Russia fires 6,670-mile-per-hour Zircon hypersonic missile from a nuclear submarine in successful launch

Oct. 6, 2021
A key use of the missile is attacking enemy ships and reports suggested its maximum range is between 188 and 620 miles, and perhaps out to 1,200 miles.

MOSCOW – The Russian military has test-fired its new Zircon hypersonic missile from a nuclear submarine for the first time. The Daily Mail reports. Continue reading original article

The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:

6 Oct. 2021 -- The 6,670-mile-per-hour weapon hit a target in the Barents Sea, say officials of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, who claim the missile is capable of Mach-9 speeds and able to evade all Western defenses.

The Zircon test-firing comes as part of a new arms race for advanced missiles, which also has seen North Korea and the U.S. test-fire their own hypersonic weapons in the past month.

The Zircon missile is due to go into service next year, and first will be deployed aboard the Russian Navy frigate Admiral Golovko, which carries significant stealth-technology.

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John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics

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