading developers of Soviet aerospace technology, Gleb Lozino-Lozinsky. Let me remind you that he was the head of the Spiral aerospace fighter-bomber project, the lead developer of the Buran MTKK, oversaw the project of the MAKS reusable aerospace system and a number of other programs where work was carried out, including on hypersonic.

It must be understood that hypersonic warheads are quite heavy - 1.5-2 tons. Therefore, probably, it can become a warhead of a light Topol-M ICBM (after all, the last tests were carried out on the UR-100N UTTKh), however, the RS-28 Sarmat ICBM, which should be put into service by the end of the decade, will be able to throw several such warheads at once, which will follow complex trajectories, which will make them practically invulnerable to enemy missile defense systems. For example, even in the interception of old ballistic missiles, the warheads of which do not maneuver, the American ground-based exatmospheric GBI interceptors give a very low probability of defeat - 15-20%.

If our Strategic Missile Forces really adopt missiles with hypersonic warheads by 2025, then this will be a rather serious application. It is logical that in the West, ICBMs with hypersonic warheads are called Moscow's new possible trump card in negotiations with Washington. As practice shows, the only way to bring the United States to the negotiating table is to put in place systems that will make Americans really scared.

In addition, Russia is also developing hypersonic cruise missiles that can fly at low altitudes. Accordingly, their defeat by advanced missile defense systems is problematic, because these are, in fact, aerodynamic targets. In addition, modern missile defense systems have limits on the speed of hitting targets within 1000 meters per second: as a rule, the speed of an interceptor is 700-800 meters per second. The problem is that when firing at a high-speed target, an interceptor missile must be able to maneuver with overloads measured in tens and even hundreds of g. Such anti-missiles do not yet exist.

The editor-in-chief of the Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine, a member of the Expert Council under the chairman of the Military-Industrial Commission under the Government of the Russian Federation, Viktor Murakhovsky, notes: it is no secret that the combat equipment and payload of our ICBMs are constantly being improved.

And when President Vladimir Putin, speaking on June 16 at the Army-2015 forum, said that this year more than 40 new intercontinental missiles would replenish the nuclear forces, all the media paid attention to this figure, but somehow missed the continuation of the phrase - "which will be able to overcome any, even the most technically advanced missile defense systems."

In the program to improve combat equipment, work is underway, including the creation of hypersonic maneuvering warheads precisely on the maneuver trajectory - after the separation of the payload, which will really allow ignoring any conceivable promising missile defense system. Yes, the intercontinental ballistic missiles in service with the Strategic Missile Forces even now have units that are bred at a speed of 5-7 kilometers per second. But it is a completely different matter to carry out a maneuver, moreover, a controlled one, at such speeds. It is possible that these warheads can be installed on the new Sarmat heavy missile, which will replace the legendary Soviet R-36M2 Voyevoda in the army. I think that in the future, similar warheads will be installed on the missiles already entering service with the Strategic Missile Forces.

"SP": - According to information from open sources, on February 26, the launch of "object 4202" was carried out by the UR-100N UTTKh missile system, the mass production of which continued until 1985. This missile is a modification of the "Stiletto" (UR-100N, according to NATO classification - SS-19 mod.1 Stiletto) ...

The service life of this missile system seems to have been extended until 2031, and it is used only for testing. Naturally, before each launch, this missile is examined, but it has always demonstrated reliability. So, we have a payload into orbit by Dnepr launch vehicles - launch vehicles, to put it mildly, are not young, but also reliable, during the operation of which, as far as I remember, major accidents did not happen.

"SP": - The media has repeatedly reported that the Chinese, in addition to the WU-14, are developing a hypersonic cruise missile.

Hypersonic missiles are, of course, a completely different direction. To be honest, I do not really believe in the appearance of such weapons, even in the long term, because I cannot imagine how it is possible to disperse a cruise missile to hypersonic in dense layers of the atmosphere. Of course, you can build something gigantic, but in relation to the payload, this will be absolutely not a rational expenditure of funds.

