Russian 3M22 Tsirkon Hypersonic Missile

sferrin said:
Austin said:
flateric said:
Wiki is ready for help, my friend. We have started as early as 1991.

Brahmos are developing Hypersonic variant in two part as per its CEO Dr Sudhir

The first step is to achieve Mach 5 would be to use improved Ramjet propulsion that would increase the speed to little over Mach 5.
The second part is Scramjet propulsion to improve the speed between Mach 6-7.

The first variant would be available in next 5 years but the second one involving scramjet would take a decade.

Is there reason to believe the process would go any smoother in India than in the US. Fasthawk, HyFly, X-51, etc. were all suppose to be slam dunks. Turned out. . .not so much.

Pure Scramjet certainly would be challenging and brahmos has stated it would take a decade to get there.

But getting Mach 5 with modified Ramjet would be feseable in next 5 years or so.

I read the Russians have already tested Ramjet with speed mach 4.5 and the existing Brahmos Engine as Mishra Said with little modification can achieve Mach 5
 
Trident said:
I don't know what it was that you intended to say, but...

it definitely came out as though you were basing various deductions about the actual weapon's capabilities squarely on the appearance of that generic, non-representative model.

"The model is this big, so Tsirkon cannot possibly be packed as tightly as claimed"

"The model looks like the X-51, so Tsirkon will perform much like it and not live up to performance claims"

Except that the real Tsirkon may well have little to do with the model...

I said the Russians are making some pretty wild claims here, and based on all the evidence which we have, primarily from the Indians (as Austin points out), there is a lot of wishful thinking about time-tables and capabilities. That's what I said: if they claim it's going to be so many missiles carried, then it's not going to be this thing. But if it's not going to be this thing, it's not going to be Mach 7 or 20 or whatever they are claiming this week. More likely, some smaller version of Brahmos (Austin's link seems to point to that possibility too)

Not a lot of design choices to go with if you're going to make a hypersonic weapon. But I don't see any reason to ignore their own images (after all, do you think a useful hypersonic ground-launched weapon is going to be small, or not a very-high flyer?), or the claims of their development partner.
 
sferrin said:
Is there reason to believe the process would go any smoother in India than in the US. Fasthawk, HyFly, X-51, etc. were all suppose to be slam dunks. Turned out. . .not so much.

Well, had the US political elite not turned into chicken shit cowards more concerned with ethnic and gender outreach than actually winning any future conflicts, the work of the sixties, seventies and eighties wouldn't of been thrown away so casually.

Plus, one failure the top brass piss their pants, cry for momma and call the game off after one, maybe two tries at best.

This is the stuff Lockheed, Convair, GD, Boeing, all used to eat for breakfast. Sad days, sad days indeed.
 
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Ian33 said:
sferrin said:
Is there reason to believe the process would go any smoother in India than in the US. Fasthawk, HyFly, X-51, etc. were all suppose to be slam dunks. Turned out. . .not so much.

Well, had the US political elite not turned into chicken shit cowards more concerned with ethnic and gender outreach than actually winning any future conflicts, the work of the sixties, seventies and eighties wouldn't of been thrown away so casually.

Plus, one failure the top brass piss their pants, cry for momma and call the game off after one, maybe two tries at best.

This is the stuff Lockheed, Convair, GD, Boeing, all used to eat for breakfast. Sad days, sad days indeed.
Exactly right, when I first joined this site I spend the first few months, at least, finding information on programs exclaiming, "WE DID THAT" in the '50s or 60s!!!!

The Pentagon could probably hire a team of "aerospace/military document investigators" just to find and blow off the dust of programs that would make awesome weapon systems even today.
 
Ian33 said:
sferrin said:
Is there reason to believe the process would go any smoother in India than in the US. Fasthawk, HyFly, X-51, etc. were all suppose to be slam dunks. Turned out. . .not so much.

Well, had the US political elite not turned into chicken shit cowards more concerned with ethnic and gender outreach than actually winning any future conflicts, the work of the sixties, seventies and eighties wouldn't of been thrown away so casually.

Plus, one failure the top brass piss their pants, cry for momma and call the game off after one, maybe two tries at best.

This is the stuff Lockheed, Convair, GD, Boeing, all used to eat for breakfast. Sad days, sad days indeed.

Preach it brother! There's a video out there wherein the general heading the X-51 effort actually says regarding the last flight, "we almost didn't do it because we thought 'what if we fail?'". Seriously?
 
Found an interesting though "old-dated" patent (issued 2015) filled by"NPO Mashinostroyenia" for a "Method of hitting above-water and ground targets with hypersonic cruise missile and device therefor"… Airbreathing hypersonic missile. Grabs attached. Enjoy.
A.
 

