Tsirkon Hypersonic Missile Declared Ready for Deployment From Russian Surface Ships

Russian Navy's Project 22350 frigate Admiral Gorshkov has fulfilled a cycle of Tsirkon hypersonic missile tests, confirming the new weapon’s readiness.

"The cycle of tests of the Tsirkon hypersonic missile has been successfully fulfilled by the frigate Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov, confirming the readiness of both the carrier and the new weapon," Russian Northern Fleet Commander Admiral Alexander Moiseyev was quoted as saying by government-owned TASS on Wednesday.

Late last week, the frigate successfully test-fired a Tsirkon hypersonic missile from high-latitude areas of the Barents Sea against a target in the White Sea at a distance of about 1,000 km, the commander said.

A source in the domestic defense industry earlier told TASS that Russia had wrapped up the state trials of the Tsirkon hypersonic missile from a surface carrier.

In an address to the Federal Assembly in February 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the Tsirkon was capable of developing a speed of about Mach 9 (nine times the speed of sound) and its striking range capability could exceed 1,000 km. On August 24, 2021, a contract was signed at the Army 2021 international arms show on the delivery of Tsirkon hypersonic missiles to Russia’s Defense Ministry.

On December 24, 2021, Russian President Putin said that the Tsirkon hypersonic missile system had conducted a salvo launch and the tests had been held "successfully and impeccably."

The Tsirkon (Zircon) 3M-22 hypersonic missile is a part of 3K-22 (Zircon code) complex which NATO reports as SS-N-33. The missile can develop a speed of Mach 9 and fly at an altitude of 30-40 km where the range and speed increase as air resistance is smaller. Experts estimate the payload at 300-400 kg and the missile length at 8-10 meters. The missile is to be fired from universal vertical launchers 3S-14 on warships and submarines and from Bastion mobile coastal missile launchers.

The Tsirkon’s exact performance characteristics are classified. The hypersonic missile was engineered and is produced by the Reutovo-based Research and Production Association of Machine-Building (part of Tactical Missiles Corporation).