"SP": - In the United States, hypersonic projects as part of the implementation of the concept of "Fast Global Strike" are being developed by various departments: the X-43A aircraft - NASA, the X-51A rocket - the Air Force, the AHW apparatus - the Ground Forces, the ArcLight missile - DARPA and the Navy, the glider Falcon HTV-2 - DARPA and Air Force. Moreover, the timing of their appearance is called different: missiles - by 2018-2020, reconnaissance aircraft - by 2030.

All these are promising developments, it is not for nothing that there are so many of them. For example, the AHW project, according to various sources, is also a combined weapon consisting of a three-stage launch vehicle and a directly hypersonic warhead. But it is difficult to say how much the Americans have advanced in the development of this project (the tests were recognized as either successful or unsuccessful - “SP”). As you know, the Americans did not particularly bother about equipping their missiles with anti-missile defense systems, meaning, for example, creating a “cloud” of decoys around a real warhead.

The Cold War that took place between the US and the USSR in 1946-1991 is long over. At least that's what many experts think. However, the arms race did not stop for a minute, and even today it is in the stage of active development. Despite the fact that today the main threats to the country are terrorist groups, relations between world powers are also tense. All this creates conditions for the development of military technologies, one of which is a hypersonic aircraft.

Need

Relations between the United States and Russia are greatly aggravated. And although at the official level the United States is called a partner country in Russia, many political and military experts argue that there is a tacit war between the countries not only on the political front, but also on the military in the form of an arms race. In addition, the United States is actively using NATO to encircle Russia with its missile defense systems.

This cannot but worry the leadership of Russia, which has long begun to develop unmanned aerial vehicles that exceed hypersonic speed. These drones can be equipped with a nuclear warhead, and they can easily deliver a bomb anywhere in the world, and quickly enough. A similar hypersonic aircraft has already been created - this is the Yu-71 liner, which is being tested today in strict secrecy.

Development of hypersonic weapons

For the first time, aircraft that could fly at the speed of sound began to be tested in the 50s of the 20th century. Then it was still connected with the so-called Cold War, when two developed powers (the USSR and the USA) sought to overtake each other in the arms race. The first project was the Spiral system, which was a compact orbital aircraft. It was supposed to compete with and even surpass the US X-20 Dyna Soar hypersonic aircraft. Also, the Soviet aircraft had to have the ability to reach speeds of up to 7000 km / h and at the same time not fall apart in the atmosphere during overloads.

And although Soviet scientists and designers tried to bring such an idea to life, they could not even get close to the cherished characteristics. The prototype did not even take off, but the Soviet government breathed a sigh of relief when the American plane also failed during the tests. The technologies of that time, including in the aviation industry, were infinitely far from the current ones, so the creation of an aircraft that could exceed the speed of sound several times was doomed to failure.

However, in 1991, an aircraft was tested that could reach speeds exceeding the speed of sound. It was the flying laboratory "Cold", created on the basis of the 5V28 rocket. The test was successful, and then the plane was able to reach a speed of 1900 km / h. Despite the progress, the development after 1998 was stopped due to the economic crisis.

Technologies of the 21st century

There is no accurate and official information about the development of hypersonic aircraft. However, if we collect materials from open sources, we can conclude that such developments were carried out in several directions at once:

1. Creation of warheads for intercontinental ballistic missiles. Their mass exceeded the mass of standard missiles, however, due to the ability to maneuver in the atmosphere, it is impossible or at least extremely difficult to intercept them with missile defense systems.
2. The development of the Zircon complex is another direction in the development of technology, which is based on the use of the Yakhont supersonic missile launcher.
3. Creation of a complex whose missiles can exceed the speed of sound by 13 times.

If all these projects are united in one holding, then by joint efforts an air, ground or ship-based missile can be created. If the Prompt Global Strike project, created in the USA, is successful, then the Americans will have the opportunity to hit anywhere in the world within one hour. Russia will be able to defend itself only with technologies of its own development.

American and British experts are recording tests of supersonic missiles that can reach speeds of up to 11,200 km/h. Given such a high speed, it is almost impossible to shoot them down (not a single missile defense system in the world is capable of this). Moreover, they are even extremely difficult to track. There is very little information about the project, which sometimes appears under the name Yu-71.

What is known about the Russian Yu-71 hypersonic aircraft?

