The ship complex with the latest Zircon hypersonic missile will go into service with the Russian fleet within a year and a half. About this Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Alexei Krivoruchko told the publication "National Defense".

According to the deputy minister quoted by RIA Novosti, primarily missiles will be equipped with multi-purpose nuclear submarines of a number of projects, frigates of the Admiral Gorshkov type and the nuclear missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov. 

“The approximate dates for adopting the complex are 2021–2022,” Krivoruchko said.

“Zircon” is intended for arming nuclear submarines of projects 885, 885M, 949AM, surface ships of projects 22350, 23560, as well as rearmament of the cruiser Project 1144.2 “Admiral Nakhimov,” the deputy defense minister said.

He also spoke about the test launches of Zircon in 2020. Earlier, there were reports that the missile was launched from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate, but it will be the first test from a submarine.

“This year, tests are planned from surface ships of project 22350 and multipurpose nuclear submarines of project 885M,” Krivoruchko explained.

For a long time, nothing was reported about the technical parameters of the Russian 3M22 Zircon hypersonic missile, but Vladimir Putin mentioned some of the characteristics in a message to the Federal Assembly in 2019. According to the president, the flight speed of the ammunition will be 9 Machs (speed of sound), range - over 1 thousand km. A missile will be able to destroy both sea and ground targets.

Putin later said that Russia was ahead of other states in terms of advanced weapon development, being the only country to be a hypersonic weapons operator. According to him, the situation in the new and recent history of the country is unique: "They are catching up with us."

At the same time, the head of state repeatedly emphasized that Russia, through the development of promising weapons systems, is creating conditions that will warn other countries from unleashing an armed conflict with Moscow.

“We are not going to fight with anyone. We are going to create conditions so that no one thinks to fight with us, ”Putin said in an interview with TASS in March 2020.

Su-57, S-500 and other systems

Deputy Minister of Defense Alexey Krivoruchko also announced the timing of the delivery of the S-500 Prometheus air defense system to the military.

“The completion of state tests and the transfer of the system to the Armed Forces is planned in 2021,” the deputy defense minister said, adding that it is expected to conclude a state contract for the purchase of S-500 air defense systems in the same year with delivery in 2025.

According to him, preliminary tests are currently underway, and "the material part is at the training ground." Recall that the S-500 system is a fifth-generation anti-aircraft missile system with the ability to intercept atmospheric ballistic targets.

In addition, according to Krivoruchko, the Russian Ministry of Defense plans to conclude a state contract with industry for the annual supply of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to the troops by 2024. In addition, the deputy minister said that the defense department is preparing a contract for the supply of four S-350 Vityaz complexes.

According to Alexei Krivoruchko, in 2020 the Russian Navy will receive 22 warships and 15 support vessels, and by 2023 this number will be more than 60 warships and over 50 support vessels.

The Deputy Minister of Defense also mentioned the prospects for the supply of Su-57 aircraft to the armed forces. As explained by Krivoruchko, the military will receive fifth-generation fighters in two stages: until the mid-2020s, aircraft will be delivered with fourth-generation engines, and then with more advanced units.

“At the second stage, after completion of the tests, supplies with the engine and fifth-generation power plants, which have increased fuel efficiency and lower life cycle costs, will already begin,” the deputy minister added.

Commenting on the modernization of Russian defense complexes, military expert and chief editor of the National Defense magazine Igor Korotchenko noted the effectiveness of Russia's activities in this direction.

“Despite the reduction in Russian military spending, due to the rational use of the allocated funds for the rearmament of the army and navy, our country reliably ensures its national security,” the expert said in an interview with RT.

He emphasized that Russia is adopting unique and unmatched weapons models.

“In fact, we support strategic parity for much less money than other countries and make any aggression against our country impossible,” Korotchenko concluded.