Latest news with #WC-135R
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Putin's NUCLEAR Game: Russia Shuts Airspace For Burevestnik ICBM Test
/ Aug 09, 2025, 08:37AM IST Russia is reportedly on the brink of testing its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile, raising global security alarms. This cutting-edge weapon is designed to evade Western air defences and travel unlimited distances using a nuclear propulsion system. Recent military activity near Novaya Zemlya, including a 500-km airspace closure and multiple naval vessels in position, signals that preparations are nearing completion. Meanwhile, the US has deployed a WC-135R "nuke sniffer" aircraft near Russian nuclear bases to monitor any radioactive activity. Watch as tensions escalate and the nuclear arms race intensifies in this exclusive update.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Vladimir Putin 'plans nuclear missile tests' for weapon with 'unlimited range'
Russia President Vladimir Putin unveiled the Burevestnik nuclear missile in 2018 and increased activity at the Pankovo test site has fuelled suspicions of an imminent test Vladimir Putin is feared to have green lighted new tests for his 'Flying Chernobyl ' nuclear missile, which is supposedly capable of flying for days or even weeks on end as it probes weaknesses in Western defences. The 'miracle' Burevestnik was originally announced by Putin in 2018 but more than a dozen tests so far have been deemed failures. The super weapon has previously been described as 'a radically new type of weaponry' with 'unlimited range and unlimited ability to manoeuvre'. Increased activity at the Pankovo test site on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic has fuelled suspicions of an imminent test, according to Decker Evelet, a nuclear weapons expert at the CNA analytical company. It comes after Putin warns of nuclear war after unleashing another night of hell on Ukraine. The US also recently sent a WC-135R radiation reconnaissance aircraft of the Air Force to Novaya Zemlya, which suggests a possible test could be imminent, according to the independent Moscow Times. The aircraft - which is equipped with sensors to track nuclear tests - flew from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk for about 14 hours over the Barents Sea, and close to the coast of Russia 's Murmansk region, west of Novaya Zemlya. Russia has made multiple attempts to test the unlimited range Burevestnik - also known as Skyfall - none of which have been successful. The Burevestnik's longest flight was only around 22 miles, lasting two minutes. In 2019, the Burevestnik notoriously crashed into the Barents Sea, and a retrieval operation led to an explosion that killed seven scientists from the closed nuclear city Sarov, triggering radiation in Scandinavia. Putin dubbed them 'national heroes' without explaining details of their deaths. Last year traces of radioactive Cesium-137 were measured along Norway's border with Russia, leading to unconfirmed concerns over activity at the Pankovo test site for the Burevestnik. The readings were from analysis of filters from Viksjøfjell and Svanhovd in Norway. The Burevestnik is viewed by the Russian dictator as a game-changing 'doomsday' weapon with an unlimited range. It is seen by the Kremlin as a low-flying 'stealth' cruise missile incapable of interception by existing Western air defences and delivering nuclear warheads anywhere around the globe. A report by the Nuclear Threat Initiative - a non-profit arms control group - said Russia had conducted 13 known tests between 2017 and 2019, all of which were unsuccessful. It is called the 'Flying Chernobyl' because it emits radioactive exhaust due to its unshielded or partially shielded reactor, raising ecological and safety concerns. The nickname relates to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant explosion in 1986. The Burevestnik is believed to be launched by a solid-fuel rocket motor. Then a small nuclear reactor activates in flight, which potentially allows it to stay aloft threatening Western countries almost indefinitely. The nuclear weapon was among a group of 'doomsday' weapons unveiled by Putin in March 2018, alongside the Poseidon nuclear torpedo, Kinzhal hypersonic missile, Avangard glide vehicle, and the Sarmat - or Satan-2 - giant nuclear rocket.