With the fact that the project is classified, there is very little information about it. It is known that this glider is part of the rocket supersonic program, and in theory it is able to fly to New York in 40 minutes. Of course, this information has no official confirmation and exists at the level of speculation and rumors. But given that Russian supersonic missiles can reach speeds of 11,200 km/h, such conclusions seem quite logical.

According to various sources, the Yu-71 hypersonic aircraft:

1. Possesses high maneuverability.
2. Can plan.
3. Able to reach speeds of over 11,000 km / h.
4. Can go into space during the flight.

Statements

At the moment, tests of the Russian Yu-71 hypersonic aircraft have not yet been completed. However, some experts argue that by 2025 Russia may receive this supersonic glider, and it will be possible to equip it with nuclear weapons. Such an aircraft will be put into service, and in theory it will be capable of delivering a pinpoint nuclear strike anywhere in the world within just one hour.

Russia's representative to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said that the once most developed and advanced industry of the USSR has lagged behind the arms race over the past decades. However, more recently, the army began to revive. Outdated Soviet technology is being replaced by new samples of Russian developments. In addition, the fifth-generation weapons, stuck in the 90s in the form of projects on paper, are taking on a visible shape. According to the politician, new samples of Russian weapons can surprise the world with unpredictability. It is likely that Rogozin is referring to the new Yu-71 hypersonic aircraft, which can carry a nuclear warhead.

It is believed that the development of this aircraft began in 2010, but in the United States they learned about it only in 2015. If the information about its technical characteristics is true, then the Pentagon will have to solve a difficult task, since the missile defense systems used in Europe and on its territory will not be able to provide opposition to such an aircraft. In addition, the United States and many other countries will simply be defenseless against such weapons.

Other features

In addition to the possibility of inflicting nuclear strikes on the enemy, the glider, thanks to powerful modern electronic warfare equipment, will be able to carry out reconnaissance, as well as disable devices equipped with electronic equipment.

According to NATO reports, from approximately 2020 to 2025, up to 24 such aircraft may appear in the Russian army, which can quietly cross the border and destroy an entire city with just a few shots.

Development plans

Of course, there is no data on the adoption of the promising Yu-71 aircraft, but it is known that it has been developed since 2009. In this case, the device will be able not only to fly in a straight line, but also to maneuver.

It is maneuverability at hypersonic speeds that will become a feature of the aircraft. Doctor of military sciences Konstantin Sivkov claims that intercontinental missiles can reach supersonic speeds, but at the same time they act like conventional ballistic warheads. Consequently, their flight path is easily calculated, which makes it possible for the missile defense system to shoot them down. But guided aircraft pose a serious threat to the enemy, since their trajectory is unpredictable. Therefore, it is impossible to determine at what point the bomb will be thrown, and since the drop point cannot be determined, the trajectory of the fall of the warhead is not calculated either.

In Tula on September 19, 2012, at a meeting of the military-industrial commission, Dmitry Rogozin announced that a new holding should soon be created, whose task would be to develop hypersonic technologies. The enterprises that will be part of the holding were immediately named:

1. "Tactical Missiles".
2. "NPO Engineering". At the moment, the company is developing supersonic technologies, but at the moment the company is part of the Roscosmos structure.
3. The next member of the holding should be the Almaz-Antey concern, which is currently developing technologies for the aerospace and anti-missile industries.

Rogozin believes that such a merger is necessary, but legal aspects do not allow it to take place. It is also noted that the creation of a holding does not imply a takeover by one company by another. This is precisely the merger and joint work of all enterprises, which will accelerate the development of hypersonic technologies.

Igor Korotchenko, chairman of the council under the RF Ministry of Defense, also supports the idea of ​​creating a holding company that would develop hypersonic technologies. According to him, the new holding is really necessary, because it will allow directing all efforts to create a promising type of weapon. Both companies have great potential, but individually they will not be able to achieve the results that are possible with a combination of efforts. It is together that they will be able to contribute to the development of the defense complex of the Russian Federation and create the fastest aircraft in the world, the speed of which will exceed expectations.

