The newly developed intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) of Russia, Oreshnik, continues to gain admirers, with an Indian Air Force veteran now echoing claims of a few military experts and Russian President Vladimir Putin that there is no system in the world that can intercept Oreshnik.
Oreshnik, meaning hazel tree, which reportedly can reach speeds exceeding Mach 10 (approximately 12,300 km/h or 7,610 mph), was first used in a November 21 strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro.
A few days ago, Putin had said Russia has just a few Oreshnik missiles but wouldn't hesitate to use them on Ukraine. "We have them and more than one system, but we are not in a hurry to use them, because this weapon is powerful, it is designed to solve certain tasks," he added.
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The Russian president had earlier said there are currently no ways of counteracting Oreshnik, a claim that a few global military analysts have promptly backed despite the West raising doubts over its operational effectiveness.
According to a report in the defence website IDRW, retired IAF Group Captain Uttam Kumar Devnath claimed that Western defence systems like Patriot or THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) cannot intercept Oreshnik missiles.
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He observed that the missile travels too fast for radar targetting. Its speed, coupled with manoeuvrability, makes it almost impossible to be intercepted by current Western missile defence systems.
The ability of the missile to alter its trajectory and its velocity are some of the reasons that make Oreshnik hard to intercept. According to Devnath, the missile also leverages stealth technologies and hypersonic principles to evade detection and interception.