he hypersonic missile that Russia has been testing and touting for the last two and a half years reportedly could be put into service several months ahead of schedule.
Russian military sources last week told the Tass news agency that tests of the 3M22 Zircon (Tsirkon) cruise missile had been completed and that it would be deployed to Russia's navy by the end of the year.But on Thursday, the agency cited an unnamed military source as saying that following the tests: "All the documents for putting the product into service have been prepared.""It is expected that in September the surface Zircon will be put into service with the fleet," the source told the state news agency, which reports the Kremlin line.President Vladimir Putin has been boasting for years about his hypersonic program and his country's "super weapons." Their speed and agility makes them hard for missile defense systems to intercept.Russia first tested the Zircon in January 2020 from the Russian Northern Fleet's Admiral Gorshkov, claiming it can reach speeds of up to Mach 9 (6,600 mph) and hit targets at a range of up to 660 miles, although this hasn't been independently confirmed.Loaded: 100.00%PauseCurrent Time 0:06/Duration 0:22LQCaptionsFullscreenWatch: Russia Test-Fires Hypersonic Zircon Cruise Missile From FrigateUnmute0View on Watch The optics of having the Zircon ready for the Russian navy could be significant even if there is doubt that the nuclear-capable missile can make any difference in the war in Ukraine, which has now entered its sixth month.Continue readingSponsored ContentTHE WORLD'S FIRST FULL WEB 3.0 ARCHITECTUREAdPoint NetworkSmart industry even smarterAdNRW.Global Business AdChoicesSPONSORED CONTENTNRI in Turkey? Invest ₹18K/Month & Get ₹1Cr for your kids College in 15 yeaTurn Your Home Equity Into Cash Before a Recession2020-2021 Model Sıfır Gibi Araçlar VavaCars'taErken Kayıt Avantajları Final Okulları'nda'!Ad AdChoicesTRENDING STORIESHuffPostTeen Raises $460,000+ For Abortions After Rep. Matt Gaetz Body Shames Her: 'Get Rekt' UPI NewsNorth Korea ready to use nukes in conflict with U.S., Kim Jong Un saysAssociated PressNew Los Angeles bridge opens, then quickly closes amid chaosThe New York TimesManchin, in reversal, agrees to quick action on climate and tax planMORE FROM NewsweekAmericans Won't Judge You for Finger Licking After Eating Chicken WingsEnormous Alligator Terrorizes North Carolina Family: 'Like Lake Placid'William's U.S. Ambitions Could Stem From 'Competitiveness' With HarryVisit NewsweekMORE FOR YOU© 2022 MicrosoftPrivacy & CookiesTerms of useAdvertiseFeedback
The optics of having the Zircon ready for the Russian navy could be significant even if there is doubt that the nuclear-capable missile can make any difference in the war in Ukraine, which has now entered its sixth month.