New Russian frigates will be armed with hypersonic Zircon missiles

Tags: Defence International News

The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy has recently made an announcement stating that all new frigate and corvette class vessels of the Russian Navy will be equipped with hypersonic Zircon missiles. 

About Zircon Missile

• The Zircon Missile, also known as the 3M22 Zircon or SS-N-33, is a hypersonic cruise missile developed in Russia.

• It is designed as an anti-ship missile with advanced capabilities.

Characteristics of Zircon Missile

• The Zircon Missile can achieve speeds of over 9,500 kilometers per hour (6,000 miles per hour), which is approximately nine times the speed of sound.

• It is a two-stage missile, utilizing solid fuel in the first stage and a scramjet motor in the second stage.

• The missile has a range of more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and is capable of accurately pinpointing targets within that range.

• The Zircon Missile employs an active and passive radar seeker as its guidance system.

Hypersonic Cruise Missiles

• Hypersonic cruise missiles are a type of missile designed to travel at extremely high speeds, typically exceeding Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound).

• They are propelled by rocket engines and are equipped with guidance systems for target navigation.

• One notable characteristic of hypersonic cruise missiles is their ability to maneuver during flight, making them difficult to track and intercept.