Russia's plans to develop hypersonic weapons have provoked panic in NATO countries over Moscow's " aggressive plans." In Europe, however, they are more afraid that it will be destroyed by American defenders, who are afraid of the Russian threat. Does the possession of "hypersound" really give Russia a decisive advantage? And how can the West respond to us if it achieves parity in such weapons?
In 2021, the Northern Fleet will begin state tests of the sea-based hypersonic missile "Zircon", a source in the Russian defense industry told TASS. In the first half of the year, four Zircon launches will be carried out from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate, and in the second half of the year, flight and design tests of the Zircon from the Severodvinsk nuclear submarine will start-at least three launches.
Reports about the testing of the Russian "hypersound" the further, the more unnerving the NATO countries, especially the European allies of the United States. The danger of such weapons is their ability to bypass existing missile defense systems, emphasizes the columnist of the German publication Die Welt Gerhard Hagman.
The same publication suggests that hypersound, as a weapon that only Russia currently possesses, can upset the balance between the leading nuclear powers and hinder negotiations on disarmament.
It is, however, to remind you that the United States is actively engaged in the development of such weapons. The other day, the leadership of the US Air Force announced its intention to start producing its own hypersonic missiles under the ARRW (Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon) program in 2021-2022. The commander of the US Air Force in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, General Kenneth Wilsback, in November called for the deployment of these weapons in his area of responsibility.
President Vladimir Putin, during a recent press conference, noted that the United States is likely to soon adopt its own missiles of this class, and Russia's task is to prepare an "antidote", a means of protection against future hyperweapons.
"Our armed forces and the developers of advanced weapons have a maximum of two to three years. Then the Americans will catch up with us, " Sergei Khatylev, the former head of the anti-aircraft missile forces of the Special Forces Command of the Russian Air Force, said in a comment to the newspaper VZGLYAD. – And the question arises: will we have time to improve the copies that we receive during this time? I say "copies", because it is unlikely that we will be able to adopt hundreds or even thousands of units in the specified time. There will be no hypersonic missile regiments yet, this is a long process. But at the disposal of the United States will also be only one-piece copies of hypersonic weapons."
Russia currently has a triad of hypersonic weapons, it has similar weapons of air, land and sea launch. "At the same time, Russian hypersonic weapons are two – component," explains military expert Alexey Leonkov. – First, these are non-nuclear weapons, for example, anti-ship missiles "Zircon" and hypersonic aircraft-missile system "Dagger". They are designed primarily to defeat the marine component (for example, destroyers of the Arleigh Burke type) - carriers of cruise missiles, which the Americans were just going to hit our ballistic missiles located in positions or in mines."
The second component is the Avangard guided missile system and the Sarmat mine-based missile system, which are components of nuclear deterrence.
As Khatylev noted, the range of targets that can hit, for example, "Zircon", is constantly increasing. The first launches were carried out at 380 kilometers, tests in October showed that the rocket overcomes 450 km in 4.5 minutes, and now we are talking about action at a range of two thousand kilometers, the military expert listed.
We add that the "Zircon" can move at a speed of about Mach 9, that is, about 10 thousand kilometers per hour. For comparison: at the tests of the American hypersonic unit, which took place at the same time, in October, on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, a speed of about Mach 5 was achieved.
"The existing air defense and missile defense systems – and the air defense systems in general of both the United States and its NATO allies – cannot destroy these targets. The speed of more than eight thousand kilometers per hour suggests that the means to destroy these weapons do not exist, – says Khatylev. – Can the US and EU countries create an "antidote" against these three types of Russian weapons? Yes, they can, technology and industry allow it. But this requires money, time and, of course, luck."
He also recalled that the tests of the American hypersonic missile were unsuccessful, its commissioning is postponed for two to three years.
Assessment Leonova, lagging behind Russia in the development of hypersonic weapons adds nervousness to the Americans. "The United States has eight programs to create "hypersound", but now these programs are stalling, " he notes. – In particular, the missile test under the ARRW program (which is called Arrow for euphony) was unsuccessful."
In 2019-2020, the Americans poured almost $ 2.5 billion into hypersound programs "and apparently thought that this would achieve a technological breakthrough." "But we have been making this breakthrough for almost 50 years. Many vehicles, including ballistic missiles, fly at hypersonic speeds. But we are maneuvering, which complicates their destruction, and accurately hit the target," emphasizes Lenkov
At the same time, experts say, the accusations made by the West against Russia in the alleged aggressive plans are groundless. The United States and its allies began dismantling the systems that provided mutual deterrence in the twentieth century, forcing Moscow to act proactively.
"It was the United States that withdrew from the Missile Defense Treaty back in 2002. And it is the American military doctrine that suggests a global strike strategy, where the deployment of three missile DEFENSE positional areas is indicated – in Romania, Poland and Alaska, " leonkov recalled. – Three groups of US missile DEFENSE systems near our borders, plus the naval component of missile defense, were designed to completely deprive us of their nuclear potential. Later, Washington changed its nuclear doctrine. Now it, in particular, allows a pre-emptive nuclear strike, in the event that the United States detects a cyber threat."
The presence of us troops near Russian borders in Europe has almost quadrupled, he added.
As a result, the theater of operations is being re-equipped near our Western borders. There are new bases, new logistics routes imported equipment, listed Lenkov.
"Most of all, the world is pushed to an imbalance and, consequently, to a nuclear danger by NATO representatives," the expert concludes. – We still try to balance the balance and make it unshakable for as long as possible. The advent of nuclear weapons at one time leveled this balance of power and made a third world war less likely. The appearance of Russian hypersonic weapons is the next step by which we neutralize the plans of the United States."
"When we equalize our forces and capabilities, the question will arise: does humanity need such weapons that allow us to destroy the enemy in a second – but in response, the same thing can happen to us. At the same time, nuclear weapons, land – based, air-based and sea-based intercontinental ballistic missiles are already in service," Khatylev sums up.
The military analyst predicts that the potential enemy, after reaching hypersonic parity with Russia, will bet on the development of other, non-nuclear weapons-for example, any forms of bacteriological weapons.
Mikhail Moshkin
