Russia To Put Hypersonic ‘Avangard’ on ‘Experimental’ Combat Duty

Nov. 13, 2019 (EIRNS)—The Russian Strategic Missile Forces are reportedly moving ahead with the deployment of the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle. A source in the Russian defense industry told TASS yesterday that two UR-100N UTTKh ICBMs (NATO designation SS-19) will soon go on “experimental” combat duty equipped with Avangard vehicles.

“In late November—early December, two UR-100N UTTKh missiles equipped with the hypersonic glide vehicles from the first regiment of Avangard systems will assume experimental combat duty in the Dombarovsky division of the Strategic Missile Force,” the source said.

TASS observes that in October 2018 another source reported that the plan was that two Avangard regiments with six silo-based missiles each were due to assume combat duty in Russia.