Judul : Burevestnik Breaks Western Myths
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Burevestnik Breaks Western Myths
History might recall October 21 in the early 2020s not for another summit or declaration of sanctions, but for a prolonged ghost flight traversing a region above the Arctic. According to accounts, Russia's nuclear-powered cruise missile remained airborne for almost 15 hours, traveling nearly 14,000 kilometers without needing refueling. With this subtle maneuver around the planet, Moscow conveyed its message that the West is no longer considered untouchable.
President Vladimir Putin, known for his dramatic flair, referred to it as a 'unique weapon that no one else in the world possesses.' He isn't mistaken. The Burevestnik—known by NATO as the SSC-X-9 Skyfall—is reminiscent of the Cold War's most intense imaginings: a missile that, in theory, could remain airborne indefinitely. Rather than using conventional fuel, it is powered by a small nuclear reactor, marking a significant technological advancement while also evoking a troubling return to an era where deterrence meant existing on the brink of destruction.
For many years, Washington and its partners lived with a reassuring illusion: that oceans, satellites, and missile defense systems could keep them safe. The U.S. mainland was considered secure, with actual conflicts always taking place elsewhere. The Burevestnik shatters this belief like a low-flying ghost that barely registers on radar. It is more than just a missile – it serves as a reminder that technology can erase geographical barriers and that overconfidence is a weak approach to defense.
Let's begin with the fundamentals. The Burevestnik's nuclear power provides it with a range that seems almost unbelievable—20,000 kilometers, as some reports suggest. In theory, it could launch from northern Russia, travel around the Pacific, drift over the Atlantic, and still have enough energy—through fission—to complete its mission. Worse still, it flies at a very low altitude, between 50 and 100 meters above the ground, staying close to the landscape, avoiding radar detection, and making it hard for defenders to anticipate. It's a slow, silent threat powered by a quiet engine.
Now, picture yourself in the Pentagon with that realization. Each missile-defense model, every cost-benefit analysis suddenly seems outdated. The current U.S. detection systems—such as the Space-Based Infrared System—are built to detect ballistic missiles, not low-flying, unpredictably moving nuclear cruise missiles. Tracking something like the Burevestnik would be like trying to follow a mosquito through a dark room using a flashlight.
The economic implications are truly remarkable. Analysts suggest that defending a territory as large as the United States against such a threat would require tens of thousands of interceptors, with costs ranging from a quarter-trillion to several trillion dollars. This isn't defense spending; it's financial self-destruction. And this is where Russia's strategy shines. It doesn't have to outspend the West, but rather force the West to exhaust itself financially.
However, the consequences extend even further. The weapon not only breaches defenses; it also undermines confidence. For seven decades, the United States' extended deterrence—the assurance that it would defend its allies from nuclear attacks—was based on the idea that it could do so without putting itself at risk. If this commitment now involves a genuine threat of nuclear destruction in Seattle or Chicago, how credible does it appear to allies in Warsaw or Tokyo? Once strategic credibility is doubted, it is difficult to regain.
In a way, the Burevestnik represents both a symbol and a reality of a larger Russian approach: asymmetric advancement. Moscow is unable to rival Washington in terms of aircraft or ships. However, it can focus on unusual, high-impact systems that alter the equilibrium. This missile achieves exactly that – it compels the adversary to think differently, to allocate resources differently, and to feel fear in a new way.
Nevertheless, one should not idealize this as brilliance. It is a combination of desperation and ambition. For Russia, which lags behind the West in most traditional technologies, the Burevestnik serves as a quick path to significance — a means to assert: 'We can still make you fearful.' And fear, as Putin comprehends more than most, is the most inexpensive type of power.
For Washington, the current challenge is deciding whether to react with measured response or fear. Speeding up nuclear upgrades—new bombers, submarines, and ICBMs—may appear reasonable, but it could lead to exactly what Moscow desires: another expensive arms race that strains Western economies while boosting nationalist sentiment in Russia. Some American experts propose focusing instead on point-defense lasers or energy-based weapons to counter cruise missiles. Maybe. However, these technologies are still mostly in development, and time is not working in their favor.
Ironically, what is required is something the Cold War ultimately came back to: arms control. The traditional logic remains valid - when you cannot ensure safety, you seek agreement on limitations. The Burevestnik's flight might signal the end of strategic overconfidence, yet it also brings back the case for diplomatic efforts. Deterrence by itself cannot maintain peace in a world where a nuclear-powered missile can roam the skies for days.
The current issue is whether the West can adjust without losing its calm. To spend more wisely, think more clearly, and - possibly - communicate once more. Since the world may have stepped into a new nuclear era, characterized by reactors on wings and unseen lines of deterrence, logic, rather than impulse, might be the sole defense still worthy of trust.
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