Russia has begun serial deliveries of Zircon hypersonic missiles for the needs of the Russian Navy.

This was stated by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at the final board of the military department with the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Serial deliveries of the Zircon sea-based hypersonic missile have begun.

At the final stage is the preparation of the frigate "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov" with hypersonic missiles on board for combat service in an unplanned area of ​​the oceans," the Russian leader said.

As Vladimir Putin emphasized, the Project 22350 frigate Admiral Gorshkov of the Fleet of the Soviet Union, equipped with Zircons, will enter combat service in early January 2023.

“At the beginning of January next year, the Admiral Gorshkov frigate of the Fleet of the Soviet Union will enter combat service with the latest, I repeat once again, Zircon sea-based hypersonic missile systems that have no analogues in the world,” the Russian leader said.

The head of state assured that Russia would continue "the development of hypersonic missile systems that are unique in their characteristics and have no analogues in the world."

“We will continue to equip our strategic forces with the latest types of weapons.

I repeat: all the plans outlined will certainly be fulfilled,” Vladimir Putin said, speaking at the collegium of the Defense Ministry.

  • December 21, 2022.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at an expanded meeting of the Board of the Russian Defense Ministry

  • RIA News

  • © Sergey Fadeichev

Sergei Shoigu also pointed out the need to increase the supply of Zircon and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles because of the threats NATO poses to Russia today.

“Given NATO’s desire to build up military potential near Russian borders, as well as expand the North Atlantic Alliance at the expense of Finland and Sweden, it is necessary ... to increase the supply of high-precision hypersonic missile systems Kinzhal and Zirkon.

Continue work on other promising models, ”said the head of the military department.  

"Improving Russia's Security"

Recall that the Russian leadership pays special attention to the creation of Zircon hypersonic missiles.

For the first time, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about their development during an address to the Federal Assembly in 2019.

“I want to talk about the Zircon hypersonic missile with a flight speed of about Mach 9 and a range of more than 1,000 km, capable of hitting both sea and ground targets.

Its use is envisaged from marine carriers, serial surface ships and submarines, including those already produced and under construction for Caliber precision-guided missile systems.

That is, all this will not be expensive for us, ”the head of state said then.

The developer of Zircon is the Reutov military-industrial complex NPO Mashinostroeniya (part of Tactical Missiles Corporation JSC).

  • Russian frigate "Admiral Gorshkov"

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  • © Russian Ministry of Defense

The cycle of sea trials of the Zircon was carried out on the frigate Admiral Gorshkov for several years.

The ship, as Vladimir Putin announced in 2021, will be the first carrier of these munitions in the Russian Navy.

The next rocket tests were carried out in December 2021.

Within their framework, a salvo launch of the Zircons was carried out.

Vladimir Putin then called this event a big step in improving the security of the Russian Federation.

“The Zircon hypersonic system is our latest missile, which operates both at sea, against sea targets, and against ground targets.

Yes, the tests were carried out successfully, flawlessly.

This is a big event in the life of the country and a significant step in improving the security of Russia and increasing its defense capability, ”he said.

The head of state also expressed gratitude to the creators of the hypersonic missile.

In May this year, it became known that the Admiral Gorshkov frigate fired Zircon from the Barents Sea at a sea target in the White Sea and hit the target at a distance of about 1,000 km.

This launch completed the state tests of the product from a surface carrier. 

It is worth noting that tests of the Zircon from a submarine also began last fall.

The Project 885 Yasen multipurpose nuclear submarine Severodvinsk has successfully completed two test launches of the Zircon hypersonic missile in the Barents Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on October 4. 

“The second test firing of the Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile was carried out by the crew of the Severodvinsk nuclear submarine missile cruiser for the first time from a submerged position, from a depth of 40 m, in the White Sea at a mock sea target in the Barents Sea,” the ministry said.

The military added that the first launch was carried out from the surface.

"Destructive Power Increases"

According to analysts, the main feature of the Zircons is their speed characteristics.

“The main thing is the speed of these missiles.

It reaches hypersonic performance.

This is much higher than, for example, the speed of the Onyx missile, which is currently in service.

At such speeds, it is impossible to detect the Zircon with the current technical means of air defense.

These missiles have already been tested on the lead frigate Admiral Gorshkov and have proven their effectiveness, ”said military expert Vasily Dandykin in an interview with RT. 

  • Nuclear submarine "Severodvinsk"

  • RIA News

  • © Vadim Savitsky

He also noted that these products "have a decent range" and can be used "against surface targets, including aircraft carriers."

In turn, military expert Yuri Knutov noted the accuracy of the Zircon guidance.

“The pointing accuracy is very high.

Moreover, this rocket has a large kinetic energy, due to which its destructive power increases.

The Zircon missile is able to hit an aircraft carrier, break through all its partitions and flood the ship, ”the analyst said in an interview with RT.

Vasily Dandykin noted that so far no country, except Russia, has been able to establish mass production of sea-based hypersonic cruise missiles. 

“Project 22350 surface frigates and nuclear submarines of the Yasen project armed with Zircons will become a big headache for our enemies.

This is the future weapon of our Navy.

By the way, it is quite possible that they will also be installed on the modernized heavy nuclear missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov, ”the analyst believes.

Navy ships with Zircon missiles in their arsenal will play a serious deterrent role, which is extremely important in the face of a tough geopolitical confrontation with the West, Vasily Dandykin added.

"Zircons" can be called a weapon of the XXI century.

It will help Russia deter our potential adversaries,” the expert noted.

A similar opinion is shared by Yuri Knutov.

“Without hypersonic missiles, as well as without the nuclear triad, it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for us to secure our sovereignty today.

So such advanced weapons as hypersonic missiles "Zirkon" or "Dagger" play a fundamental role in ensuring our defense capability.

After all, the NATO bloc today simply does not have systems to intercept them, ”concluded the analyst.