Avangard

Avangard is a Russian hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) developed to deliver payloads by intercontinental ballistic missiles. It is designed to penetrate modern air defenses by gliding after boost-phase at high speeds and performing rapid maneuvers to avoid interception, before delivering its payload to a target.

Development and design: The program emerged as part of Russia’s effort to modernize its strategic weapons in the 2010s. The glider is released from a ballistic missile booster, then separates to fly under its own control as a maneuvering glide vehicle. Its aerodynamic design and onboard guidance aim to provide a highly maneuverable flight path at hypersonic speeds, enabling changes in trajectory during the terminal phase. Avangard can carry a nuclear payload, with debate over the full extent of its conventional capabilities remaining largely undisclosed.

Operational history: Russia publicly disclosed demonstrations of the system starting in the late 2010s. In 2019, Russian officials stated that the Avangard system had entered combat duty as part of its strategic forces. Deployment is linked to existing intercontinental ballistic missiles and is associated with the broader modernization of Russia’s strategic arsenal. International observers view Avangard as a significant element of Russia’s hypersonic weapons program and as a development challenging conventional missile defense architectures.

Specifications and status: Precise technical specifications are rarely disclosed publicly. Reported capabilities emphasize speeds well above conventional ballistic missile velocities, high-altitude maneuverability, and the ability to alter approach trajectories to reach targets. The program is tightly controlled by the Russian state, with limited independent verification.

See also: Hypersonic weapons, RS-28 Sarmat, Zircon hypersonic missile.