3M22 Zircon Hypersonic Cruise Missile

Source: More than 10 launches of Zircon on marine targets have been conducted since the beginning of its tests.

According to the agency interlocutor, "rocket tests began about four years ago" and are continuing now from the coastal stand


MOSCOW, December 21. / TASS /. More than 10 launches of the Russian Zircon hypersonic missile at sea targets at ranges of several hundred kilometers have been carried out since the beginning of its tests. This was announced on Friday Tass source in the military-industrial complex.

According to him, "rocket tests began about four years ago," and are continuing now from the coastal stand. "In total, more than 10 target firing at sea at a distance of several hundred kilometers have been completed," the agency’s source said. He added that "the rocket repeatedly hit targets that marked sea targets at hypersonic speed."

The source refused to name the date of the last test.

https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/5942271

Compact hypersound: Navy will receive lightweight Zircon missiles

"Rocket kids" equip new weapons

The Defense Ministry will receive a miniature version of the Zircon hypersonic rocket. First of all, it should be equipped with small rocket ships (MRK) of the Karakurt and Buyan-M projects. Also, the rocket will be adapted for launches from a special container. Previously, the "Zircon" was to be installed on nuclear cruisers and nuclear submarines, as well as frigates. The appearance of "light" hypersonic missiles will affect the tactics of the Navy. IRAs and submarines operating from ambushes will not allow enemy attack forces to approach the Russian coast.

The Chief of the Naval Forces "Izvestia" was told that the tactical and technical requirements for the new version of the "Zircon" have already been formed. "Miniature" will not greatly affect the basic characteristics of the rocket. In terms of the destructive power, she practically will not yield to her “elder sister”. First of all, “Zircons” should arm the IRAs of the project 22800 “Karakurt” and the IRAs of the project 21631 “Buyan-M”. Both types of IRAs are equipped with Caliber cruise missiles and Onyx supersonic anti-ship missiles. The appearance of "Zircons" on board small rocket ships will allow them to fight any adversary.

Finally, anti-ship missiles can hit ground targets with predetermined coordinates. Such opportunities are especially in demand in coastal areas, where RTOs and submarines will have to counteract not only enemy ships, but also help their ground forces.

“Zircon” is adapted for firing from existing launchers, but with small-scale rockets and submarines, it is better to use small missiles, military expert, MilitaryRussia editor Dmitry Kornev told Izvestia.

“A lightweight rocket is likely to have the same engine, but it will receive a slightly smaller warhead, a supply of fuel and a number of structural elements,” he believes. - It is highly likely that the starting accelerator of the product is also modified - it is very powerful at the Zircon.

More
https://iz.ru/833837/aleksei-ramm-bogdan-stepovoi/kompaktnyi-giperzvuk-vmf-poluchit-oblegchennye-rakety-tcirkon

Thats a super-confusing article.

Are they saying full size Zircon doesn't fit in UKSK -> 22800 & Buyan-M need a smaller version to fit?
If it doesn't fit UKSK then what ships will actually fit full size Zircon? Oscar & Slavas etc with older larger tubes?

Or are they saying they will have a smaller version that fits Uran equipped ships & non-VLS subs like Kilos?
That would be a very cool way of giving a lot more firepower to those ships.

hoom wrote:Thats a super-confusing article.

Are they saying full size Zircon doesn't fit in UKSK -> 22800 & Buyan-M need a smaller version to fit?
If it doesn't fit UKSK then what ships will actually fit full size Zircon? Oscar & Slavas etc with older larger tubes?  

Or are they saying they will have a smaller version that fits Uran equipped ships & non-VLS subs like Kilos?
That would be a very cool way of giving a lot more firepower to those ships.

It might be a way to increase the max amount of hypersonic missiles. It could be a version that flies at the same speed (mach 8 ), but somewhat shortened range and smaller warhead, but with a diameter 50% less than normal Zircon, allowing 4 micro-Zircons to fit in the same tube. It could be the case that the normal sized Zircon should be focused on ships the size of Wasp-class carriers and above, and where as the micro-Zircon will be used on anything below like Arleigh-Burke class destroyers, etc.

Do we have any rough/early prototype schematics or concept pics of the missile?

I suspect the new full Zircon is designed to fit in the UKSK-M launcher, which might be longer and wider than the current system

I have similar suspicion but that means not only 22800 & Buyan-M can't carry it but also 11356, 20385, 22350 & even Nakhimov won't be able to carry it either which completely defeats the purpose.

Do we have any rough/early prototype schematics or concept pics of the missile?

Not from Russia no.
Only clue is the Brahmos II model the Indians have shown at defense shows.

