Russia has successfully tested the new Zircon hypersonic missile, which has no analogues in the world. Hypersonic era: the Zircon missile will make the existence of enemy missile defenses pointless. Carrying eighty hypersonic Zircons, the Peter the Great will be capable of

In recent years, the United States has been intensively developing its national missile defense system. The US government's desire to locate some elements of its missile defense system in Eastern Europe caused the start of a nuclear missile arms race between America and Russia. The urgency of creating new supersonic weapons In view of the intensive strengthening of American missile defense systems near the borders of Russia, the country's Ministry of Defense made a strategic decision to actively counter this by creating new hypersonic missiles. One of them is the ZK-22, the Zircon hypersonic missile. Russia, according to its military experts, will be able to effectively resist any potential aggressor only if it urgently modernizes its army and navy.

The essence of modernization of the Russian Navy Since 2011, according to the plan of the Russian Ministry of Defense, work has been carried out to create such a unique weapon as the Zircon missile. The characteristics of supersonic missiles are distinguished by one common quality - the highest speed. They are so fast that the enemy may have difficulty not only in intercepting them, but also in trying to detect them. According to military experts, the Zircon cruise missile today is a very effective weapon that deters any aggression. The characteristics of the product allow us to consider this weapon a modern hypersonic sword of the Russian air and naval fleet. Statements in the media For the first time, statements about the start of development of a complex with a sea-based Zircon hypersonic cruise missile appeared in the media in February 2011. The weapon has become the latest complex development of Russian designers. The presumptive designation of the Zircon missile system was the abbreviation 3K-22. In August 2011, the general director of the Tactical Missile Arms concern, Boris Obnosov, announced that the corporation had begun developing a rocket that would reach speeds of up to Mach 13, exceeding the speed of sound by 12-13 times. (For comparison: today the speed of strike missiles of the Russian Navy is up to Mach 2.5). In 2012, the Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that the first test of the created hypersonic missile was expected in the near future.

Open sources reported that the development of a ship complex with the Zircon hypersonic missile was entrusted to NPO Mashinostroeniya. It is known that information about the technical characteristics of the installation is classified, tentative data were reported: range - 300-400 km, speed - 5-6 Mach. There are unconfirmed reports that the missile is a hypersonic version of the BrahMos, a supersonic cruise missile that was developed by Russian designers together with Indian specialists based on the Onyx P-800 missile. In 2016 (February), BrahMos Aerospace announced that a hypersonic engine for its brainchild could be developed within 3-4 years.

In March 2016, the media announced the start of tests of the Zircon hypersonic missile, which were carried out from a ground-based launch complex. In the future, it was planned to install Zircon on the latest Russian Husky submarines. Currently, these 5th generation multi-purpose nuclear submarines are being developed by the Malachite design bureau. At the same time, information was released in the media that state flight tests of the rocket were in full swing. Upon completion, a decision is expected to be made on the adoption of the Zircon into service with the Russian Navy. In April 2016, information was published that tests of the Zircon missile would be completed by 2017, and the launch of the installation into mass production was expected in 2018. Development and testing In 2011, the Tactical Missile Weapons concern began designing Zircon hypersonic anti-ship missiles. The characteristics of the new weapons, according to experts, have much in common with the existing Bolid complex. In 2012 and 2013, testing of a new rocket was carried out at the test site in Akhtubinsk. The TU-22M3 aircraft was used as a carrier. The results of the tests were conclusions about the cause of the unsuccessful launch and short-term flight of the warhead. Subsequent testing was carried out in 2015 using a ground-based launch complex as a carrier. Now the Zircon rocket was launched from an emergency launch. The characteristics of the 2016 test gave a positive result, which prompted the developers to announce in the media the creation of a new hypersonic missile weapon.

Where are the new missiles planned to be used? After the completion of further planned state tests, hypersonic missiles will be equipped with Huskies (multi-purpose nuclear submarines), Leader cruisers and the modernized nuclear cruisers Orlan and Pyotr Velikiy. The heavy nuclear cruiser Admiral Nakhimov will also be equipped with the Zircon anti-ship missile. The characteristics of the new ultra-high-speed weapon are much superior to similar models - for example, such as the Granit complex. Over time it will be replaced by ZK-22. Exclusively promising and modernized submarines and surface vessels will use the Zircon missile.

Technical characteristics The missile's flight range is 1,500 km. The installation has a speed of about Mach 6. (Mach 1 equals 331 meters per second). The ZK-22 warhead weighs at least 200 kg. 500 km is the radius of destruction of the Zircon hypersonic missile.

