Trump Accuses Russia of Stealing “Super Hypersonic” Missile Blueprints From the US

US President Donald Trump accused Russia of stealing the design for a hypersonic missile originally developed in the United States, Fox News reported on January 23.

According to Trump, the alleged theft occurred between 2009 and 2017, during Barack Obama’s presidency.

“Russia stole the design—they got it from us. Some bad person gave them the design for the super hypersonic [missile],” Trump stated.

Despite the alleged theft, Trump expressed confidence that the US will develop its own hypersonic missiles that are “even a step better” than Russia’s. He promised that work on the advanced weapons would begin “fairly soon.” He also emphasized the growing importance of drones and air power in future warfare.

This isn’t the first time Trump has accused Russia of stealing hypersonic missile technology. In 2020, he claimed Moscow possessed a “super-duper hypersonic missile” five times faster than standard missiles and alleged that the information had been obtained during the Obama administration.

During his 2023 campaign, Trump reiterated these claims at a rally, prompting a response from the Kremlin. Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin, dismissed Trump’s accusations, asserting that Russia has its own hypersonic missile technology.

Read more

Category

War in Ukraine

The US is Modernizing Its Nuclear Weapons. Could This Achieve Peace Through Strength?

Jan 23, 2025 18:25

“Our missile is a good one, unparalleled in the world. I’m not sure whether it fits into Mr. Trump’s understanding of ‘super-duper,’ but we have it. And not just one,” Peskov remarked.

Russia has officially developed multiple hypersonic missile systems, including the sea-based Zircon, the air-launched Kinzhal, and the silo-based Avangard. The latter features a hypersonic glide vehicle capable of evading missile defense systems.

In 2023, Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed that while Moscow has not “actively used” its hypersonic arsenal in military conflicts, the weapons remain a critical component of the nation’s defense capabilities.

The US, meanwhile, faced significant delays in hypersonic missile development. In May 2020, Trump announced plans to create a missile 17 times faster than the world’s fastest, capable of striking targets up to 1,600 kilometers away. Initial tests were conducted in March 2020.

However, reports from The Wall Street Journal indicated that US hypersonic programs remain in the early stages, with operational weapons unlikely to enter service for another decade.

Earlier, reports emerged that the production of Russia’s experimental Oreshnik missile, recently deployed against Ukraine, continues to rely heavily on advanced Western manufacturing equipment.