If we assume that its a similar deal to Onyx/Brahmos I ie Russian body/engine with indigenous Indian electronics and that the model is actually a legit indicator of the actual design then this is what Zircon looks like.

A lot of articles show pics of Boeing X-51 Waverider incorrectly/not labeled.

Frankly the Brahmos II model looks like a straight copy of that to me.
So either Zircon is externally a near exact copy of X-51 or Zircon isn't properly represented by the Brahmos II model.

Kh-90 from the 80´s.

I thought the article was pretty clear... the new full sized Zircon missile is for cruisers, destroyers, and Submarines, while for small vessels like missile boats and Frigates they will use this new smaller missile.

Which suggests vessels larger than Frigates will get the UKSK-M launchers...

But Grigorovich, Gorshkov, Gremy, Severodvinsk & Nakhimov all have the current UKSK which is same size as the ones on Buyan-M & 22800s.
As far as we know there hasn't even been any ships laid down with UKSK-M let alone any near service, Zirkon is supposed to be going into service this year.
If the naval missile Zirkon doesn'tfit the UKSK in service with the navy its hard to see that it can go into service -> logically if its going into service this year it must fit the existing UKSK including on 22800 & Buyan-M.

How do you know the Boeing model isn't just a copy of a Russian design that was stolen in the 1990s?

Yeah thats a very interesting little rabbit-hole I'm currently going down, lots of interesting info on Russian hypersonic research at http://www.russianspaceweb.com/kholod.html & related pages

(that nose engine cropping up on artillery shells now!)

https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1098170161511698433?s=19

Putin presented Zirkon:

Mach 9

1000KM+

Submarine/Ship launched

400 km range??

dino00 wrote:https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1098170161511698433?s=19

Putin presented Zirkon:

Mach 9

1000KM+

Submarine/Ship launched

400 km range??

The big question is Do they have a ship able to launch it ? Uksk seems to be to small according to what they said for this one. That's why maybe they don't show any image.

Putin: work on the Zircon hypersonic missile is going well and will be completed on time

The President said that this rocket is able to develop a speed of about nine Machs

MOSCOW, February 20. / TASS /. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that work on a hypersonic Zircon rocket capable of developing speeds of up to nine machs is on
schedule and will be completed on time.

“Today I also consider it possible to officially inform you about another promising new product,” the Russian leader said in his message to the Federal Assembly, recalling that during the announcement of the message last year, he promised to gradually talk about new weapons. “We’ll say a little We are there in store. So, another promising new product, the work on which is going well and in the planned timeframe, will certainly be completed, and I want to say about the hypersonic Zircon rocket.

Putin said that this rocket is capable of developing a flight speed of about nine machs, and its range can be more than 1 thousand km. At the same time, it is capable of hitting both sea and land targets.

"Its application is provided for from sea carriers of mass-produced surface ships and submarines, including the Kalibr precision weapons already manufactured and being built for missile systems," the president explained, emphasizing that putting on combat duty of new weapons would not be expensive.

The Russian leader also said that seven new multipurpose submarines would be handed over to the Russian Navy to protect the national interests of Russia two to three years earlier than the deadlines set by the state armaments program, and five surface ships of the far sea zone would be laid down in the near future.

Another 16 ships of this class will be introduced into the Navy until 2027.

https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/6138247

Isos wrote:

dino00 wrote:https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/1098170161511698433?s=19

Putin presented Zirkon:

Mach 9

1000KM+

Submarine/Ship launched

400 km range??

The big question is Do they have a ship able to launch it ? Uksk seems to be to small according to what they said for this one. That's why maybe they don't show any image.

They have ships/subs already able to shoot them ser post above...Why show the missile?

No pics
Got all excited by 'presented' but its just some stats.

But what stats!

Mach 9 is a bit under the promised Mach 10 but better than the earlier statement of attaining Mach 7.

1000km range is significantly longer than expected, does possibly indicate a big ballistic boost phase which could imply its Iskander based like Kinzhal (or actually outright a ship-launched Kinzhal) which then would mean it doesn't fit UKSK...
Also repeated use of 'rocket' rather than 'cruise missile' but that could be a translation thing.

Could it be basically a version of Sizzler? Long range from a sub-sonic cruise stage then a hypersonic rocket powered terminal stage.

Or it could indeed be the widely expected air-breathing scramjet powered X-51 style waverider.


I think it probably does fit UKSK.
It just wouldn't make sense to develop a missile that doesn't fit any of the existing launchers and with no ships even proposed to have a new launcher let alone in-build or even in-service.

Isos wrote:
The big question is Do they have a ship able to launch it ? Uksk seems to be to small according to what they said for this one. That's why maybe they don't show any image.

UKSK-M

hoom wrote:No pics  
Got all excited by 'presented' but its just some stats.

