27 times faster than the speed of sound ?

This report https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/russia-hypersonic-missile-nuclear/2018/12/27/id/896105 alleges that the new Russian Avangard missile is able to travel at 27 times the speed of sound.

Seems unlikely to me … is this just another example of journalistic exaggeration ?

Maybe in space…that’s orbital velocity.

There is no problem with exceeding escape velocity if you are pointed down. In this case this is a scramjet device that is deployed from ICBMs on re-entry.

While it may not always fly at mach 27, it will “glide” at mach 10+

They’re just reporting what the Russian official is claiming.