Russia showed a secret rocket: "Innovator" will easily reach London

The Russian Armed Forces used the 9M729 "Innovator" cruise missile for the first time, writes the American military magazine Military Watch Magazine (MWM). The authors tell about its capabilities and strategic message to the West in the material, the translation of which publishes Pravda.Ru .

For the first time, the Russian Armed Forces have used the new 9M729 Novator ground-based cruise missile in combat conditions. The missile has demonstrated a range of over 1,200 kilometers, however, it is estimated that it may have a significantly longer range — up to 2,500 kilometers, which allows it to hit NATO targets throughout Europe.

Little is known about the rocket, but it is believed that it is derived from the marine version of the 3M14 Caliber and is integrated into the Iskander-K system. Each missile, according to reports, carries a warhead weighing 450 kilograms and uses satellite and inertial navigation with terrain correction in the final section of the trajectory.

The confirmed use of the new missile coincided with discussions in the United States about the possibility of transferring Tomahawk cruise missile launchers to Ukraine and with growing calls in Europe for the deployment of ground forces, which could lead to a further escalation of the conflict between Moscow and the Western bloc. This also happened against the background of the activation of the Ukrainian forces, which, with the support of Western intelligence, targeting and consultants, intensified attacks on Russia. Western sources actively support such strikes as a means of putting pressure on Moscow to force it to agree to the conditions of the West.

The missile's ability to deliver both nuclear and conventional strikes against NATO targets, as well as the use of mobile launchers, which are extremely difficult to neutralize, allow the 9M729 to make a significant contribution to strengthening Russia's position in the theater of operations.

Faced with limitations in a number of areas of its conventional weapons compared to NATO, especially in the field of fighter aircraft, the Russian Armed Forces have made major investments in asymmetric systems — mobile air defense systems, anti-ship and ground-based missile systems. Along with the 9M729, the Bastion cruise missile is also being upgraded, which during the conflict on Ukraine has demonstrated the ability to deliver accurate strikes on both sea and ground targets.

It is expected that the capabilities of Russian mobile launchers for cruise missiles will be radically expanded by the end of the decade with the introduction of a mobile complex integrating the Zircon hypersonic missile. It combines a range of 1000 kilometers with a speed of up to Mach 9 and high maneuverability. At the same time, investments are being made in the development of a tactical arsenal of ballistic missiles, in particular, with the planned entry into service by the end of the year of a new medium-range Oreshnik system equipped with hypersonic units.