This was a signal of possible escalation. The actual missile didn't do much damage.
There is discussion that some of the re-entry vehicle payloads were dummy weight I.e the type of missile you would use in a test
Also discuss it was not technically an ICBM, but more intermediate.
One account I read said the important thing was that it had multiple independent re-entry vehicles MIRV. Multiple because they could spread out among different targets. Independent means they could individually attack different targets. So you could cover a wide wide area.
Putin did a speak to gens and others, small meeting, in which he said what the missile(s) were: a new type hypersonic, Mach 10, first field use (the response). Primary testing was complete, and it was decided to use it as response. The missile had no warhead (explosive), and the initial field test relied on velocity only. There was no possibility of it being shot down by patriot missiles, as with previous Russian hypersonics.
In other words, it didn't leave atmosphere, it was simply ballistic.
If you're not familiar with hypervelocity "explosives", consider the USN's rail gun (under development in early 1970s, but kept quiet). The projectile has no explosives and relies entirely on high velocity impact. Whatever anyone says, it works.
This was a signal of possible escalation. The actual missile didn't do much damage.
There is discussion that some of the re-entry vehicle payloads were dummy weight I.e the type of missile you would use in a test
Also discuss it was not technically an ICBM, but more intermediate.
One account I read said the important thing was that it had multiple independent re-entry vehicles MIRV. Multiple because they could spread out among different targets. Independent means they could individually attack different targets. So you could cover a wide wide area.
Putin did a speak to gens and others, small meeting, in which he said what the missile(s) were: a new type hypersonic, Mach 10, first field use (the response). Primary testing was complete, and it was decided to use it as response. The missile had no warhead (explosive), and the initial field test relied on velocity only. There was no possibility of it being shot down by patriot missiles, as with previous Russian hypersonics. In other words, it didn't leave atmosphere, it was simply ballistic. If you're not familiar with hypervelocity "explosives", consider the USN's rail gun (under development in early 1970s, but kept quiet). The projectile has no explosives and relies entirely on high velocity impact. Whatever anyone says, it works.