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antigravite said:
Found an interesting though "old-dated" patent (issued 2015) filled by"NPO Mashinostroyenia" for a "Method of hitting above-water and ground targets with hypersonic cruise missile and device therefor"… Airbreathing hypersonic missile. Grabs attached. Enjoy.
A.

which might be related to this other topic:

http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,26907.0/all.html

:D :) ;)
 
The invention relates to a hypersonic cruise missiles (CMP), equipped with scramjet (scramjet). CMP contains marching step with design, built on the basis of two modules. The first module is a battle and is designed as a glider sustainer stage CMP. The second - unit sustainer propulsion system combines air intake, combustion chamber, the nozzle, the fluid system and devices that run the scramjet. The second module is mounted under the fuselage of the combat module packet (parallel) scheme, with the possibility of separating in flight by BASS team. After detection and target coordinates in the point of the trajectory, calculated onboard equipment control system (BASS) for BASS team produced the separation of the power plant (SU) CMP and defeat the purpose of planning is carried out combat unit. The technical result of the invention is to expand the scope of rockets from scramjet. 2N. 1 ZP f ly-4-yl.



The invention relates to the field of missile technology, and more particularly to a hypersonic cruise missiles equipped with scramjet (scramjet). The invention describes a method of using the device and hypersonic cruise missile (CMP), solves the problem of the combat mission for the defeat of ground and surface targets such missile.

Known hypersonic aircraft X-51, equipped with scramjet ventral air intake, which is a technology demonstrator. X-51 flight tests took place in order to develop technologies used in the creation of CMP. During the tests, the unit was separated from the aircraft carrier at a speed corresponding to 0.8M, and a height of 15.2 km, then he accelerated detachable solid-starter-boost stage to the speed corresponding to M = 4.5-4.8. Then launch the scramjet was carried out, after which the device scored a height of about 30 km and was flying, maintaining a speed of about 5M. After completion of the flight at a given altitude test plan provided off of the power plant and the fall of the unit (based on the 17th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference).

This method is the use of the aircraft and its equipment to the technical nature the most similar to the subject matter of the invention, despite the fact that the X-51 makers were hesitant tasks directly hitting the ground or sea targets, as the entrance into the dense layers of the atmosphere of the overclocked to an altitude of Mach number = 5 and a vehicle with a scramjet is associated with the probability of sequential destruction of its powerplant and airframe before reaching the destruction of the object.

The described invention is designed to maximize the combat potential of the CMP with the scramjet and aircraft, discussed above, is accepted as the closest analogue.

To solve the problem of the use of missile weapons in the promising samples scramjet propulsion system requires (SU), which will fully meet all the demands placed upon it.

A feature of the cruise trajectory missiles scramjet is the presence of the main high-altitude flight section, for example, at a height of H = 30 km at a constant speed corresponding to Mach 6. Before hitting surface or ground object CMP must be reduced to the height of the location of the target (for surface targets 10 m, and for the land at altitudes from 0 to 4000 m) and at the same time produce a decrease of flight speed to reduce aerodynamic loads and provide acceptable handling characteristics.

It should be noted that the calculation mode for the scramjet propulsion are flight conditions at high altitude with the maintenance of the settlement cruise velocity, and the need to reduce the height and speed creates intractable technical problems related to the fact that:

- The engine is designed to perform hypersonic cruise flight at high altitude, is not able to continue to work on the low-altitude areas of the trajectory, coupled with a decrease in flight Mach number, it follows that to the ground or surface target missile must be approached with engine inoperative;

- Stability and controllability characteristics CMP inoperative scramjet significantly deteriorate, it becomes possible loss of stability;

- There is also the danger of the destruction of the scramjet designs due to increased pressure in the running of the engine while reducing the CMP with the cruise altitude before hitting the target.

Availability of off-design conditions for the scramjet high altitude causes that enable flight CMP requires regulated power unit (SU), in which the air intake flow of the engine and nozzle are configured to change their shape in a wide range of geometric parameters. Such decisions need to be implemented to create a scramjet performance in a wide range of parameters of the incoming flow. Changing the shape of the air intake, combustion chamber and engine nozzle is only possible with the use of sophisticated control devices.

The above device should provide a work SU wide range of speeds and altitudes by continuously adaptive adjustment to the conditions of flight gas path geometrical parameters and supply fuel substantially from SU transforming scramjet supersonic flow in SC conventional subsonic flow from the ramjet.

The solution of such a complex technical and technological tasks under tight weight and size restrictions placed on weapons systems, it seems inappropriate.

The object of the invention to provide a method for applying CMP to combat scramjet to destroy ground and surface targets within the constraints imposed on the flight propulsion rocket.

