Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday (November 3) that testing of the Russian zircon hypersonic cruise missile is about to be completed and delivery to the navy will begin in 2022.
This move is part of Moscow’s efforts to compete with the United States and other countries to deploy next-generation long-range weapons that are more difficult to detect and intercept.
Russia said last month that it successfully tested a zircon missile from a submarine for the first time.
“It is particularly important now to develop and implement the necessary technologies to create new types of hypersonic weapon systems, high-power lasers, and robotic systems that can effectively respond to potential military threats. This means that they will further enhance the security of our country,” Putin said. Said in the televised speech.
He said that in the test, the missile successfully hit ground and sea targets when launched from an underwater or surface ship.
Some Western experts question how advanced Russia’s new-generation weapons are, and at the same time recognize that the combination of speed, maneuverability, and height of hypersonic missiles makes it difficult to track and intercept.
They travel in the upper atmosphere at more than five times the speed of sound, or about 6,200 kilometers per hour. This is slower than intercontinental ballistic missiles, but the shape of the hypersonic glide vehicle allows it to maneuver towards the target or away from the defense.
The Pentagon said in October that it hopes defense contractors will cut the final cost of hypersonic weapons, because the ultra-high-speed missiles currently under development cost tens of millions of dollars per unit.
North Korea tested a newly developed hypersonic missile in September.
