MOSCOW, Oct 6 - RIA Novosti. The Admiral Gorshkov frigate will carry out at least one test launch of the Zircon hypersonic cruise missile by the end of this year, a source in the military-industrial complex told RIA Novosti.
He clarified that "within the framework of this launch, the possibility of the frigate conducting the first salvo firing of hypersonic missiles is being considered."
Since last year, Admiral Gorshkov has already conducted a series of test launches of Zircon missiles. In total, according to official data of the Ministry of Defense, the ship fired new missiles four times, the last time in July.
On Sunday, the first ZIRCON firing was carried out from a nuclear submarine – the Severodvinsk Project 885 missile cruiser launched a hypersonic missile at a sea conditional target from a surface position. The next day, the submarine performed the first launch of the Zircon from under water, from a depth of 40 meters. With this shooting, preliminary tests of the missile system were completed.
The Zircon is the world's first hypersonic cruise missile capable of sustained aerodynamic flight with maneuvering in the atmosphere using the thrust of its own engine. Its maximum speed reaches nine speeds of sound, the maximum firing range is 1 thousand kilometers. The Zircon is capable of destroying both surface and ground targets.
At the ARMY-2021 international military-technical forum, the Ministry of Defense signed a contract with the NPO Mashinostroenie (part of KTRV) for the supply of the 3M22 Zircon missile. It is expected that serial deliveries of new missiles to the fleet will begin in 2022.