The characteristics of the weapon give grounds to judge the superiority of the army wielding it over an enemy who does not possess such weapons. Engine and fuel An object whose speed is at least 4500 km/h is considered hypersonic or ultra-high-speed. When creating such weapons, developers face many scientific and technical problems. Among them, very pressing questions are how to accelerate a rocket using a traditional jet engine and what fuel to use? Russian development scientists made a decision: to accelerate the ZK-22, use a special ramjet engine, which is characterized by supersonic combustion. These engines operate on the new fuel “Decilin-M”, which has an increased energy intensity (20%). Areas of science involved in the development High temperature is a common environment in which the Zircon rocket carries out its maneuverable flight after acceleration. The characteristics of a homing system at supersonic speeds during flight can be significantly distorted. The reason for this is the formation of a plasma cloud that can block the target from the system and damage the sensor, antenna and controls. To fly at hypersonic speeds, missiles must be equipped with more advanced avionics. The serial production of the ZK-22 involves such sciences as materials science, engine engineering, electronics, aerodynamics and others. For what purpose was the Zircon rocket (Russia) created? The characteristics obtained after state tests give reason to believe that these supersonic objects can easily overcome enemy anti-tank defenses. This was made possible due to two features inherent in the ZK-22: The speed of the warhead at an altitude of 100 km is Mach 15, i.e. 7 km/sec. Being in a dense atmospheric layer, already before approaching its target, the warhead performs complex maneuvers, which complicates the work of the enemy’s missile defense system. Many military experts, both Russian and foreign, believe that achieving military-strategic parity directly depends on the availability of hypersonic missiles. About prospects The media is actively circulating information about the US lagging behind Russia in terms of developing hypersonic missiles. In their statements, journalists refer to data from American military research. The appearance of even more modern hypersonic weapons than the Zircon missile in the arsenal of the Russian Army is expected by 2020. For the US missile defense system, considered one of the most developed systems in the world, the emergence of extreme high-speed nuclear weapons in the Russian Air Force will, according to journalists, be a real challenge. An undeclared high-tech arms race continues around the world. Hypersonic weapons are considered to be the latest technologies, which in the 21st century will play a decisive role in the outcome of war. It is no coincidence that in 2000, US President George W. Bush signed a directive making the possibility of launching a rapid global strike using hypersonic high-precision cruise missiles a reality. It's easy to guess who it was intended for. This is probably why in October 2016, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced the use of the X-101, the latest cruise missiles with a range of about 4,500 km, in the war in Syria.

TASS, citing a source in the military-industrial complex, during testing the missile was able to develop a marching speed of eight Mach numbers (9.9 thousand kilometers per hour). This is two Mach numbers more than previously stated.

Collage by Andrey Sedykh

The development of a hypersonic cruise missile has been ongoing since the late 2000s. The new munition will be used to destroy enemy surface ships equipped with air and missile defense systems that can effectively intercept modern supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles.

Presumably the Zircon is a two-stage rocket that uses a solid-fuel rocket motor to gain speed. After turning off the solid fuel installation, the ramjet engine is turned on. According to unconfirmed reports, the missile's flight range is from 400 to a thousand kilometers.

Hypersonic Zircon missiles are planned to be included in the armament of fifth-generation nuclear submarines of the Husky project, which are being developed by the St. Petersburg Marine Engineering Bureau Malachite. Such missiles will also be included in the range of weapons of the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruisers "Peter the Great" and "Admiral Nakhimov" of Project 1144 "Orlan".

In April last year it was reported that state tests of the new missile are planned to be completed in 2017. Serial production of Zircon should begin next year.

Vasily Sychev

The United States lost the ocean theater of war to Russia

The appearance of a serial hypersonic missile means a revolution in naval art: the relative parity in the offensive-defense system will change, the potential of attack weapons will radically exceed the capabilities of defense.

News of the successful testing of the latest Russian hypersonic missile has seriously worried the US military leadership. There, judging by media reports, they decided to develop countermeasures as quickly as possible. We did not pay due attention to this event. Meanwhile, the introduction of this missile into service will be a revolution in military shipbuilding, will significantly change the balance of forces in sea and ocean theaters, and will immediately render models that are still considered quite modern into obsolete.

NPO Mashinostroyenia has been conducting a unique development since at least 2011 (“Zircon”, five Machs from the target). In open sources, the scientific and production cooperation of enterprises and research institutions involved in its creation is presented quite fully for such a promising and, accordingly, closed project. But the performance characteristics of the missile are shown very sparingly. Essentially only two are known: the speed, which is estimated with good accuracy at Mach 5-6 (the speed of sound in the surface layer of the atmosphere) and a very approximate probable range of 800-1000 kilometers. True, some other important data is also available, based on which it is possible to approximately estimate the remaining characteristics.

On warships, the Zircon will be used from the 3S-14 universal vertical launch launcher, unified for Caliber and Onyx. The rocket must be two-stage. The starting stage is a solid propellant engine. Only a ramjet engine (ramjet engine) can be used as a propulsion engine. The main carriers of the Zircons are considered to be heavy nuclear-powered missile cruisers (TARKR) of projects 11442 and 11442M, as well as the promising nuclear submarine with cruise missiles (SSGN) of the 5th generation "Husky". According to unconfirmed reports, the creation of an export version, BrahMos-II, is being considered, the model of which was presented at the DefExpo 2014 exhibition in February 2014.

At the beginning of this year, the first successful flight tests of a ground-launched missile took place. It is expected that they will be put into service with the start of delivery to ships of the Russian Navy before the end of the decade.

What can be learned from this data? Based on the assumption of placement in a unified launcher for “Caliber” and “Onyx”, we draw a conclusion about the dimensions and, in particular, that the energy of the Zircon seeker cannot significantly exceed the similar indicators of the two mentioned missiles, that is, it is 50-80 kilometers depending on the effective dispersion area (RCS) of the target. The warhead of an operational-tactical missile designed to destroy large surface ships cannot be small. Taking into account open data on the weight of the Onyx and Caliber warheads, it can be estimated at 250-300 kilograms.

The flight path of a hypersonic missile with a probable range of 800-1000 kilometers can only be high-altitude on the main part of the route. Presumably 30,000 meters, or even higher. This achieves a greater hypersonic flight range and significantly reduces the effectiveness of the most modern air defense systems. At the final stage, the missile will likely perform anti-aircraft maneuvering, in particular with a descent to extremely low altitudes.

The missile's control system and its seeker will likely contain algorithms that will allow it to autonomously identify the location of the main target in the enemy's order. The shape of the rocket (judging by the model) is made taking into account stealth technologies. This means that its EPR can be on the order of 0.001 square meters. The detection range of the Zircon by the most powerful radars of foreign surface ships and RLD aircraft is 90-120 kilometers in free space.