Weapons as an instrument of political struggle

If by 2025 not only hypersonic missiles with nuclear warheads, but also Yu-71 gliders will be in service, this will seriously strengthen Russia's political positions during negotiations with the United States. And this is completely logical, because all countries in the course of negotiations act from a position of strength, dictating favorable conditions to the opposite side. Equal negotiations between the two countries are possible only if both sides have powerful weapons.

Vladimir Putin, during his speech at the Army-2015 conference, said that the nuclear forces are receiving new intercontinental missiles in the amount of 40 pieces. These turned out to be precisely hypersonic missiles, and they can currently overcome existing missile defense systems. Viktor Murakhovsky, a member of the expert council of the military-industrial commission, confirms that every year ICBMs are being improved.

Russia is also testing and developing new cruise missiles capable of flying at hypersonic speeds. They can approach targets at ultra-low altitudes, making them virtually invisible to radar. Moreover, modern missile defense systems in service with NATO cannot hit such missiles due to their low flight altitude. In addition, in theory, they are capable of intercepting targets moving at speeds up to 800 meters per second, while the speed of the Yu-71 aircraft and cruise missiles is much higher. This renders NATO's missile defense systems almost useless.

Projects from other countries

It is known that China and the United States are also developing an analogue of the Russian hypersonic aircraft. The characteristics of enemy models are still unclear, but we can already assume that the Chinese development is able to compete with the Russian aircraft.

Known as the Wu-14, the Chinese aircraft was tested in 2012, and even then it was able to reach speeds of over 11,000 km / h. However, the weapons that this device is capable of carrying are not mentioned anywhere.

As for the American Falcon HTV-2 drone, it was tested several years ago, but it crashed in 10 minutes of flight. However, the X-43A hypersonic aircraft, which was handled by NASA engineers, was tested before it. During the tests, he showed a fantastic speed - 11,200 km / h, which exceeds the speed of sound by 9.6 times. The prototype was tested in 2001, but then during the tests it was destroyed due to the fact that it got out of control. But in 2004 the apparatus was successfully tested.

Similar tests by Russia, China and the United States call into question the effectiveness of modern missile defense systems. The introduction of hypersonic technologies in the military-industrial sector is already making a real revolution in the military world.

Conclusion

Of course, the military-technical development of Russia cannot but rejoice, and the presence of such an aircraft in the armament of the army is a big step in improving the country's defense capability, but it is foolish to believe that other world powers do not attempt to develop such technologies.

Even today, with free access to information via the Internet, we know very little about the promising developments of domestic weapons, and the description of the "Yu-71" is known only by rumors. Consequently, we cannot even come close to knowing what technologies are being developed right now in other countries, including China and the United States. The active development of technology in the 21st century allows you to quickly invent new types of fuel and apply previously unfamiliar technical and technological methods, so the development of aircraft, including military ones, is very fast.

It is worth noting that the development of technologies that allow aircraft to reach speeds that exceed 10 times the speed of sound will affect not only the military, but also the civilian sphere. In particular, such well-known airliner manufacturers as Airbus or Boeing have already announced the possibility of creating hypersonic aircraft for passenger air transportation. Of course, such projects are still only in the plans, but the likelihood of developing such aircraft today is quite high.

Although the era of the Cold War is a thing of the past, today there are enough problems in the world that have to be solved with the help of the latest developments in the field of weapons. At first glance, the main world problems come from terrorist groups, the relations of some major world powers are also quite tense.

Recently, relations between Russia and the United States have become extremely aggravated. Using NATO, the US surrounds Russia with missile defense systems. Concerned about this, Russia has begun developing hypersonic aircraft, so-called "drones", that can carry nuclear warheads. It is with these projects that the secret supersonic glider Yu-71 is associated, the tests of which are carried out in the strictest secrecy.

History of the development of hypersonic weapons

The first tests of aircraft capable of flying at speeds exceeding the speed of sound began back in the 50s of the 20th century. This was due to the era of the Cold War, when the two strongest superpowers in the world (USA and USSR) tried to outdo each other in the arms race. The first Soviet development in this area was the Spiral system. It was a small orbital aircraft, and had to meet the following parameters:

• The system was supposed to be superior to the American X-20 "Dyna Soar", which was a similar project;
• The hypersonic carrier aircraft was supposed to provide a speed of about 7,000 km / h;
• The system had to be reliable and not fall apart when overloaded.