But what stats!

Mach 9 is a bit under the promised Mach 10 but better than the earlier statement of attaining Mach 7.

1000km range is significantly longer than expected, does possibly indicate a big ballistic boost phase which could imply its Iskander based like Kinzhal (or actually outright a ship-launched Kinzhal) which then would mean it doesn't fit UKSK...
Also repeated use of 'rocket' rather than 'cruise missile' but that could be a translation thing.

Could it be basically a version of Sizzler? Long range from a sub-sonic cruise stage then a hypersonic rocket powered terminal stage.

Or it could indeed be the widely expected air-breathing scramjet powered X-51 style waverider.


I think it probably does fit UKSK.
It just wouldn't make sense to develop a missile that doesn't fit any of the existing launchers and with no ships even proposed to have a new launcher let alone in-build or even in-service.

Mack 9 is more than we heard until now. Zirkon is air breathing Cruise missile, like x-51 but usefull , it tits existing launchers...see below

hoom wrote:No pics  

sorry it moves just too fast to take pic

Mach 9 is a bit under the promised Mach 10 but better than the earlier statement oeef attaining Mach 7.

Kinzhal = 10 Ma burnout
Zircon was to be 5-8Ma

Could it be basically a version of Sizzler? Long range from a sub-sonic cruise stage then a hypersonic rocket powered terminal stage.

why to complicate?

Or it could indeed be the widely expected air-breathing scramjet powered X-51 style waverider.

Zircon style X-51 you mean?

The rocket "Zircon" can be used with launchers for "Caliber"

https://tvzvezda.ru/news/opk/content/2019220145-Xxy6i.html

dino00 wrote:
Mack 9 is more than we heard until now. Zirkon is air breathing Cruise missile, like x-51 but usefull , it tits existing launchers...see below

oh stop being such negative ! X-51 is useful as decoration for example, nice colors

Putin: Work on advanced Tsirkon hypersonic missile proceeding on schedule

The Russian leader has officially informed the audience about another advanced weapon

MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/.The work on the advanced Tsirkon hypersonic missile capable of developing a speed of up to Mach 9 is proceeding successfully and will be completed on time, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during his annual Address to the Federal Assembly on Wednesday.

"Today I consider it possible to officially inform you about yet another advanced weapon," the Russian leader said, reminding the audience that he had promised during his last year’s annual address to both houses of parliament to tell sequentially about new armaments.

"So, now this relates to another promising weapon, the work on which is proceeding successfully and will undoubtedly be completed within the planned timeframe. Namely, I want to tell you about the Tsirkon hypersonic missile," the Russian leader told the Federal Assembly.

As the Russian leader said, this missile is capable of developing a flight speed of about Mach 9 and its range capability may reach over 1,000 km. The missile can hit both naval and ground targets, he added.

"The missile is set to be used from the seaborne carriers of serial-produced surface ships and submarines, including vessels that have been built and are under construction for Kalibr precision missile systems," the president explained, emphasizing that the placement of new armaments on combat duty would not be a costly effort.


More:
http://tass.com/defense/1045576

Mach 9 and the range of 1000km fired from a ship, then an air launched model (like Kinzhal is to Iskander-M) would have greater speed and range. We saw Iskander-M fired from a ground launcher attain Mach 8 speed, and 500km range, but the air-launched version (Kinzhal) attain Mach 10 speed and 2000km range, we could see similar increase in characteristics.

"Zircon" will be one of the most important instruments of deterrence - Bondarev
02/20/2019 18:03:08

Moscow. February 20th. INTERFAX - The Zirkon hypersonic rocket will be one of the main deterrence tools for potential opponents of Russia, said the head of the Federation Council’s Committee on Defense and Security, Viktor Bondarev.

“Here’s the Zircon in the arsenal and will become one of the most important deterrent weapons. This hypersonic rocket has high accuracy, maneuverability, flies on elusive even for highly sensitive radars and altitudes and speeds. and hit, "said V. Bondarev to journalists on Wednesday, commenting on the message of the President of the Russian Federation to the Federal Assembly.

According to the senator, "Zircon" is a promising, newest weapon, which has no analogues in the world. “Hypersonic weapons are comparable to nuclear weapons in scale of damage, but they do not pollute the environment, do not harm civilians, destroy strictly specified targets without involving entire cities, countries, and peoples in the orbit of their destructive influence,” V. Bondarev said.

http://militarynews.ru/story.asp?rid=1&nid=502351

Maybe the air-launched version of Zirkon is the GZUR project.

Hole wrote:Maybe the air-launched version of Zirkon is the GZUR project.

KTRV incorporated NPO Mashinostroeniya to master hypersonic technology, i think its probably a joint work with Raduga.