Obsolete "Standard"

This data is enough to evaluate the capabilities of the most modern and powerful air defense system of American Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Orly Burke-class guided missile destroyers based on the Aegis BIUS with the most modern Standard-6 missiles. This missile (full name RIM-174 SM-6 ERAM) was adopted by the US Navy in 2013. The main difference from previous versions of the “Standard” is the use of an active radar seeker, which allows you to effectively hit targets - “fire and forget” - without being accompanied by the firing radar of the carrier ship. This significantly increases the effectiveness of its use against low-flying targets, in particular beyond the horizon, and allows it to work according to external target designation data, for example, from an AWACS aircraft. With a launch weight of 1,500 kilograms, the Standard-6 has a range of 240 kilometers, and the maximum altitude for hitting air targets is 33 kilometers. The rocket's flight speed is 3.5 M, approximately 1000 meters per second. The maximum overload during maneuvering is about 50 units. The warhead is kinetic (for ballistic purposes) or fragmentation (for aerodynamic) weighing 125 kilograms - twice as much as in previous series of missiles. The maximum speed of aerodynamic targets is estimated at 800 meters per second. The probability of hitting such a target with one missile in field conditions is determined to be 0.95.

A comparison of the performance characteristics of the Zircon and Standard-6 shows that our missile falls on the border of the American missile defense zone in height and is almost twice the maximum speed of aerodynamic targets allowed for it - 1500 versus 800 meters per second. Conclusion: the American “Standard-6” cannot hit our “swallow”. However, this does not mean that hypersonic Zircons will not be fired upon. The Aegis system is capable of detecting such a high-speed target and issuing target designation for firing - it provides the ability to solve missile defense problems and even fight satellites, the speed of which is much higher than that of the Zircon anti-ship missile system. Therefore, shooting will continue. It remains to assess the likelihood of our missile being hit by an American missile defense system.

It should be noted that the kill probabilities given in the technical characteristics of missile defense systems are usually given for field conditions. That is, when the target does not maneuver and moves at a speed optimal for hitting it. In real combat, the probability of defeat is, as a rule, significantly lower. This is due to the peculiarities of the missile guidance process, which determine the specified restrictions on the permissible speed of a maneuvering target and the height of its destruction. We will not go into these details. It is important to note that the probability of hitting a maneuvering aerodynamic target with the Standard-6 missile system will be influenced by the detection range of the active seeker and the accuracy of the missile reaching the target capture point, the permissible overload of the missile during maneuvering and the density of the atmosphere, as well as errors in the location and elements of the target’s movement according to target designation radar and information control system.

All these factors determine the main thing - whether the missile defense system will be able to “select”, taking into account the maneuvering of the target, the magnitude of the miss to the level at which the warhead is capable of hitting it.

There is no open data on the range of the active seeker of the Standard-6 missile defense system. However, based on the weight and size characteristics of the missile, it can be assumed that it will be able to see a fighter with an EPR of about five square meters within a range of 15-20 kilometers. Accordingly, for a target with an EPR of 0.001 square meters - the Zircon missile - the range of the Standard-6 seeker does not exceed two to three kilometers. When repelling attacking anti-ship missiles, shooting will naturally be carried out on a collision course. That is, the missiles’ approach speed will be about 2300-2500 meters per second. The missile defense system has less than one second to complete the approach maneuver from the moment the target is detected. The possibilities of reducing the size of the miss are negligible. Especially when it comes to interception at extreme altitudes - about 30 kilometers, where the rarefied atmosphere significantly reduces the maneuverability of missile defense systems. In fact, in order to successfully destroy a target such as the Zircon, the Standard-6 missile system must be launched at it with an error not exceeding the destruction zone of its warhead - 8-10 meters.

Sinking aircraft carriers

Calculations made taking into account these factors show that the probability of a Zircon missile being hit by one Standard-6 missile defense system is unlikely to exceed 0.02-0.03 under the most favorable conditions and target designation directly from the missile launch vehicle. When firing according to external target designation data, for example, an AWACS aircraft or another ship, taking into account errors in determining the relative location, as well as the delay time for information exchange, the error in the output of the missile defense system to the target will be greater, and the probability of hitting it will be less, and quite significantly - up to 0.005 -0.012. In general, it can be stated that the Standard-6, the most effective missile defense system in the Western world, has scanty capabilities to defeat the Zircon.

Collage by Andrey Sedykh

Someone may object to me: the Americans, from a Ticonderoga-class cruiser, hit a satellite flying at a speed of 27,000 kilometers per hour at an altitude of about 240 kilometers. But he did not maneuver and his position was determined with exceptionally high accuracy after long-term observation, which made it possible to launch the missile defense missile to the target without a miss. When repelling a Zircon attack, the defending side will not have such capabilities, and the anti-ship missiles will begin to maneuver.

Let's evaluate the possibility of destroying our anti-ship missiles with air defense systems of a Ticonderoga-class cruiser or an Orly Burke-class guided missile destroyer. First of all, it should be noted that the detection range of the Zircon radar for monitoring the airspace of these ships can be estimated at 90-120 kilometers. That is, the time it takes for the RCC to approach the mission execution line from the moment it appears on the enemy radar will not exceed 1.5 minutes. The closed air defense system of the Aegis system has about 30-35 seconds for everything. From two Mk41 air defense missile launchers, it is realistic to launch no more than four missiles capable of potentially, taking into account the remaining time, approaching the attacking target and hitting it - the probability of hitting the Zircon with the main air defense system of a cruiser or destroyer URO will be no more than 0.08-0.12. The capabilities of the ZAK self-defense ship - "Vulcan-Phalanx" in this case are negligible.

Accordingly, two such ships, even with full use of their air defense systems against one Zircon anti-ship missile, give a probability of its destruction of 0.16-0.23. That is, a KUG consisting of two URO cruisers or destroyers has little chance of destroying even a single Zircon missile.

