Russia recently offered a behind-the-scenes look at how it tests military vehicles’ resistance to the effects that result from a nuclear warhead going off. This included demonstrations of a huge blast tube and an electromagnetic pulse generator, recreating what might happen to a vehicle, its occupants, and various onboard systems if it were to find itself in the wake of a nuclear detonation.
The Kremlin has now acknowledged that the incident killed at least seven scientists and other personnel from major state nuclear research laboratory, who were working on a system that included a small nuclear reactor at the time. This same lab is linked to the development of a nuclear-powered cruise missile called Burevestnik and U.S. intelligence officials are reportedly increasingly of the view that one of these weapons, or a test article related to it, exploded in this mishap.
The U.S. government says that Russia may be conducting low-yield nuclear testing at a remote site above the Arctic Circle in violation of its obligations under the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, or CTBT. The allegation comes at a time when arms control deals between the two countries appear especially fragile. At the same time, the two nuclear-armed nations are actively working to modernize and diversify their arsenals.
Recovering the wreck could give the Kremlin additional information to inform future tests and would keep the design out of foreign hands.
The podded air sampling equipment will greatly expand the service’s ability to rapidly collect data on nuclear incidents abroad and at home.
The regime in Pyongyang has already canceled a meeting with South Korean officials over the issue and appears to be look for more concessions.
With Russia building floating nuclear reactors and possibly testing nuclear-powered cruise missiles, there are good reasons for this training.
Successful or not, if Russia is test flying these weapons, this means it has been repeatedly crashing nuclear reactors into the ground or the ocean.
The service desperately needs newer atmospheric testing planes, which are essential for monitoring both nuclear testing and accidents.