This object is achieved by the fact that in contrast to the known method defeats the purpose of the capital master plan, which consists in removing the missile at a given altitude and flight speed starter-boost stage (CPC), the CPC office, launching cruise scramjet, active flight at the design height in the direction of the goal, search , seizure and destruction of the target, in the claimed invention, after detection and target coordinates in the point of the trajectory, calculated onboard equipment control system (BASS) for BASS team is made off scramjet followed by separation of the power plant by marching step by tripping piroustroystv and defeat the purpose carried out planning combat unit, correcting its trajectory according to the homing system.

The proposed method makes it possible to realize the combat capabilities of the missiles by firing at a target while minimizing approach to it due to the high speed of the march CMP flight.

Branch power plant will reduce the drag and hence to increase the duration of the planning area and combat unit will be able to withstand high overload permissible, and hence have better controllability. Also SU compartment lead to a significant decrease in firing module effective surface scattering and hence to reduce its visibility, which is especially important at the approach to the target.

For carrying out the process of hitting the target in the known device of hypersonic aircraft, comprising solid-starter-booster stage (CPC) and the marching step with ventral air intake scramjet liquid hydrocarbon fuel, comprising SU containing air intake, combustion chamber, nozzle, the fluid system and devices that run the scramjet, the claimed invention there is provided marching step by CMP to build on the basis of two modules, the first of which is to combat and is designed as a glider sustainer stage CMP and the second - in the form of unit sustainer propulsion system, combining the all of the above device SU and fixed under the fuselage of the combat module packet (parallel) scheme, with the possibility of separating in flight by BASS team. This module propulsion system (IAS) mounted under the fuselage of the combat module piroustroystvami, and to ensure supply to the power plant unit propulsion fuel and control commands it is connected with the combat unit discontinuous hydraulic and electrical connectors.

The proposed CMP device allows to solve the problems associated with the creation of hypersonic combat unit through a specially designed rocket, allowing it to separate from the marching power plant, thereby avoiding the need to make a flight with a scramjet to deliberately off-design conditions. In addition, the union into a single unit air intake, combustion chamber, nozzles, heat exchanger and the fluid system will significantly reduce launch weight of CMP, as its design will be perceived only loads acting on the dispersal areas and active (working with scramjet) flight.

The modular design will allow SU to make it an autonomous ground tests and increase the reliability of the whole installation.

The essence of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 ÷ 3. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the starting step CMP, Fig. 2 - layout sustainer stage CMP. FIG. 3 shows a general view of the combat unit. FIG. 4 illustrates the division of the combat unit and MSU after powered flight portion where a section A-A shows the location piroustroystv fuselage (19).

Start CMP step (1) is made by the normal aerodynamic scheme with plyusoobraznym plumage starter-booster stage.

The stage contains the starting kickoff-booster stage and marching gear (2) with a two-keel empennage and wings mounted on the fuselage having a longitudinal plane of symmetry. Under the fuselage of the combat unit sustainer stage mounted in parallel module power unit (3) with an air inlet (4), the pylon assembly (5), combustion chamber (6) and the nozzle (7). Securing local government by means of piroustroystv (8 and 9), giving a control command to the power plant by means of a discontinuous electrical connector (10) and power is marching fuel through the bursting gidrorazem (11).

The forward fuselage of the combat module (12) located onboard equipment control system. On average, the fuselage compartment (13) has a fuel tank and the payload bay. By the tail section (14) is mounted starter-booster stage (15).

Said device operates as follows.

After separation from the launch vehicle produced CDS and CMP concluded on march speed and altitude. Further downstream from the CDS, and simultaneously starts the supply pilot fuel into the combustion chamber of the power plant from the tank, located in its housing (16). Coming from this fuel tank, igniting using pyro (17), runs the power plant and prepare it for operation on the main fuel, placed in the middle section of the fuselage. Next, the scramjet launch and the rocket begins to cruise flight.

After the end of the active portion of the flight propulsion system is separated from the combat unit. Plot trajectories associated with the planning and the defeat of targets, overcoming a combat unit (18).

Thus, the present invention makes it possible to extend the scope of rockets from scramjet.

1. A method for hitting surface and land targets hypersonic cruise missile (CMP), which consists in removing the missile at a given altitude and flight speed starter-boost stage (CPC), the CPC office, launching cruise scramjet (scramjet), active flight at the design height towards the target, search, capture and destruction of the target, characterized in that, after detection and target coordinates at a point of the trajectory, computed onboard equipment control system (BASS) at BASU command produced off scramjet followed by separation of the power plant from the march stage through operation piroustroystv and defeat the purpose of planning is carried out combat unit, correcting its trajectory according to the homing system.

