Russia to speed up testing of hypersonic missile

Monitoring Desk

MOSCOW: Russia will speed up test launches of the hypersonic missile Zircon from naval ships: launches from submarines will begin in 2020 to proceed in parallel with launches from the frigate The Admiral Gorshkov, two sources in the defense-industrial complex have said.

“The schedule of the hypersonic missile’s test launches from naval ships will be tightened. The Yasen submarines will begin firing drills this year, alongside the continuing series of launches from The Admiral Gorshkov,” a source said.

Another source confirmed this saying that “the missile’s first tests will be carried out from the submarine The Severodvinsk. Fir-st, the submarine will lau-nch the Tsirkon in the surf-ace position. Neither source mentioned any dates.

The NPO Mashinostro-yenia company (affiliated with the Tactical Missile Corporation), which reportedly designed the Zircon missile, has refrained from comment.

For the first time the Zircon was used from a ship at the beginning of January this year (according to other sources, at the end of December 2019).

The Admiral Gorshkov launched the missile from the Barents Sea at a target on the coast 500 kilometers away. The frigate is expected to make another 3-4 launches of the Zircon by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu informed Russian senators on Wednesday about the flight development tests of the Zircon (Tsirkon) sea-launched hypersonic missile.

“The flight development tests of the Zircon sea-launched hypersonic missile are under way,” the defense chief said at a plenary session in the upper house of Russia’s parliament. (TASS)