Russia's Zircon hypersonic missiles can maneuver mid-air and travel lower in the atmosphere than intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Shannon Longworth Reporter

Russian warship holds exercises, carries hypersonic missiles on Norwegian Sea

Jan 11, 2023

Shannon Longworth Reporter

The Russian Defense Ministry released video of a frigate conducting drills in the Norwegian Sea while carrying hypersonic cruise missiles. Hypersonic missiles travel low in the atmosphere and can maneuver mid-air.

The Russian 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 used another type of hypersonic missile against Ukraine last year, becoming the first to do so in conflict. However, those were hypersonic glide missiles, which cannot launch on their own.

In 2021, after China tested its own hypersonic missile, Straight Arrow News interviewed experts from the RAND corporation about the different types of technology.

At that time, the U.S. Department of Defense said it was watching China’s development of this technology. Now, it seems Russia is taking the lead, and U.S. 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.”

Tags: China, Department of Defense, Russia, Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine

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.”