Electronic warfare means remain. These are active distracting and passive interference. To set them, the time from the moment of detection of anti-ship missiles or the operation of their seeker is sufficient. The complex use of interference can disrupt the missile's aiming at a target with a decent probability, which, taking into account the operating time of the ship's electronic warfare system, can be estimated at 0.3-0.5.

However, when firing at a group target, there is a high probability that the anti-ship missile seeker will capture another target in the order. Just as in the fighting in the Falklands, an English aircraft carrier was able, by placing passive interference, to divert the Exocet anti-ship missile coming at it. Its seeker, having lost this target, captured the container ship Atlantic Conveyors, which sank after being hit by a missile. At the speed of the Zircon, another warrant ship that captures the anti-ship missile seeker will simply not have enough time to effectively use electronic warfare systems.

From these estimates it follows that a salvo of even two Zircon missiles at a KUG consisting of two Ticonderoga-class cruisers or Orly Burke-class guided missile destroyers with a probability of 0.7-0.8 will lead to the incapacitation or sinking of at least one from KUG ships. A four-missile salvo is almost guaranteed to destroy both ships. Since the Zircon’s firing range is almost twice that of the Tomahawk anti-ship missile system (about 500 km), the American KUG has no chance of winning a battle with our cruiser equipped with the Zircon anti-ship missile system. Even with the superiority of the Americans in reconnaissance and surveillance systems.

The situation is little better for the American fleet when the RF KUG, led by a cruiser equipped with the Zircon anti-ship missile, is opposed by an aircraft carrier strike group (AUG). The combat radius of deck attack aircraft when operating in groups of 30-40 vehicles does not exceed 600-800 kilometers. This means that it will be very problematic for the AUG to launch a preemptive strike on our naval formation with large forces capable of penetrating air defense. Strikes by small groups of carrier-based aircraft - pairs and units capable of operating at a distance of up to 2000 kilometers with refueling in the air - against our KUG with modern multi-channel air defense systems will be ineffective.

The release of our KUG for a salvo and the launch of 15-16 Zircon anti-ship missiles for the AUG will be fatal. The probability of the aircraft carrier being disabled or sunk will be 0.8-0.85 with the destruction of two or three escort ships. That is, the AUG with such a salvo will be guaranteed to be destroyed. According to open data, after modernization, Project 1144 cruisers should be equipped with a 3S-14 UVP with 80 cells. With such ammunition for the Zircon anti-ship missile, our cruiser can destroy up to three US AUGs.

However, no one will prevent in the future from placing the Zircon anti-ship missiles on both frigates and small missile ships, which, as is known, have 16 and 8 cells respectively for the Caliber and Onyx missiles. This will dramatically increase their combat capabilities and make them a serious adversary even for aircraft carrier groups.

Let us note that the United States is also intensively developing hypersonic hypersonic missiles. But the Americans focused their main efforts on creating strategic hypersonic missiles. There is no data yet on the development of anti-ship hypersonic missiles like Zircon in the United States, at least in the public domain. Therefore, we can assume that the Russian Federation’s superiority in this area will last for quite a long time - up to 10 years or more. The question is, how do we use it? Will we be able to saturate the fleet with a sufficient number of these anti-ship missiles in a short time? Given the pitiful state of the economy and the sequestration of state defense orders, it’s unlikely.

The emergence of a serial hypersonic missile will require the development of new methods and forms of warfare at sea, in particular to destroy enemy surface forces and ensure the combat stability of our own. To adequately increase the potential of ship air defense systems, it is likely necessary to revise the conceptual basis for constructing such systems. This will take time - at least 10-15 years.

There is a slight panic in the Pentagon. Russian military and engineers successfully tested the new Zircon anti-ship hypersonic cruise missile. What is a hypersonic missile? We all know what a supersonic aircraft is. Such a plane flies faster than the speed of sound. Faster is about 1200 kilometers per hour. A hypersonic missile flies five, eight, fifteen times faster than the speed of sound. Let's imagine that we need to hit an enemy ship hundreds of kilometers away. Such a missile will cover the distance from launch to target in a few minutes. And no means of defense will simply have time to do anything.

Movement at such speeds is fundamentally different from movement at subsonic speeds - these are ordinary airplanes that we fly on, and even supersonic ones. There are many complex scientific problems that need to be solved. And our scientists solve them. We fundamentally overtook the Americans in this race. And the hypersonic race is the most advanced edge in the development of new weapons. By the way, the third participant is China. And he also has success. China has long been no longer a producer of cheap fakes.

In the future - the development of orbital hypersonic aircraft and orbital platforms. The American missile defense system, which they have been developing for decades, will not be able to withstand these weapons. The challenges facing the Russian military-industrial complex were discussed this week at meetings with President Putin.

In recent years, the Russian army has increasingly upset its, as they say, potential enemy. Then suddenly Russia will have in its arsenal Kalibr cruise missiles capable of hitting targets in the Middle East even from the Caspian Sea, or it will turn out that NATO tanks are instantly and permanently outdated as soon as the technical characteristics of our new Armata tank become known. Or our powerful military group with the latest weapons will appear in the Arctic. And so on. In short, Western military attaches at the recent parade in Moscow had plenty of reasons to think. The program for the rearmament of our army and navy, designed until 2020, is bearing fruit.

“The planned activities will not only equip the army and navy with modern weapons and equipment, they will make it possible to create a scientific and technical basis for the development of fundamentally new types of weapons,” the Russian president noted.