Despite all the efforts of Soviet designers, the characteristics of the hypersonic carrier aircraft did not even come close to the cherished high-speed figure. The project had to be closed, as the system did not even take off. To the great joy of the Soviet government, the American tests also failed miserably. At that time, world aviation was still infinitely far from speeds exceeding several times the speed of sound.

Tests that were already closer to hypersonic technologies took place in 1991, then back in the USSR. Then the flight of "Cold" was carried out, which was a flying laboratory created on the basis of the S-200 missile system, based on the 5V28 missile. The first test was quite successful, as it was possible to develop a speed of about 1,900 km / h. Developments in this area continued until 1998, after which they were curtailed due to the economic crisis.

The development of supersonic technology in the 21st century

Although there is no exact information on the development of hypersonic weapons for the period from 2000 to 2010, having collected materials from open sources, one can see that these developments were carried out in several directions:

• First of all, warheads for ballistic intercontinental missiles are being developed. Although their weight far exceeds conventional missiles of this class, due to the implementation of maneuvers in the atmosphere, they will not be able to be intercepted by standard missile defense systems;
• The next direction in the development of supersonic technologies is the development of the Zircon complex. This complex is based on the Yakhont/Onyx supersonic missile launcher;
• A missile system is also being developed, the missiles of which will be able to reach speeds that exceed the speed of sound by 13 times.

If all these projects are united in one holding, then the missile, which will be created by joint efforts, can be both ground-based and air- or ship-based. If the American project "Prompt Global Strike", which provides for the creation of supersonic weapons capable of hitting anywhere in the world within one hour, is successful, Russia will be able to protect only intercontinental supersonic missiles of its own design.

Russian supersonic missiles, the tests of which are recorded by British and American specialists, are capable of reaching speeds of about 11,200 km/h. They are almost impossible to shoot down and even extremely difficult to track. There is very little information about this project, which often appears under the name Yu-71 or "object 4202".

The most famous facts about Russia's secret weapon Yu-71

The secret Yu-71 glider, which is part of Russia's supersonic missile program, is capable of flying to New York in 40 minutes. Although this information has not been officially confirmed, based on the fact that Russian supersonic missiles are capable of reaching speeds in excess of 11,00 km / h, such conclusions can be drawn.

According to the few information that can be found about him, the Yu-71 glider is capable of:

• Fly at speeds over 11,000 km/h;
• Possesses incredible maneuverability;
• Able to plan;
• During the flight, it can go into space.

Although the tests have not yet been completed, everything suggests that by 2025 Russia may have this supersonic glider armed with nuclear warheads. Such a weapon will be able to appear almost anywhere in the world within an hour and deliver a precision nuclear strike.

Dmitry Rogozin said that Russia's defense industry, which was the most developed and advanced during the Soviet era, fell far behind in the arms race in the 1990s and 2000s. Over the past decade, the Russian army has begun to revive. Soviet equipment is being replaced by modern high-tech models, and fifth-generation weapons, which have been “stuck” in design bureaus in the form of paper projects since the 1990s, are beginning to take on quite specific shapes. According to Rogozin, the new Russian weapons could surprise the world with their unpredictability. Under the unpredictable weapon, most likely, they meant the Yu-71 glider, armed with nuclear warheads.

Although this device has been developed since at least 2010, information about its tests came to the US military only in 2015. The Pentagon fell into complete despondency because of this, because in the case of the use of the Yu-71, the entire missile defense system, which is installed along the perimeter of the territory of Russia, becomes absolutely useless. In addition, the United States of America itself becomes defenseless against this secret nuclear glider.

Yu-71 is able not only to deliver nuclear strikes against the enemy. Due to the presence of a powerful state-of-the-art electronic warfare system, the glider is capable of in a few minutes, flying over the territory of the United States, to disable all detection stations equipped with electronic equipment.

According to NATO reports, from 2020 to 2025, up to 24 Yu-71-type devices may appear in the Russian army, any of which is capable of crossing the enemy border unnoticed and destroying an entire city with a few shots.

