In December, 2018 I wrote anarticle for Asia Times discussing Russia’s Avangard fractional orbiting nuclear weapon system.

Today’s revelation suggesting that Russia intends to deploy a space based nuclear weapon has elicited demands that the Biden administration tell the American people what the intelligence reports say – and that the information should all be declassified.

We now await a decision on this by Biden’s National Security Council.

Jake Sullivan, the President’s national security advisor,is preparing to brief members of Congress on the intelligence committees. At the same time it is reported that all members of Congress have been informed in messages. Exactly what the administration’s information is, and how big a threat we face, is not yet clear.

If, in fact, we are speaking of the Avangard, Russia’s hypersonic, fractional orbiting system, or anything similar, then it is a threat the United States should have taken seriously previously and should have put in place programs to counter it.

There also may be an espionage aspect to the story. The Russians have arrested a number of top scientists involved in hypersonic weapon research. At least one of them died after being apprehended. In addition, one or more of them are implicated in sharing missile technology with a US defense company.

Probably a lot more is involved, but we don’t have much information about what happened in Russia.

Meanwhile, the 2018 article in Asia Times may prove helpful. You can read it below.

One modification: the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty referred to was cancelled by the United States in 2018 and the Russians pulled out of the treaty in 2019.

Russia’s Hypersonic ICBM Wreaks Havoc on US-Russia Arms Agreements

by Stephen Bryen

ASI