Vladimir Putin spoke about this in Sochi at a meeting on defense. Meanwhile, new equipment continued to arrive into the troops. Take aviation, for example. This year alone, the Russian Aerospace Forces and Navy will receive about 160 new helicopters and aircraft, including the modernized Sukhoi Design Bureau Su-30SM fighter. It successfully combines the capabilities of a fighter, attack aircraft and bomber, can control aviation operations and operate over the sea, lead 16 targets and attack four of them simultaneously. Its maneuverability is legendary. This is what those who, by profession, must squeeze out of this aircraft everything it is capable of say about the car.

“The first time I saw how the Su-30SM maneuvers in the air, my first thought immediately: in principle, the plane cannot fly like that. But the experience of operating the machine again shows that it can. Despite the fact that it is heavier than the Su-27, it is much easier to control,” says Vladimir Kochetov, flight commander of the Russian Knights aerobatic team.

Meanwhile, completely new Su-35 air vehicles and a fundamentally new fifth-generation multi-role fighter T-50 are on the way. In the nine years since the beginning of the army and navy rearmament program, Russia has already acquired a fundamentally new Armed Forces. For comparison, the data is for only two years, from 2015 to 2017. During this time, the share of new equipment in the Ground Forces increased from 32% to 42%, and the Airborne Forces - from 40% to 58%. In VKS – from 33% to 68%. In the navy, from 50% to 55% of new equipment. In the Strategic Missile Forces - from 50% to 72%.

“It must be borne in mind that there is much more to be done. I mean the development of the domestic electronic component base, first of all, the implementation of contracts for the full life cycle of military products, as well as the synchronization of the preparation of the necessary infrastructure with the supply of new weapons,” Vladimir Putin noted.

Russian military designers recently shocked Western militaries by announcing the successful test of the Zircon anti-ship cruise missile. This is a secret project, so its image and technical data are based only on the assumptions of experts.

During testing, this hypersonic missile broke all speed records of its kind - it reached eight speeds of sound, or, more simply, it flew faster than 2.5 kilometers per second. It's faster than a bullet. If it reaches the estimated range of 1,000 kilometers, it will call into question the entire American doctrine of global transmission of power through carrier strike groups. The range of US carrier-based aircraft is about 800 kilometers.

“Simply put, with the advent of Zircon hypersonic missiles on our cruisers, frigates and even corvettes, it turns out that even a corvette with an eight-missile salvo is capable of causing serious damage to an American carrier force. And the frigate, even in a single form, if it came up, in a single quantity. If it comes within range of a Zircon salvo, then it is capable of destroying the aircraft carrier multi-purpose group of the United States of America,” explains Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Missile and Artillery Sciences, Doctor of Military Sciences Konstantin Sivkov.

The American publication National Interest admitted that not a single fleet has any means of protection against Zircon today.

“Such weapons, combined with the ability to detect targets in the open ocean, could turn aircraft carriers into billion-dollar graves for thousands of American sailors,” the publication writes.

The upper stage puts the Zircon into the desired orbit, after which it accelerates to its maximum speed and moves towards the target at an altitude of 30-40 kilometers, where air density is minimal. Radars simply cannot see it at this speed; anti-aircraft missile systems are useless. But, according to experts, the overloads are gigantic, the rocket is moving in a cloud of plasma. We need super-strong materials and overload-resistant electronics.

“Russia, including relying on the scientific and technical foundation that was created in Soviet times, has, in principle, already solved these problems in principle. This is a level of science, technology, materials science, and control systems that no one in the world has yet reached, you know?” - says the editor-in-chief of the Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine, military expert, reserve colonel Viktor Murakhovsky.

Several countries are engaged in similar developments, but, according to experts, even American designers will need ten years to even come close to the characteristics of Zircon. There is no protection against it, not only because of its enormous speed, but also because in flight it maneuvers along an arbitrary trajectory, and if it hits, it is almost guaranteed to destroy the target. Here's what experts say about it in the British Daily Mail: “There is so little time to react that even if detected, existing protective measures may be completely useless. Even if the missile is shattered or detonated by a nearby weapon, the fragments will have so much kinetic energy that the ship will still be severely damaged.”

An entire meeting was devoted to breakthrough technologies and promising developments in the field of defense, which was held in Sochi on Friday, May 19.

“I would like to emphasize that the intellectual potential of the entire scientific community must be fully involved in ensuring the defense capability of the state. I mean, first of all, scientists, designers, engineers working on the creation of the latest complexes and systems. Those who will provide the Armed Forces with the ability to adequately respond to existing and possible future challenges and risks to Russia’s military security,” the president said in his speech.

Naturally, the breakthrough in the field of hypersonic weapons also affected the prospects of our nuclear missile forces. A few months ago, Russia successfully tested a strategic missile codenamed Yu-71. According to experts, this secret weapon is based on the same principles as the Zircon missile - it moves at hypersonic speed, and the separated warhead continuously maneuvers. With only one difference - the Yu-71 product launched from the Dombrovsky training ground near Orenburg and hit a target at the Kura training ground six thousand kilometers away. Experts believe that the rocket covered this distance in just 20 minutes. It is expected that in the future such developments will replace the current Russian strategic nuclear missiles. In a word, the long-standing dream of the West to speak with Russia “from a position of strength” still does not come true and is not coming true. And although no one has given up such fantasies, today Russia clearly demonstrates that it is not even worth trying.

The presentation of the latest Russian cruise missile 3M22 Zircon on March 17, 2016, despite the silence of most media, did not go unnoticed by the expert community and the military. Speculation immediately appeared regarding the tactical and technical characteristics of the new brainchild of Rosoboronprom. Preliminary test data have given reason to believe that a completely new and powerful weapon may soon enter service with the Russian Navy and naval aviation. It is planned to re-equip the Project 1144 Orlan-type TARKR with these missiles, and equip the Project Leader cruisers and Husky-class submarines under construction.

