Russian Warship armed with Tsirkon Hypersonic Missiles Passes English Channel

Russian Navy’s Admiral Gorshkov frigate, armed with Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic missiles, has sailed through the English Channel, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France.

The Northern Fleet said the ship will continue to move in accordance with the cruise plan and will perform tasks in the designated areas of the Atlantic Ocean. A day earlier, the frigate crossed the narrowest part of the strait - the Pas de Calais.

"In the near future, the crew of the frigate will continue to perform tasks in the designated areas of the Atlantic Ocean," the fleet said.

The frigate will participate in a number of exercises with ships of other fleets of the Russian Navy, as well as with ships of foreign navies.

The Admiral Gorshkov frigate with Tsirkons onboard set off on January 4 on a long sea voyage across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. The ceremony of entering the ship into combat service was held under the leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin via videoconference.

The voyage of a detachment of ships consisting of the frigate "Admiral Gorshkov" and the medium sea tanker "Kama" is being led by the commander of the division of missile ships of the Northern Fleet, Captain 1st Rank Oleg Gladky.

Tsirkon is designed and manufactured by the Reutov NPO Mashinostroeniya (part of the Tactical Missile Weapons Corporation, KTRV).  This missile is capable of reaching speeds of more than Mach 9 and has a flight range of more than 1,000km.