Russia made a new test of its hypersonic cruise missile “Tsirkon” from the waters of the White Sea against a target located in a polygon in the northwest of the country, the Ministry of Defense reported this Thursday.
The trial, Defense indicated, is part of the final phase of hypersonic missile test launches. The “Tsirkon” was fired from the frigate “Admiral Gorshkov”, against a coastal target located in the Chizha polygon, in the Arkhangelsk region.
“The trial has been successful. The target was hit”Said Defense, who highlighted that the flight of the hypersonic missile was adjusted to the programmed parameters.
Last November, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Tsirkon tests were nearing completion and that the hypersonic missile could reach the Navy as early as next year.
Earlier, the Kremlin chief indicated that the new missile can develop a speed nine times that of sound and has a range of more than a thousand kilometers.
Hypersonic missiles being “cruise” also have ability to maneuver in mid-flight, making them much more difficult to intercept.
The Tsirkon had already undergone several tests in recent years, including another launch from Admiral Gorshkov and from a submerged submarine.
In 2018, Putin took advantage of his state of the nation address to reveal new hypersonic weapons, including the Tsirkon, claiming that it could hit targets at sea and on land located a thousand kilometers away.
The Tsirkon will join the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles, which entered service in 2019, and the Kinzhal (Dagger) air-launched missiles in the Russian arsenal.
While countries like the United States have developed systems designed to defend against cruise and ballistic missiles, the ability to track and intercept a hypersonic missile remains unknown.
Hypersonic missiles can be used to launch conventional warheads faster and more precisely than with other missiles. But its ability to launch nuclear weapons can increase a country’s threat level, as well as the risk of nuclear conflict.
(With information from EFE and AFP)
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Source-www.infobae.com