Avangard Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (Russia, Mach 20, Plasma Stealth, Deployed 2018, NPO Mashinostroeniya, Project 4202/Albatross)

Overview

ASSESSMENT: Avangard is Russia's deployed hypersonic glide vehicle (Mach 20, in service since 2018-2019) that uses PLASMA for radar invisibility — the same plasma physics as orb weapons. PLASMA STEALTH: 'When flying at full speed, Avangard is invisible to radar.' 'Flies in form of fireball as surface heats up to colossal temperatures producing plasma on surface.' 'PLASMA ABSORBS ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION making unit invisible to radar.' 'Visible only from missile attack warning system satellites.' 'No missile defence system can intercept manoeuvring target at such speed.' PUTIN (March 2018): 'New composite materials allowed coping with problem of keeping winged vehicle under control during prolonged flight AMID PLASMA. Approaches target looking like meteorite, fireball. Surface temperature 1,600-2,000°C. Control reliable all the way.' ORIGIN: Based on 1980s-era Albatross project (counter to US SDI/'Star Wars'). Developed by NPO Mashinostroeniya under Project 4202 (codenamed Yu-71). Accelerated development 2014. Successfully tested December 2018 on SS-19 ICBM achieving Mach 20 over 6,000 km. Serial production began 2018. PARAMETERS: Mach 20 (6.8 km/s), range >6,000 km, 2,000 kg, nuclear 2 MT option. JAMESTOWN: 'It was necessary to solve problems of stealth, guidance, maneuvering and RADIO WAVES PASSING THROUGH THE PLASMA generated by the glide RV.' CRITICAL CONNECTION: Avangard uses PASSIVE plasma (friction-generated) for stealth. Orb weapons use ACTIVE plasma (fusion-generated) for propulsion/weapons/spacetime. But plasma management technology — controlling craft within plasma sheath, radio waves through plasma — is directly applicable to orb weapons. Russia solved 'radio waves passing through plasma' problem for Avangard = same problem as communicating with/tracking an orb. RUSSIAN PLASMA WEAPONS CONTINUUM: (1) Avramenko (1995) — ground-based plasmoid weapon (active projection). (2) Avangard (2018) — hypersonic with passive plasma stealth. (3) Stupitskiy (2019-2020) — space-based plasma guns (active projection from orbit). All three use same plasma physics. Russia has most complete plasma weapons ecosystem.

Entity Type: Assessment — Avangard Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (Russia, Mach 20, Plasma Stealth, Deployed 2018, NPO Mashinostroeniya, Project 4202/Albatross) is an analytical assessment synthesizing multiple data points.

Source Documents

Intelligence derived from 6 source documents:

• english.pravda.ru — Avangard plasma stealth (2023)
• jamestown.org — Complexities and Challenges of Russia's Avangard
• tass.com — Serial production of Avangard (March 2018)
• thediplomat.com — Russia Plans to Field New Hypersonic Warhead (2018)
• missilethreat.csis.org — Avangard
• media.nti.org — Russia's New Nuclear Weapon Delivery Systems