Russian military reports test launch of ship-launched Zircon hypersonic cruise missile for maritime targets

Oct. 19, 2020
Russian naval forces could use Zircon to launch lightning-fast strikes against targets on land or as an anti-ship weapon against battle groups at sea.

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the successful test launch of a new 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missile earlier this month as a “big event” for the country. Defense News reports. Continue reading original article

The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:

19 Oct. 2020 -- Test of the ship-launched hypersonic weapon was from the Russian naval frigate Admiral Groshkov in the White Sea, in the north of Russia. The missile hit a target in the Barents Sea about 600 miles away.

“Equipping our armed forces — the army and the navy — with the latest, truly unparalleled weapon systems will certainly ensure the defense capability of our country in the long term,” Putin said.

In 2019, Putin said the Zircon would be capable of flying at nine times the speed of sound and have a range of 1,000 about 620 miles. The scramjet-powered Zircon hypersonic missile can fly at speeds of nearly 7,000 miles per hour.

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John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics

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