By Gustavo de Arístegui, as published by LA RAZÓN.
3 November 2025
Skyfall and Poseidon: the Apocalypse Already Has Names
New hypersonic missiles poison any future arms-control framework because they do not fit into traditional definitions
Gustavo de Arístegui
For decades, strategic stability rested—albeit precariously—on the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). Its paradoxical logic ensured that any nuclear attack would trigger an equally devastating retaliation, making total destruction inevitable for all parties and therefore irrational. This balance, which guaranteed a form of negative peace, is now seriously undermined by technological advances that blur the classic distinctions between nuclear and conventional weapons.
The 9M730 Burevestnik (Skyfall) cruise missile and the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone are not merely technological programs; they are systems designed to render obsolete the existing arms-control architecture. They represent a qualitative leap in deterrence theory and practice, introducing unprecedented uncertainty into strategic calculations.
The End of Predictability
Traditional deterrence relied on predictability: known missile trajectories, detectable launch signatures, and response times measured in minutes. Hypersonic systems disrupt this logic. Their speed, maneuverability, and unconventional flight paths make early detection and interception extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible.
The Burevestnik, powered by a nuclear reactor, theoretically possesses unlimited range. Unlike intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), it can fly at low altitude, evade radar systems, and approach targets from unexpected directions. This erodes the very foundation of early-warning systems that underpin nuclear stability.
Poseidon: Deterrence Beneath the Sea
Poseidon is even more destabilizing. This autonomous, nuclear-powered underwater vehicle is designed to carry a massive nuclear warhead and travel across oceans at great depth and speed. Its intended targets are coastal cities, ports, and naval bases. The resulting underwater detonation would generate radioactive tsunamis, rendering vast areas uninhabitable.
Unlike submarines, Poseidon does not require human crews, removing a critical psychological restraint. Its deployment introduces a new domain of strategic vulnerability: the seabed, which remains largely unregulated and poorly monitored.
Why Arms Control Fails
Existing arms-control treaties were negotiated for a world of ballistic missiles, bombers, and submarines. They are ill-suited to regulate systems that do not fit established categories. Is Poseidon a missile, a drone, or a torpedo? Is Burevestnik a cruise missile or something entirely new?
These ambiguities are not accidental. They are deliberate design features meant to exploit legal and conceptual gaps. As a result, any future arms-control negotiations will be exponentially more complex.
Escalation Without Warning
The greatest danger is not intentional war, but miscalculation. When warning times shrink and detection becomes unreliable, the risk of accidental escalation increases dramatically. Decision-makers may feel compelled to act on incomplete or ambiguous information, lowering the threshold for catastrophic conflict.
This is the true meaning of strategic instability in the 21st century: not an arms race measured in numbers, but one driven by uncertainty, fear, and compressed decision timelines.
A World Without Anchors
The introduction of systems like Skyfall and Poseidon signals the erosion of the last anchors of nuclear order. Deterrence is no longer symmetrical, transparent, or predictable. Instead, it becomes opaque, asymmetric, and deeply destabilizing.
The apocalypse, once an abstract concept confined to theoretical models, now has names—and they are operational.
Infographic captions and technical labels
- 9M730 “Burevestnik” (NATO designation: SSC-X-9 Skyfall)
- Nuclear propulsion system
- Practically unlimited range
- Low-altitude flight to evade radar detection
- Unpredictable trajectory
- Poseidon nuclear underwater drone
- Designed to strike coastal targets and naval bases
- Capable of generating radioactive tsunamis
- Autonomous system without onboard crew