The first detailed video of the tests of the hypersonic anti-ship missile "Zircon" appeared on the Network. TV journalists went to sea on the frigate of the Northern Fleet "Admiral Gorshkov" to witness the launch of two cruise missiles at once: "Caliber" and "Zircon".
This is the only opportunity to see the Zircon - even the commander of the Admiral Gorshkov did not see it, except in flight.
- The appearance of the rocket is one of its protected parameters. Even I have never seen him - admitted Captain of the first rank Igor Krokhmal. The rocket is loaded onto the ship in a closed container. Only the dimensions of the shaft of the universal launcher UKSK allow us to make some assumptions about the dimensions of the "Zircon": a length of about nine meters, a diameter of 60 cm.
It is also impossible to see the rocket in detail at launch: clouds of smoke and the speed with which the Zircon is moving away from the carrier ship interfere.
- Shooting will be conducted at a distance of 1000-1500 kilometers, - said the commander of the frigate. "Zircon" overcomes a thousand kilometers in 10 minutes, "Caliber" - in more than an hour.
The frigate reached a given point - north of the Norwegian cape Nord-Cap. A combat alert was played, the team was sealed in the compartments - in addition to cruise missiles, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft systems were put on alert. The main command post of the ship receives reports: "The probability of a cover is one", "The ship is at the point". Simultaneously with the "Start" command, the black body of the rocket comes out of the mine before setting up. She immediately disappears in a column of smoke and flames. After a few seconds, flames shoot alternately from the nose of the Zircon in different directions - these are the steering engines that turn the rocket in the right direction. Then, with a terrible roar, she is carried away into the clouds.
After 10 minutes, a thousand kilometers from here, a rocket pierces a sea target, a platform the size of a small ship assembled from pontoons. An hour later, the Kalibr also finds its target on the coast. The hit here is direct - or, as the rocket scientists say, into a peg. The commander of the missile and artillery unit of the frigate, Georgy Roslyakov, inspects the fired missile silos: "They smell of gunpowder. This smell is dear and pleasant to us. That's the smell of victory!" - he says.
- For the first time at sea, operators consistently entered data for land and sea targets. That was the hardest part. But everything went well: the firing was carried out on the assessment of "excellent", both targets were hit, - said the commander of the frigate.
NATO ships were on duty along the perimeter of the Barents Sea zone closed for the duration of the tests. Lenses and other sensors of reconnaissance satellites were aimed at Admiral Gorshkov from space.
- Let them watch, we don't mind, - smiled Krokhmal. - On the contrary, let them report: Russia really has such weapons.
Anton Valagin
