Missile Avangard

The Avangard (Russian: Авангард, "Vanguard") is a Russian hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) previously designated Objekt 4202, Yu-71 and Yu-74. Development was presented by Russian officials as a response to the United States withdrawal from the ABM Treaty in 2002 and to subsequent plans for ballistic missile defence deployments in Europe. In 2007, Vladimir Putin stated that Russia was working on strategic weapons systems flying at hypersonic speed and able to change trajectory in both altitude and direction. In October 2016, a flight test used an R-36M2 heavy ICBM launched from Dombarovsky Air Base against a target at the Kura Missile Test Range; this was reported as the first fully successful test of the glide vehicle. On 1 March 2018, during the presidential address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow, Putin announced that testing was complete and that the system had entered serial production, a statement subsequently confirmed by the commander of the Strategic Rocket Forces, Colonel General Sergey Karakayev. The Avangard was one of six strategic weapons unveiled on that occasion.

The Avangard is not a missile in itself but a payload carried by heavy intercontinental ballistic missiles, including the UR-100N UTTKh, the R-36M2 and the RS-28 Sarmat. It can be delivered as a multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle payload. Open-source analysis by Janes Information Services describes it as a pure glide vehicle without an independent propulsion system, deriving its velocity entirely from the boost phase of the carrier ICBM. Russia has claimed speeds in excess of Mach 20.

Unlike conventional ballistic reentry vehicles, the Avangard manoeuvres during its glide phase and operates at lower altitudes, following a depressed and non-ballistic trajectory. On approach to the target, the vehicle is described as capable of sharp horizontal and vertical evasive manoeuvres at high speed. The combination of manoeuvrability, low trajectory and high velocity complicates interception by existing missile defence systems, which are optimised against predictable ballistic trajectories.

The system can deliver both nuclear and conventional payloads. Russian statements have not specified yield figures for the nuclear variant.

Russia is the sole operator. The Avangard is fielded by the Strategic Rocket Forces, mounted on UR-100N UTTKh ICBMs of the 13th Red Banner Rocket Division at Yasny, Orenburg Oblast, where deployment began at the end of 2019. Integration with the RS-28 Sarmat has been announced as the intended long-term carrier. No combat use has been recorded.

In September 2020, Herbert Yefremov was awarded the Order of St. Andrew for his contributions to the development of the Avangard.