TV channel CNBC claims, that Russia is able to produce only a limited number of units of a hypersonic weapon. CNBC is based on sources, familiar with US intelligence report.
US intelligence is confident, that Moscow will produce only a very limited number of Avangard hypersonic missiles, that, according to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, are already in production.
Kremlin struggles to find supplier for critical carbon fiber components, necessary for the production of these hypersonic missiles. The problem is, that the current coating does not withstand the extreme temperatures of hypersonic flight, and, according to US intelligence, Moscow has yet to find a replacement.
We expect, that Russia will release no more 60 units of various types of hypersonic weapons due to the fact, that it is simply too expensive to develop.
– a source told CNBC on condition of anonymity.
Since Moscow gave priority to the Avangard program, expected, that this missile will reach initial operational readiness for 2020 year.
– the report said. Expected, that this move will allow the Kremlin to surpass the US and China.
At the end of December, the Ministry of Defense conducted a test launch of a missile from the Avangard complex.: she managed to hit the target in Kamchatka, located six thousand kilometers from the launch point. With this, the flight test program of the Russian hypersonic missile ended.. This year, the first regiment of the Avangards should be on combat duty..
