In the middle of this summer, with the light hand of American journalists, the foreign press began to discuss a promising Russian project of a hypersonic aircraft. Foreign journalists managed to find out that this development has the designation "4202" and U-71, as well as to establish some presumptive facts about the course of the project. Nevertheless, the bulk of information about the Russian project is classified, which is why the discussion of the few facts gradually turned to the expression of assumptions and estimates, as well as the most real speculations.
It should be noted that the project "4202" really exists and work on it has been underway at least since the beginning of this decade. However, despite the great interest from the public, the basic information about this development still remains classified. Nevertheless, some fragmentary data about a promising project have already been announced in various open sources. They do not provide a complete picture, but provide an opportunity to get a general idea of the latest project.
The first known mention of the topic "4202" refers to the report on the activities of the corporation "NPO Mashinostroyenia" for 2009. This document mentioned some work that was commissioned by the corporation, performed by the State Research and Production Center named after V. I. Khrunichev. At the same time, the project was mentioned in the context of the trial: NPO Mashinostroyenia owed a related organization more than half a million rubles. The report indicated that by January 1, 2010, the court ruled to partially satisfy the claim of the State Research and Production Space Center im. Khrunichev, however, the details of the project itself, for obvious reasons, were missing.
Launch of UR-100N UTTH ICBMs in launch vehicle configuration. Baikonur, December 14, 2014
The newspaper "Tribuna VPK" (corporate publication of NPO Mashinostroyenia) in the 13th issue of 2010 casually mentioned a promising project. The article "Upper class of the low zone" mentions that when organizing the production of "a complex bypass-forming hull frame of the F1 compartment on the topic 4202", the specialists of the enterprise had to use several original solutions for the production of a part of a complex shape on a CNC milling machine. As a result, all the tasks were successfully solved, resulting in the most complex contour detail of the frame.
The next time the project "4202" is mentioned in the article "Workshop of non-metals. Today and Tomorrow”in the 21st edition of the newspaper for the same year. According to this material, the workshop is actively involved in the implementation of a promising project and is engaged in the manufacture of non-metallic parts for the F1, F2 and F3 compartments of a new product supplied by related enterprises. Naturally, no details regarding the products were mentioned.
Later, information appeared about another related organization participating in the project. So, in 2011-12, the Orenburg Production Association Strela, preparing to participate in the 4202 project, carried out a kind of modernization of production facilities. According to reports, after the completion of the reconstruction of its workshops, the organization was to take part in the serial production of promising products.
It can be assumed that at the same time, the production facilities of the head enterprise of the project, NPO Mashinostroyenia, also underwent modernization.
In the 47th issue of the "Tribuna VPK" newspaper for 2012, the New Year's greetings from the General Director and General Designer of NPO Mashinostroyenia Alexander Leonov were published. In his address to his colleagues, the head of the enterprise noted that the President of Russia had set tasks for the near future on the promising topic "4202". As before, the representative of the enterprise did without unnecessary details that were not subject to publication in the press.
Confirmed data on the appearance of the product "4202" or U-71, as it is called in some sources, is not yet available. So far, one can only try to guess what a hypersonic aircraft created by the Russian industry looks like. Some assumptions on this score can be made based on data on other hypersonic programs, including foreign ones. The version about the relatively complex external contours of the apparatus is to a certain extent confirmed by an old article from the newspaper "Tribuna VPK".
At the same time, it is known that the composition of a new product contains at least three separate compartments with various equipment. In addition, there is reason to believe that both metallic and non-metallic aggregates are used in the design of the apparatus. For obvious reasons, specific materials remain unknown.
Information about the use of the product "4202" as a promising combat equipment for intercontinental ballistic missiles suggests that it has the ability to carry a warhead, and is also equipped with a guidance system and some control bodies.
All available data on the progress of the project "4202" suggest that a promising hypersonic product was released for testing no earlier than 2010-12. However, there are other assumptions. For example, in February 2004 at the Baikonur training ground, an ICBM of the UR-100N UTTH type was launched against a training target at the Kura training ground. Soon, the first deputy chief of the General Staff, Yuri Baluyevsky, said that during this training, a certain spacecraft was tested, which is capable of flying at hypersonic speed, as well as maneuvering along the course and altitude. Thus, it can be assumed that the 2004 launch had something to do with the current "4202" theme.
At the very end of 2011, the Interfax news agency, citing a high-ranking source in the General Staff, reported that in 2010 the Strategic Missile Forces conducted the first successful test launch of a missile with advanced combat equipment. At the same time, it was reported that a test launch of the UR-100N UTTH missile was planned for December 27, carrying new combat equipment with the ability to overcome existing and future anti-missile defense systems. It was not specified which warheads were tested in 2010 and 2011.
According to unconfirmed reports, two more test launches of the UR-100N UTTH ICBM with advanced combat equipment took place in 2013 and 2014. The Russian Ministry of Defense or the defense industry did not comment on this information in any way. Thus, information from foreign sources about two missile launches with 4202 products on board may not correspond to reality.
The reason for massive discussions this summer was information about the tests of the hypersonic apparatus "4202" at the end of February. According to some foreign publications and specialized portals, on February 26, the next test launch of the 4202 product took place, the carrier of which was again the UR-100N UTTH missile. As before, the military did not deny or confirm the version of the tests of hypersonic technology.
If the available fragmentary information corresponds to reality, then at present the carriers of prototypes of the 4202 / Yu-71 product are UR-100N UTTH ballistic missiles. Nevertheless, these missiles can hardly be considered as carriers of promising combat equipment used on alert. Products of this type have long been discontinued and are gradually being phased out.
Thus, one of the most promising ICBMs currently being developed can become a real carrier of new combat equipment. The analytical center Jane's Information Group believes that the most likely carrier of warheads of the 4202 type is the promising RS-28 Sarmat missile. Assumptions are also made about the composition of the combat equipment of such missiles. The known information about the two projects suggests that the Sarmat missile will be able to carry up to three 4202 products.
The current lack of information allows us to speak with confidence only about the very existence of the 4202 project and the fact that Russian specialists have managed to achieve certain success, bringing it, at least, to the stage of building prototypes of promising technology. Other information is still fragmentary or completely unavailable to the press, specialists and the general public.
According to various estimates, the use of hypersonic aircraft as warheads for ICBMs will significantly increase the strike potential of strategic missile forces. Due to the ability to maneuver, such delivery vehicles will be able to effectively break through existing and future anti-missile systems. Modern warheads flying towards a target along a ballistic trajectory at high speed are a rather difficult target to intercept. A hypersonic vehicle capable of changing its flight path will in turn become an even more difficult target. Moreover, the opinion has a right to exist, according to which the interception of such targets at the moment is simply impossible.
If the existing assumptions about the purpose of the 4202 products correspond to reality, then in the foreseeable future the Strategic Missile Forces of Russia will be able to obtain unique weapons that can significantly increase their combat potential. This means that ICBMs, already leading in a kind of race with missile defense, will receive an additional advantage, because of which it will be extremely difficult to catch up with them.
