THIS IS A RUSSIAN WARSHIP, HOLDING DRILLS IN THE NORWEGIAN SEA, REPORTEDLY CARRYING ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS MISSILES ON EARTH.

THE RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY RELEASED THIS VIDEO OF THE SHIP, ARMED WITH ZIRCON–A HYPERSONIC MISSILE THAT TRAVELS LOW IN THE ATMOSPHERE AND CAN MANEUVER MID-AIR.

BUT THERE’S MORE.

THE ZIRCON IS A HYPERSONIC *CRUISE* MISSILE, WHICH MEANS IT LAUNCHES AND PROPELS *ITSELF* USING AN AIR-BREATHING ENGINE CALLED A SCRAMJET.

THIS TECHNOLOGY IS NEWLY EMPLOYED IN THE WORLD OF WEAPONRY.

RUSSIA DID USE ANOTHER TYPE OF HYPERSONIC MISSILE AGAINST UKRAINE LAST YEAR, MAKING IT THE FIRST TO DO SO IN CONFLICT.

HOWEVER, THOSE WERE HYPERSONIC *GLIDE* MISSILES…WHICH CAN’T LAUNCH ON THEIR OWN.

IN 2021, AFTER CHINA TESTED ITS OWN HYPERSONIC MISSILE, I INTERVIEWED EXPERTS FROM THE RAND CORPORATION ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY. SO YOU CAN CHECK THAT OUT AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM FOR A HELPFUL EXPLANATION OF HOW THEY WORK.

AT THAT TIME, THE US DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS WATCHING CHINA’S DEVELOPMENT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY. NOW, IT SEEMS RUSSIA IS TAKING THE LEAD, AND US DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY THEY’RE WATCHING CLOSELY.

IN OCTOBER 2022, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE RELEASED ITS NATIONAL DEFENSE STRATEGY REPORT, WHICH SAID: “THE DEPARTMENT MUST SEEK NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND HEDGE AGAINST CONTINUING ADVERSARY MISSILE DEVELOPMENTS AND EMERGING CAPABILITIES SUCH AS HYPERSONIC WEAPONS.”