News18
5 days ago
- General
- News18
US Deploys 'Nuke Sniffer' Near Russia's Nuclear Bases After Moscow Exits Cold War-Era Treaty
Last Updated: A US Air Force WC-135R aircraft, occasionally called a "nuke sniffer", circled near Russia's northwestern Murmansk region after Moscow exited a Cold-War nuclear treaty. A US plane designed to track nuclear testing in the atmosphere flew close to Russian nuclear bases on Thursday, as per flight data, a day after Moscow announced its departure from the Cold War-era agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union, known as the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. A US Air Force WC-135R aircraft took off from RAF Mildenhall, a major UK base in the east of England, before traveling north along the coast west of Norway, Newsweek reported citing data from Flightradar24. The aircraft was identified by the call sign COBRA29 and circled around the Barents Sea, north of Murmansk and west of the Russian Arctic archipelago of Novaya Zemlya, before returning to the UK almost 14 hours later. There has been no word from the Russian Defence Ministry. About The 'Nuke Sniffer' Notably, the WC-135R aircraft, also known as Constant Phoenix or a 'nuke sniffer", collects data from the atmosphere, particularly radioactive clouds that indicate nuclear activity, according to the US Air Force. The US and UK have sent surveillance aircraft on multiple flights up close to Murmansk in recent weeks. Analysts tracking the flight online said it could indicate that Russia may soon carry out tests of its 9M730 Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile at a launch site, according to Newsweek. The weapon is believed to be able to carry multiple nuclear warheads and dodge Western air defences, while travelling close to unlimited distances. Moscow last carried out a nuclear test in late 1990. Russia's Murmansk region borders NATO members Norway and Finland, and it is home to several naval and strategic air bases, including those serving Moscow's formidable Northern Fleet, which play a significant role in the country's nuclear arsenal. Russia Exit From Nuclear Treaty The deployment was apparently after Russia pulled out of the treaty – which banned short and medium-range nuclear missiles – after Trump said that he had ordered the deployment of two US Navy nuclear submarines in 'appropriate regions" near Russia, in response to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's 'highly provocative" comments. Russian officials said Moscow 'no longer sees itself as limited" by restrictions previously placed on both nuclear and conventional intermediate-range and short-range missiles. The feud boiled over after Donald Trump gave Ukraine a drastically shortened ceasefire deadline, slashing the window from 50 days to just under two weeks. Medvedev accused Trump of pressuring Russia into a ceasefire with Ukraine, and warned that such ultimatums were drawing the US closer to full-scale war. He also mentioned the 'Dead Hand', a semi-automated Soviet-era system designed to ensure nuclear retaliation even if the Russian leadership were wiped out in a first strike, which sparked alarm. Location : Moscow, Russia First Published: August 06, 2025, 20:24 IST News world US Deploys 'Nuke Sniffer' Near Russia's Nuclear Bases After Moscow Exits Cold War-Era Treaty Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Newsweek
5 days ago
- General
- Newsweek
US Sends 'Nuke Sniffer' Toward Russia After Nuclear Warning Issued
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A U.S. plane designed to track nuclear testing in the atmosphere flew close to Russia's nuclear bases in the northwest of the country on Tuesday, flight data showed. A U.S. Air Force WC-135R aircraft took off from RAF Mildenhall, a major U.K. base in the east of England, before traveling north along the coast west of Norway, according to the flight-tracking platform Flightradar24. The aircraft, identified by the call sign COBRA29, then circled around the Barents Sea, north of Murmansk and west of the Russian Arctic archipelago of Novaya Zemlya, before returning to the U.K. almost 14 hours later. Newsweek has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry for comment via email. Why It Matters Russia's northwestern Murmansk region borders NATO members Norway and Finland, and it is home to several naval and strategic air bases, including those serving Moscow's formidable Northern Fleet. The Northern Fleet plays a significant role in Russia's nuclear arsenal. Recently, Russian officials have said Moscow "no longer sees itself as limited" by restrictions previously placed on both nuclear and conventional intermediate-range and short-range missiles. A U.S. Air Force WC-135 Constant Phoenix aircraft, designed to collect air samples from areas around the world where nuclear explosions have occurred, operates in an undisclosed location in this photograph taken on July 12,... A U.S. Air Force WC-135 Constant Phoenix aircraft, designed to collect air samples from areas around