“Listen to us now” as Russia completes trials of miniature nuclear reactors for drone and missile propulsion

The Russian TASS news agency reported on 4 March that trials of a miniaturized nuclear power unit to be installed as a drive unit on cruise missiles and underwater drones have been completed. This was revealed to TASS by a military-diplomatic source, who is as yet unnamed.

Russia has completed the trials of miniaturized nuclear power units for cruise missiles of unlimited range and for autonomous submersibles of an oceanic multi-purpose system. To date, those technologies have been designed and put into practice only by Russia.”

This is not a nuclear warhead that has been developed. It is a tiny nuclear reactor that can be used as a propulsion system. It is designed so small that it can power a cruise missile and give it nearly unlimited range and unlimited flight time. The use of this reactor in the new underwater drones are reported to give the drones great speed in water, far higher than the speeds achieved by the fastest torpedoes or submarines.

The source noted that Russia has signaled these developments in the past to its “uncooperative Western partners” with hints and leaks about such developments in hopes of restarting the dialogue on global security.

President Putin has long criticized the moves by the US to establish what amounts to a hegemony and in recent years as Russia has reconstituted herself into a major and great power, the United States has responded by increasing pressure on Russia and also by encircling the country with NATO installations and weapons batteries, which the Russians believe are there to intimidate them.

This matter came to a head publicly last week, with the Russian president announcing radically new and innovative weapons technologies not only in development, but in deployment and active use. The West appears to be still trying to come to terms with this, and not a few in the West have doubted that Russia has even done this.

NBC reporter Megyn Kelly tried to press Vladimir Putin to admit that these weapons are just rhetorical devices, but Putin insisted that all this is a real fact. Today’s report from TASS goes a bit farther in confirming that.

President Putin insists also that the aims of Russia are not to conquer or even attack anyone, and he expressed hope that the Americans would return to the negotiating table to find a solution that protects all of the world from the horror of such nuclear conflict.