Russia has commissioned a frigate armed with hypersonic missiles for the first time, and dispatched it to patrol in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, further heightening military tensions with the West amid the Ukraine War.
The Admiral Gorchkov, one of two new frigates of this class already commissioned in the Russian Navy, left its port in Severomorsk (Arctic), the base of the Northern Fleet, as informed by President Vladimir Putin.
“This time the ship is equipped with the latest hypersonic missile system, the Tsirkon, which has no analogues,” Putin said in a videoconference with the vessel’s captain, Igor Krokhmal, and Minister Serguei Choigu (Defence). “I want to wish the crew success in their service for the good of the motherland.”
The 3M22 Tsirkon (zircon in Russian) missile is one of the “invincible weapons”, as Putin called them when he unveiled them to the world in 2018. Propaganda aside, it is a system that causes concern in the West, and its development has been accelerated by the Russia already in the midst of preparations for the invasion of the neighbor.
It was designed as an anti-ship missile, but it can hit targets on land as well. It reached nine times the speed of sound (11 thousand km/h) in tests, but it is believed that it operates regularly less than that, being able to reach targets between 1,000 km and 1,500 km away.
It is not known whether Putin armed these Tsirkon with nuclear warheads, which would further increase the threat level of the frigate, which entered service in 2018. It can also be operated from submarines.
The missile can carry, according to Russian military experts based on unconfirmed data, either 300 kg of explosives or a 200 kt atomic bomb (a little more than ten times more powerful than that of Hiroshima).
More importantly, the Tsirkon can maneuver in the air, evading anti-aircraft defenses already heavily stunned by a projectile at that speed. Naturally, nobody knows exactly its real functionality in the West, given that the tests were secret, but its potential is not ruled out.
It was not disclosed how many support ships will go on the mission. On her maiden voyage in 2018, the first Russian global circumnavigation since the 19th century, Admiral Gorchkov was accompanied by two vessels.
By indicating Admiral Gorchkov’s route, Putin is also signaling long-range military capability as he faces criticism for the performance of his forces in Ukraine. It remains to be seen which ports will accept it in the context of Russia in conflict for refueling: it has autonomy for about 7,500 km at full speed and 30 days at sea.
In Ukraine, the Kremlin is said to have used a hypersonic missile in combat, the Kinjal (dagger), which is launched by MiG-31K fighters or Tu-22M3 bombers. The model, another “invincible weapon” that can carry a nuclear warhead, differs from the Tsirkon by having a slightly larger payload and a simpler solid-fuel propulsion system.
Tsirkon, in turn, uses the so-called scramjet. It is initially carried by a first-stage solid propellant, driving a special engine that promotes the combustion of liquid fuel in a chamber with compressed air at supersonic speeds, then reaching the hypersonic level (five times louder than sound).
Another type in the category is the so-called hypersonic glider, which is taken to final speed by a powerful rocket and then, as the name says, glides at very high speed in a maneuverable way, reaching its target with a nuclear warhead, conventional or just using its energy. kinetics.
Russia operates at least one regiment of this model, the Avangard (vanguard), which China also has. Beijing also says it operates anti-ship models similar to the Tsirkon.
The US is chasing the loss after initially overestimating the value of hypersonics. This year, the Air Force successfully tested all stages of its hypersonic glider for the first time. Other countries say they have capabilities in between, such as Iran and North Korea, but little is known about the reality of the programs.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