the world where nuclear explosions have occurred, operates in an undisclosed location in this photograph taken on July 12, 2011. More U.S. Air Force What To Know The WC-135R is a modified aircraft that collects data from the atmosphere, with the explicit purpose of supporting a 1963 nuclear treaty. The agreement between the U.S., the Soviet Union and the U.K. banned nuclear testing in the atmosphere. Also known as Constant Phoenix, the plane is occasionally dubbed a "nuke sniffer." The aircraft can "detect radioactive 'clouds' in real time," according to the Air Force. The U.S. and the U.K. have sent surveillance aircraft on multiple flights up close to Murmansk in recent weeks. Analysts tracking the flight online said it could indicate that Russia may soon carry out tests of its 9M730 Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile at a launch site on Novaya Zemlya. The remote archipelago has a long history of nuclear testing. In NATO parlance, the Burevestnik is known as the SSC-X-9 Skyfall. Russia has hailed the weapon, which is nuclear-powered and can carry nuclear warheads, as able to dodge Western air defenses and travel close to unlimited distances. Decker Eveleth, an analyst with the CNA think tank who has written extensively on the Burevestnik, reshared on social media a screenshot of the WC-135R's flight, saying it could be linked to a "possible Burevestnik test." The test site at Pankovo—on Novaya Zemlya—was "active," Eveleth said. Strategic Standoff The majority of nuclear tests over the decades have been carried out underground, according to the Arms Control Association, a nonprofit in the U.S. The 1963 Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty brought an end to most atmospheric testing, which was widespread in the early days of nuclear weapons development, according to the association. A total 528 early nuclear weapons tests involved detonations in the atmosphere that spread radioactive material, the Arms Control Association said. Moscow last carried out a nuclear test in late 1990. Russia's government has said repeatedly this month that it will not be bound by now-defunct limits on U.S. and Russian short-range and intermediate-range ballistic and cruise missiles, capable of carrying nuclear weapons. In 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed an agreement known as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which banned missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers, about 310 and 3,400 miles. The U.S. formally pulled out of the INF Treaty in mid-2019, during Trump's first term in office. Washington had accused Moscow of breaching the terms of the agreement by developing the SSC-8, also known as the 9M729 ground-launched cruise missile. NATO also accused Russia of violating the treaty, which Moscow denied. Both sides had suspended participation months earlier. Russia then said it would not deploy missiles banned under this treaty "until U.S.-manufactured missiles of similar classes" were rolled out, known as the INF moratorium. Both Russia and the U.S. have now deployed weapons that would have been banned under the INF Treaty if it were still in effect. In recent weeks, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, a hawkish figure now on Russia's security council, has become embroiled in a social media war of words with U.S. President Donald Trump. On Friday, Trump said he would redeploy two U.S. nuclear submarines after "highly provocative statements" by Medvedev, who had alluded to Russia's "dead hand" mechanism, which is designed to launch nuclear weapons even if Russia's most senior commanders are taken out by an enemy attack. The Kremlin distanced itself from the remarks, cautioning, "Everyone should be very careful about nuclear rhetoric."
Hindustan Times
17-06-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
US nuclear sniffer plane deployed amid Iran-Israel conflict? Here's what we know
Late Monday night, the U.S. nuclear 'sniffer' plane WC-135R 'Constant Phoenix' aircraft departed from Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska, the home of U.S. Strategic Command. Known informally as the 'nuclear sniffer,' the WC-135R is one of only three planes of its kind in existence. It's built for a very specific mission: to detect airborne radioactive particles and signs of nuclear fallout in real time. These aircraft are rarely deployed and usually only sent out when there's reason to suspect a nuclear event could be imminent. Air Force Times reported that the plane has been flying unusual patterns over the northern United States. While the Pentagon has not issued an official statement, its appearance follows unconfirmed reports that Israeli airstrikes may have hit Iranian nuclear facilities. On top of that, Tehran has issued strong warnings about potential retaliation. However, Brandon Holley, a Wireless Infrastructure Engineer, clarifed in an X thread, 'That was a training flight and its flight pattern aligns with flying over USSTRATCOM bases and some of our silo fields.'