Russian plans for the development of hyperweapons

Although no official statements have been made in Russia regarding the adoption of the Yu-71, it is known that development began at least in 2009. Back in 2004, a statement was made that the spacecraft, which is capable of developing hypersonic speed, has successfully passed the tests. It is also known that the test vehicle is capable of not only flying along a given course, but also performing various maneuvers in flight.

The key feature of the new weapon will be precisely this ability to perform maneuvers at supersonic speeds. Doctor of Military Sciences Konstantin Sivkov argues that modern intercontinental missiles are capable of reaching supersonic speeds, although they only act as ballistic warheads. The flight path of these missiles is easy to calculate and prevent. The main danger for the enemy is precisely controlled aircraft, which are able to change direction and move along a complex and unpredictable trajectory.

At a meeting of the military-industrial commission, which was held in Tula on September 19, 2012, Dmitry Rogozin made a statement that we should expect the emergence of a new holding that will take over all aspects of the development of hypersonic technologies. Also at this conference, enterprises were named that should be part of the new holding:

• NPO Mashinostroeniya, which is now directly involved in the development of supersonic technologies. To create a holding, "NPO Mashinostroeniya" must leave Roskosmos;
• The next part of the new holding should be the Tactical Missiles Corporation;
• The Almaz-Antey Concern, whose field of activity currently lies in the field of anti-missile and aerospace spheres, should also be actively assisted in the work of the holding.

Although, according to Rogozin, this merger has long been necessary, due to some legal aspects, it has not yet taken place. Rogozin stressed that this process is precisely a merger, and not a takeover of one company by another. It is this process that will significantly accelerate the development of hypersonic technologies in the military field.

Director of the Center for Analysis of the World Arms Trade, military expert and chairman of the Public Council under the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation Igor Korotchenko supports the merger ideas voiced by Rogozin. According to him, the new holding will be able to fully concentrate its efforts on the creation of new promising types of weapons. Since both enterprises have great potential, together they will be able to make a significant contribution to the development of the Russian defense complex.

If by 2025 Russia will be armed with not only hypersonic missiles with nuclear warheads, but also Yu-71 gliders, this will be a serious bid in negotiations with the United States. Due to the fact that America is accustomed to acting from a position of strength in all negotiations of this type, dictating to the other side only favorable conditions for itself, full-fledged negotiations with it can only be carried out with new powerful weapons. Forcing the United States to listen to the words of the opponent is possible only by seriously frightening the Pentagon.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the Army-2015 conference, noted that the nuclear forces will receive 40 of the latest intercontinental missiles. Many understood that they meant hypersonic missiles, which are able to overcome all known missile defense systems. The president's words are indirectly confirmed by Viktor Murakhovsky (a member of the expert council under the chairman of the military-industrial commission), saying that Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles are being improved every year.

Russia is developing cruise missiles that are capable of flying at hypersonic speeds. These missiles are capable of reaching targets at ultra-low altitudes. All modern missile defense systems that are in service with NATO are not able to hit targets flying at such low altitudes. In addition, all modern missile defense systems are capable of intercepting targets that fly at a speed of no more than 800 meters per second, so even if you do not count the Yu71 glider, Russian supersonic intercontinental missiles will be enough to render NATO missile defense systems useless.

According to the latest data, it is known that the United States and China are also developing their own analogue of the Yu-71, only Chinese development can really compete with Russian development. The Americans, to their deepest sorrow, have not yet been able to achieve serious success in this area.

The Chinese glider is known as the Wu-14. This device was officially tested only in 2012, but as a result of these tests, it was able to reach speeds of over 11,000 km / h. Although the general public knows about the speed qualities of the Chinese development, there is not a word anywhere about the weapons that the Chinese glider will be equipped with.

The American supersonic drone Falcon HTV-2, which was tested several years ago, suffered a crushing fiasco - it simply lost control and crashed after 10 minutes of flight.

If supersonic weapons become the standard armament of the Russian Space Forces, then the entire missile defense system will become practically useless. The introduction of supersonic technologies will make a real revolution in the military sphere around the world.