Russia is about to test a nuclear-powered cruise missile that can, in effect, fly indefinitely, from any direction, under our radar — and the United States is not building anything like it. The Burevestnik has already flown 15 hours and nearly 8,700 miles in a reported test, and it can likely even penetrate the Golden Dome. Yet, instead of racing to match a leap in energy density that Moscow has achieved, many of our own analysts are waving it away. That is dangerous and short-sighted. America needs its own nuclear-powered propulsion program, for deterrence and for parity, and it needs it now.

Burevestnik is a Russian nuclear-powered, potentially nuclear-armed cruise missile with reported near-unlimited range. Russian President Vladimir Putin, with Gen. Valery Gerasimov, said in October that a successful test had taken place. It likely flew circles around the test site rather than in a straight line, which also suggests it can control the angle of attack, yaw, and roll. Now Russia is preparing the Novaya Zemlya site for another set of tests, possibly over the next few weeks.