The history of the creation of the newest rocket

The data obtained during the tests indicate that the Russian defense industry was able to create a combat cruise missile that reached hypersonic speed (5-6 times higher than the speed of sound). The 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missile turns modern air defense systems into a pile of unnecessary rubbish.

The emergence of the newest superweapon has its own backstory, consisting of a chain of important facts. Work on creating a rocket capable of flying at hypersonic speeds was carried out in the USSR back in the mid-70s. Back in the 70s, the Dubna design bureau "Raduga" developed the X-90 cruise missile, capable of reaching speeds of up to 3-4 M in flight. However, with the collapse of the Union, due to lack of funding, the work was curtailed. Only 20 years later they returned to this topic again, but on the basis of new technologies.

The first information about the development of a new anti-ship complex equipped with cruise operational-tactical missiles appeared at the end of 2011.

The development of a prototype of a hypersonic missile was carried out by the Central Institute of Aviation Engine Engineering (CIAM) in the city of Lytkarino, Moscow region.

The anti-ship missile model presented at the exhibition stands was strikingly different in its shape from the familiar cigar-shaped cruise missiles. It was a box-shaped body with a flattened spade-shaped fairing. At the air show, the name of the unusual missile system, “Zircon,” was announced for the first time.

In parallel, the latest radio altimeter and automatic radio compass were being developed. The research and production enterprise Granit-Electron was actively involved in the creation of navigation equipment and autopilot systems.

The parent enterprise of PA Strela, which produces the Onyx anti-ship missile systems, announced the start of preparing a production base for the production of the latest cruise missile. According to many sources, the latest weapons system will be able to radically change the situation at sea. However, after the MAKS air show, almost all information about progress on the Zircon topic disappeared from public information resources.

The scant information leaked to the media was clearly insufficient. And only by the scale of involvement of the largest specialized enterprises in the Zircon project could one judge the properties of this project.

What surprised the world

After the first tests, it became clear that the new missile is capable of flying twice as fast as the latest British sea-launched cruise missile, Sea Ceptor. The anti-missile missiles currently in service with NATO fleets are capable of successfully combating Granit anti-ship missiles and similar aircraft, the speed of which reaches 2000-2500 km/h. Western anti-missile missiles are powerless against the latest Russian development. The flight range of the Russian anti-ship missile will be approximately 300-400 km, which is quite enough to effectively destroy ships outside the zone of establishing radio contact.

As it later became known, the Zircon missiles became a modernized version of the Indian sea-based cruise missile Bramos, which was created jointly by the two countries. The basis for the development of the latest weapons was the P-800 Onyx anti-ship complex. The emphasis in the development of the rocket was on its high speed. According to experts, the new generation of high-speed anti-ship missiles pose a big problem for air defense systems. The time to detect a projectile flying towards the target is extremely short in order not only to qualify the type of threat, but also to take adequate countermeasures.

Russian nuclear-powered cruisers of Project 1144, re-equipped with the latest cruise missiles, will again become a real threat to the dominance of the American fleet on the seas. Initially, it is planned to equip the modernized Admiral Nakhimov TARKR with new missile systems. Later, the same fate awaits the flagship of the Northern Fleet TARKR "Peter the Great". The plans include the construction of Husky-class nuclear attack submarines armed with hypersonic cruise missiles, which will radically shift the balance of the world's naval forces towards the Russian fleet.

The main technical subtleties and nuances in creating a new generation rocket

The need for a new anti-ship missile did not arise immediately. The P-600 “Granit” and P-800 “Oniks” missile systems in service with the fleet continue to be a formidable force today. However, the developers of ultra-modern shipborne air defense systems are not wasting their time either. According to experts in the field of operational-tactical weapons, in a couple of years the combat capabilities of sea-based cruise missiles will be exhausted due to the effectiveness of ship missile defense.

In this regard, the idea of ​​a significant modernization of the Russian Navy with new types of weapons arose. One of the areas of the process was the development of a new anti-ship complex with high-speed cruise missiles. The presence of such weapons on large and small ships of the fleet will become an effective tool of deterrence at sea. The new 3M22 missile has unique tactical and technical characteristics, but there is no exact data about them yet. Even preliminary data suggests that the new weapon is a serious step towards the emergence of new types and types of weapons.

Why is the new Russian missile called hypersonic? The fact is that today strike missiles have a flight speed of 2-2.5 MAX on average. The new development must fly at a speed of at least 4,500 km/h, exceeding the sound barrier by 5-6 times. Creating such a fast projectile is not an easy task. Even at the project stage, difficulties arose with how to achieve the necessary acceleration of the rocket. Using traditional rocket engines for these purposes will have no effect.

Vehicles flying at supersonic speeds are fundamentally different from vehicles flying at hypersonic speeds. A conventional turbojet engine loses thrust after exceeding the speed of sound three times - the main indicator of the efficiency of an aircraft engine. Neither liquid nor solid propellant jet engines are suitable for weapons such as cruise missiles. The rocket performs certain evolutions during flight, which cannot be provided by operating sustainer rocket engines and constant-thrust turbojet engines.

The result of scientific and technical research was a ramjet rocket engine capable of operating in supersonic combustion conditions. For these purposes, a new type of rocket fuel, Decilin-M, with increased energy intensity, was even developed.

During the flight of a rocket in airspace at an altitude of 50-200 meters, the projectile body heats up to high temperatures, so new heat-resistant alloys were used in the manufacture of the product.

For reference: The first American hypersonic aircraft, the Valkyrie, reached speeds of up to 3,200 km/h. The airframe of the aircraft was made of titanium. It was impractical and expensive to use such an expensive metal for mass production of missiles.

