Russia test-fires Zircon hypersonic missile: How far can it travel, all you need to know
1 min read . Updated: 29 May 2022, 10:00 PM IST
PremiumPutin has said that Zircon is capable of flying at nine times the speed of sound and has a range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles)
The Russian navy on Saturday successfully test-fired a hypersonic Zircon cruise missile amid the ongoing war with Ukraine.
In a demonstration of the military's long-range strike capability, the missile was fired over a distance of about 1,000 km (625 miles), said the Russian defence ministry.
The Defense Ministry said the Admiral Gorshkov frigate of the Northern Fleet in the White Sea launched the Zircon cruise missile in the Barents Sea, successfully hitting a practice target in the White Sea about 1,000 kilometers (540 nautical miles) away.
Hypersonic weapons can travel at nine times the speed of sound.
Russia has conducted previous test launches of the Zircon, which is set to enter service later this year, from warships and submarines in the past year.
The country had conducted the first Zircon test in October 2020, which President Vladimir Putin had described as part of a new generation of unrivalled arms systems.
Putin has said that Zircon is capable of flying at nine times the speed of sound and has a range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles).
In a veiled warning to the United States, he also emphasized that its deployment will significantly boost the capability of Russia’s military.
Zircon is intended to arm Russian cruisers, frigates and submarines and could be used against both enemy ships and ground targets.
Russian officials have boasted about Zircon's capability, saying that it's impossible to intercept with existing anti-missile systems.
Putin, who has sternly warned Western allies against interfering in Ukraine, has warned in the past that Russian warships armed with Zircon would give Russia a capability to strike “decision-making centers" within minutes if deployed in neutral waters.
Last month, Russia test-launched a new nuclear-capable intercontinental missile, the Sarmat, capable of carrying 10 or more warheads and striking the United States.
This comes amid Russia's military has suffered heavy losses of men and equipment during its three-month invasion of Ukraine, which it calls a "special operation".
