---
title: "Russia Becomes First Nation with an Operational Hypersonic Weapon"
description: "Russia says that it has an operational hypersonic weapon — the world's first — and plans to mount it on an intercontinental ballistic missile."
date: "2019-12-27"
modified: "2019-12-27"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/russia-first-nation-operational-hypersonic-weapon"
categories:
  - "Future Society"
tags:
  - "hypersonic missiles"
  - "military"
  - "Russia"
  - "the digest"
---

# Russia Becomes First Nation with an Operational Hypersonic Weapon

![Russia says that it has an operational hypersonic weapon — the world's first — and plans to mount it on an intercontinental ballistic missile.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/russia-first-nation-operational-hypersonic-weapon.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Sputnik News\</em\>*

## War Sometimes Changes

Russia just revealed that its hypersonic weapon — the Avangard — is now operational, making it the first military in possession of a new class of nuclear weapon against which other militaries [currently cannot defend](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/raytheon-hypersonic-tactical-boost-glide>).

The United States and Russia [have been working](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/russian-military-testing-lasers-hypersonic-weapons>) on hypersonic weapons for years, and the news that either country has built one — especially [before figuring out](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/pentagon-hypersonic-missiles-satellites>) how to [defend against them](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/raytheon-lasers-hypersonic-missiles>) — is a particularly troubling sign for the future of warfare.

## Victory Lap

The Avangard can travel at 27 times the [speed of sound](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/darpa-missile-nukes-sound>) and rapidly maneuver to dodge any missile defense systems that attempt to block it, [according to *The Associated Press*](<https://apnews.com/597e7f2b20b21af959e4c6983b255c37>). It will be mounted on intercontinental ballistic missiles that, as part of a transparency initiative and/or major flex, Russia recently demonstrated for American inspectors.

Sergei Shoigu, Russia's Defense Minister, announced that the Avangard is now operational in a meeting with President Vladimir Putin and various military leaders, the *AP* reports.

"I congratulate you on this landmark event for the military and the entire nation," he told the crowd.

## "Like a Fireball"

In a national address last year, when the Avangard was still being developed and tested, Putin said that "it heads to target like a meteorite, like a fireball."

Now, the *AP* reports, he's making it clear to the rest of the world: Russia just pulled way ahead in the global arms race.

**READ MORE:** [Russia commissions intercontinental hypersonic weapon](<https://apnews.com/597e7f2b20b21af959e4c6983b255c37>) \[*The Associated Press*\]

**More on hypersonic weapons:** *[The Pentagon Needs Help Intercepting "Hypersonic" Nukes](<https://futurism.com/pentagon-darpa-intercepting-hypersonic-nukes>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)