It was no less difficult to solve the problem of missile homing at high speeds. Unlike well-known aeroballistic combat systems capable of flying at hypersonic speeds and at altitudes of up to 100 km, the cruise missile has a different scope. The main flight of the rocket takes place in dense layers of the atmosphere. Unlike ballistic missiles, missile launchers have a flat flight path and shorter range. All these requirements pose new challenges for weapons developers.

In flight at hypersonic speed, due to the appearance of a plasma cloud around a flying projectile, a natural distortion of target designation parameters appears. It was decided to install advanced radio-electronic equipment on the new missile, capable of guiding a projectile to a target at high speed, despite the opposition of powerful electromagnetic fields.

Plans of the Supreme Naval Command regarding the combat capabilities of the new missile

The rocket was first launched at the flight test site in Aktobe in 2012. The launch was carried out from the strategic missile carrier Tu-22M3. Further launches were carried out from ground-based launchers. The complex of main tests is already coming to an end. There are still shortcomings in the operation of the propulsion system and guidance system, but this, according to the creators of the rocket, can be eliminated in the near future. Preparations are underway for the launch of new weapons into series.

The highest naval command believes that one TARKR "Peter the Great", armed with hypersonic anti-ship missiles "Zircon", will be able to single-handedly withstand an entire combat force of ships of a potential enemy. In coastal maritime theaters, Russian small and medium-class warships equipped with the latest missiles will be able to control the entire water area. In terms of range and speed, the Russian missile has no analogues either in the Turkish Navy or in the fleets of the Baltic countries.

The situation is similar with the re-equipment of ships of the Pacific Fleet. The new weapons will significantly enhance the operational and tactical capabilities of Pacific Fleet ships in the Pacific Ocean. This, in some way, will create a reliable springboard for strengthening the defense capability of the Far Eastern borders against a real threat.

Finally

The latest developments by Russian designers have baffled the defense departments of the United States, Great Britain and China, which assess the emergence of the latest hypersonic missile as a potential threat to their navies. Today, the technical equipment of the Russian fleet with operational-tactical weapons is in a satisfactory state, however, constant technological progress leads to the rapid obsolescence of the combat potential of the modern fleet. Just yesterday, the powerful Granit cruise missiles frightened American admirals, but today the missile armament of Russian ships is already in need of improvement.

The Zircon hypersonic cruise missile is significantly ahead of its time in its parameters. The technologies that went into the design of the industrial design are years ahead of the technological level of weapons and equipment of the fleet. New submarines designed at the Malakhit Design Bureau are being developed as combat platforms for a new generation of weapons.

One should not discount the fact that new frigates and corvettes, which currently represent the backbone of the Russian Navy, will in the future be armed with hypersonic missiles.

In China, similar developments are also moving at a rapid pace. The latest Chinese anti-ship missile, the DF-21, with a range of up to 3,000 km, could enter service with the PLA Navy within 2-3 years. The Americans are trying to keep up with Russia and China by working on the X-51A X-51 Wave Rider project. This hypersonic missile should be on par with Russian and Chinese developments.

It never came to the real flight of the American brainchild. China only plans to complete the work by 2020. At the operational-tactical level, the Russian hypersonic missile already has real outlines in metal, has been tested and is being prepared for serial production. Time will tell what the future fate of the newest weapons will be. However, modernization of the Russian fleet and rearmament of ships will begin in the near future.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them

Serial name: 3m22;

Affiliation: interspecific missile system 3k22 “Zircon”;

Developer: NPO Mashinostroeniya;

Start of development: 2011.

Main characteristics:

• Hypersonic (that is, at least 5 times faster than the speed of sound);
• Winged, unmanned, single launch;
• Highly accurate.

Appearance: box-shaped chopped body made of new heat-resistant alloys, flattened spade-shaped fairing (“nose”).

New Russian Zircon rocket.

Performance characteristics of a new generation missile

The information is indicative, based on indirect data and unconfirmed information, since the officially Russian hypersonic cruise missile Zircon 3M22 has not yet entered service.

Parameter	Meaning	A comment
Launcher	3s14, “revolving” type, deck and below deck placement	From 2 to 8 missiles Deck placement - vertical launch, below deck placement - inclined
Length	8-10 m	Russia's latest missiles "Oniks" (P-800) and "Caliber" (3m54), similarly launched from 3s14
Warhead weight	300-400 kg
Flight altitude	small (30-40 km), low dense layers of the atmosphere	The flight is carried out under the influence of its main engine (not the starting engine, not the booster engine, and not all kinds of auxiliary ones that correct the course) At lower altitudes, due to air resistance at such speeds, the skin may simply melt
Mach number	from 5 to 8 (according to some statements, this is not the limit)	Primitively speaking, the Mach number shows how many times the speed of the 3M22 cruise missile (at a specific altitude) exceeds the speed of sound. At different altitudes, the speed of sound is different (the higher, the lower), so the Mach number helps control the rocket's stability and course adherence Mahmeter readings: Below 0.8 - subsonic; 0.8 - 1.2 - transonic; 1 - 5 - supersonic; More than 5 - hypersound
Range	300-500 km	The warheads are delivered by new Russian launch vehicles
Trajectory	arbitrary, including winding (to bypass air defense), with contouring (to bypass radar equipment)	Unlike ballistic missiles, it is controlled internally (independently) and externally
Guidance	Inertial + radio altimeter + active radar + optical-electronic complex for searching targets
Engine	direct-flow, supersonic combustion	It is possible to use fuel with increased energy intensity "Decilin-M".

The expected movement of a new generation rocket can be seen in the report of Channel One.

