Moscow. January 20. INTERFAX-AVN - The Zircon hypersonic cruise missile is completing state tests, serial deliveries will begin in 2022, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said.
"The state tests of the hypersonic cruise missile of the sea-based "Zircon" are being completed. From 2022, its serial deliveries will begin," Krivoruchko said on Thursday at the single day of acceptance of military products.
The event was held under the leadership of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
On December 31, 2021, the Russian Northern Fleet reported that the Zircon rocket was successfully launched from a surface ship almost 10 times during the entire test cycle, and twice from a submarine.
"The crew of the lead frigate of Project 22350 Admiral Gorshkov successfully conducted a complex of tests of the hypersonic cruise missile "Zircon", having completed a total of about 10 launches. The crew of the lead nuclear submarine of the project 885 Yasen Severodvinsk performed two test firings with Zircon," the press service of the fleet reported.
The Zircon marine hypersonic missile was developed by the Tactical Missile Armament Corporation (KTRV). It is expected that it will be adopted in the near future.
On December 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that a test launch of the Zircons had been carried out.
"The tests were carried out successfully, flawlessly," Putin said on December 24. According to him, "this is a great event in the life of the country and a significant step in improving Russia's security, in increasing its defense capability."
Prior to the salvo launch, which Putin announced on December 24, the Russian military in 2021 and 2020 reported successful test launches of Zircon missiles from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate of the Northern Fleet.
On October 4, the Russian military conducted the first test launch of a Zircon missile from a nuclear submarine.
On August 24, at the Army-2021 forum, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the signing of a contract for the supply of Zircons. On November 8, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the contract for the supply of Zircons is of a long-term nature.
In February 2019, in a message to the Federal Assembly, Putin said that the Zircon missile would be capable of hitting ground and surface targets at a range of over 1,000 kilometers at a speed of about Mach 9.
In December 2019, the president said that according to the plan, work is underway on the Zircon hypersonic missile, not only sea-based, but also land-based.
The former chief of the General Staff of the Russian Navy, retired Admiral Viktor Kravchenko, told Interfax earlier that the Zircons would significantly strengthen the Russian Navy. "The high-speed characteristics of the rocket are beyond doubt. No one has protection from "Zircon". In the near future, submarines will also be equipped with Zircons - this will strengthen the capabilities of our Navy to fight, including with aircraft carrier groups," the admiral said.
