In 2021, ships and submarines of the Northern Fleet conducted at least 12 successful tests of 3M22 Zircon hypersonic missiles. In total, more than 70 tests of the latest weapons took place, including the Dagger missile systems.
According to the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry, the crew of the frigate Admiral Gorshkov successfully fired about 10 times with the Zircon hypersonic cruise missile. The targets for the new weapons were surface and ground targets, which were successfully hit. During one of such tests, the 3M22 rocket accurately hit a sea target from a distance of 450 kilometers. At the same time, the rocket speed was more than Mach 8.
Earlier it was reported that the frigate “Admiral Golovko”, which carries 16 vertical launchers UKSK 3S14, will also become the carrier of the newest hypersonic missile system. They are universal and are also suitable for launching not only Zircons, but also Kalibr and Onyx cruise missiles.
In addition, the crew of the lead nuclear submarine Severodvinsk performed two test firings with the Zircon. It is assumed that the new missile will enter service in 2022.
Earlier, the former chief of the General Staff of the Russian Navy, Viktor Kravchenko, said that no other fleet in the world has such hypersonic weapons and means of protection against them.
“There is no complex that could detect and intercept this missile at such a speed,” the admiral said.
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