Possible carriers (sea-based):

• Orlan-class nuclear-powered heavy cruisers; "Peter the Great"; "Admiral Nakhimov";
• heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov" (after modernization);
• nuclear destroyers "Leader" (project 23560);
• nuclear submarines of the Yasen-M series (improved fourth generation, project 885m); "Antey" (949a); "Husky" (fifth generation, in a special modification).

Background of the Russian hypersonic cruise missile

The Soviet Union was the first to arm itself with serial anti-ship cruise missiles. Zircon has become the latest development of Russian scientists. And the first copy was the Termit missile (P-15). In the 70s, supersonic and hypersonic cruise missiles of a new generation (X-50) were developed, but the work was not completed due to the collapse of the USSR.

this year the “Spiral” project was launched

The first hypersonic aircraft would be a booster aircraft for the Spiral (orbital aircraft) project, which began in 1965.

The reconnaissance disperser, also known as the “50-50” product, is:

• 38-meter tailless aircraft;
• delta wing with fender length 16.5 m;
• lowerable bow;
• hypersonic air intake;
• fundamentally new turbojet engines:
  on kerosene: M=4, range = 6-7 thousand km,
  on liquid hydrogen: M=5, range = 12000 km.

The plane was tested at TsAGI, but in the 70s the project was also closed.

In 1979 they returned to the topic of hypersonic engines. To recreate their operating conditions, anti-aircraft missiles were used: instead of a warhead, a block with equipment for testing was installed.

• Based on the 5V28 missiles, which were just about to be decommissioned, there was a hypersonic flying laboratory “Kholod”. For seven launches in 1991-1999. The operating time of the tested E-57 engine was increased to 77 seconds, the speed was increased to 1855 m/s (~6.5M);
• The Igla flying laboratory was created on the basis of the Rokot launch vehicle (a descendant of the intercontinental UR-100N). The model of which can still be seen at air shows. Laboratory operating conditions: M = 6-14, altitude = 25-50 km, flight time – 7-12 minutes.

Timeline of development of hypersonic cruise missiles

NPO Mashevsky patent shows a special feature of the rocket - a detachable warhead

The development of the hypersonic Zircon belongs to NPO Mashinostroyenia and begins in 2011.

NPO Mashevsky patent shows a special feature of the rocket - a detachable warhead

date	Source	Event
Late 2011	Airshow "Max", Lytkarino	First mention of the Zircon 3K22 complex, prototypes of hypersonic projectiles
2011	Corporate newspaper "Tribune of the Military-Industrial Complex" of NPOMash	A group of chief designers has been officially formed for the 3M22 project
2011	Annual report of PKB "Detal"	The preliminary designs of “Zircon-S-ARK” (automatic radio compass) and “Zircon-S-RV” (radio altimeter) were approved
2011	Report of NPO "Granit-Electron"	Draft designs and finished design documentation for inertial navigation and autopilot system 3M22
2011	Strela software report	Plans for mass production of new products, including Zircon missiles
2012	NPO Mashinostroyenia report	Development of technologies for the production of optical-electronic and laser guidance and detection systems for hyper- and supersonic missiles
2012	Dmitry Rogozin	Unfulfilled plans to create a superholding for the development of hypersonic technologies
Summer 2012	Open news sources	Aktyubinsk, training ground 929th state. flight research center, throw tests of Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles from a Tu-22M3 bomber (successful and unsuccessful)
September 2013	Boris Obnosov	A prototype of a hypersonic missile (4.5 M), the problem is stable and long flight
Autumn 2015	Modernization project "Admiral Nakhimov"	Almaz-Antey, among other things, must supply the 3K22 complex, that is, Zircon, for the conversion of the cruiser, no later than 2018
December 15, 2015	News sources	Arkhangelsk region, Nenoksa village, launch of an experimental model (unsuccessful)
February 2016	News sources	3K22 will arm the modernized Peter the Great (project 1144, heavy nuclear cruiser), as well as the fifth generation Husky submarine in one of the variants

Testing of 3m22 Zircon anti-ship cruise missiles

News of the tests appeared several times in different news agencies, but there was no official confirmation, and the sources were also not disclosed. The reality of the announced tests is in question - are they simply a demonstration of force to intimidate a potential enemy?

They promise to put the promising missile into service in 2020; mass deliveries and the transition to hypersonics are predicted for a longer period - by 2040.

Perspectives and criticism

According to the project, the new generation Zircon 3M22 anti-ship cruise missile is universal and can be used by almost all ships, as well as the army (ground forces), military space forces, etc. However, due to the small amount of official information, many aspects of the design remain controversial.

Problem	Possible Solution
Performance of a radio channel or homing head under conditions of aerodynamic heating. When flying in low layers of the atmosphere, the projectile is surrounded by a plasma cloud (a layer of ionized gases) and a serious distortion of target designation and radio traffic occurs. For space descent vehicles, this problem has not been solved.	Nuclear warhead and a huge target (for example a small city)
	Reducing speed to transonic (Mach number = 0.8) near the target, turning on the homing head
	After determining the coordinates of the target, separation of the power plant (using pyro devices) and hitting the target with a gliding combat homing module (also less noticeable).
	High-precision satellite guidance, the strike is delivered by “smart” homing darts or high-explosive projectiles (a very controversial solution, like a thermal imaging homing head)
	Window for radio waves in the tail of the rocket (external control channel), multiple repetition of commands
Low noise immunity of existing anti-ship hypersonic cruise missiles
The radar homing head may melt due to aerodynamic heating	Adopting high temperature oxide ceramics for fairings and body (can withstand 1500 degrees)

If all possible problems are successfully resolved, Zircon is a weapon that threatens to become exactly the formidable answer as it is positioned in the media. It is expected that the new Zircon missile will reduce the importance of aircraft carriers and capital ships in battle, and also encourage other states to modernize ship-based air defenses.