2. The apparatus for performing the method hitting surface and land targets hypersonic cruise missile, comprising a solid-starter-booster stage (CPC) and the marching step with ventral air intake scramjet liquid hydrocarbon fuel, comprising a power unit (SU) comprising an air inlet, a combustor, a nozzle, a fluid system and devices that support the operation scramjet, characterized in that the sustainer stage CMP is based on two modules, the first of which is to combat and is designed as a glider sustainer stage CMP, and the second - as a module sustainer propulsion system that combines all of the above device SU and fixed under the fuselage of the combat module packet (parallel) scheme, with the possibility of separating in flight by BASS team.

3. The apparatus of claim. 2, characterized in that the propulsion unit (ISU) mounted under the fuselage piroustroystvami combat unit and connected thereto discontinuous hydro and electrical connectors.

http://www.findpatent.ru/patent/257/2579409.html
 

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This is an NPO Mashinostroyeniya patent for a two-stage hypersonic (Mach 6) scramjet-powered missile design which basically flies very high at high speed then separates when approaching the target, dropping the engine section and flying unpowered down to the target. This simplifies the scramjet design as it doesn't have to work in the dense air at low altitudes.

I think its more applicable to Brahmos II than Tsirkon, but lets see.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfa78iEUHtc
 
Russia Continues Tests of Tsirkon Hypersonic Missile
(Source: TASS-Defense; published April 17, 2017)
MOSCOW --- Under development by Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia Corporation headquartered in the Moscow Region, the Tsirkon advanced hypersonic antiship missile has achieved Mach 8 at a recent test, TASS reports, citing a source in the defense industry.

"The tests have proved that its cruising speed is Mach 8 (the Mach number indicates the relationships between sonic speed and flight altitude)," the source said without specifying the date of the launch and the launcher used. According to him, the Tsirkon can be fired by the 3S-14 versatile vertical launch system used in the Kalibr (NATO reporting name: SS-N-27 Sizzler) and Oniks (SS-N-26 Strobile) missile systems as well. An official confirmation of the reports is unavailable at the moment.

The official tests of the Tsirkon have been kicked off this year. When the missile enters service, it will join the weapons suites of the Pyotr Veliky (Kirov-class) and Admiral Nakhimov nuclear-powered battlecruisers among others. According to open sources, the Tsirkon’s range is in the neighborhood of 400 km and its maximum speed equals Mach 4-6.

In late March this year, British media have actively discussed the Tsirkon’s characteristics, saying the weapon was a threat to the Royal Navy and was a game changer, according to the Novosti News Agency.

For instance, the Daily Mirror wrote the sophisticated missile was fit to destroy the RN’s most advanced ships "in a single strike."

"Experts warn the unstoppable missiles could spell disaster for the Navy's new £6.2 billion aircraft carriers… But with no method of protecting themselves against missiles like the Tsirkon, the carrier would have to stay out of range, hundreds of miles out at sea. That would make it impossible for the carrier's jets and helicopters to reach their target, carry out their mission, and return without running out of fuel - effectively rendering them useless," the Mirror’s article said.

The Daily Mail, in turn, warmed that the missile could fly at a speed of 7,400 km/h - six times faster than sonic speed.

"Current Navy anti-missile defenses are only equipped to shoot down projectiles traveling 2,300mph, meaning they would be useless against the Tsirkon. The 'unstoppable' projectile could spell disaster for the Navy's… aircraft carriers," the article explained.

The Daily Star called the Tsirkon a "game changer….The lethal missile - which can be fired from land, sea and submarines - can reportedly cover 155 miles in just 2.5 minutes, which is faster than a bullet from sniper's rifle," it said.

Early media reports on the development of the Tsirkon cropped up in February 2011. Some presumed for want of an official confirmation that the BrahMos-II antimissile system was the Tsirkon’s export version. There had been an assumption before 2012 that the Tsirkon was a successor to the Bolid system from NPO Mashinostroyenia as well.

NPO Mashinostroyenia set up a team of project engineers in 2011. The weapon’s preliminary design was complete the same year, as were the preliminary designs of the subsystems of the missile. A division of UPKB Detal did some of the job. The development of the hypersonic missile system is scheduled for completion before 2020, according to the Military Russia web portal.

Later on, the media have reported that the Tsirkon program was either discontinued or altered. No proof has been offered, but it is possible that it is the closure of the program due to technical problems that prompted the government to propose that the Raduga Design Bureau and NPO Mashinostroyenia pool their efforts to work on hypersonic missile development, according to the Gazeta.ru website. -

-ends-
 
GTX said:
Russia Continues Tests of Tsirkon Hypersonic Missile
(Source: TASS-Defense; published April 17, 2017)
MOSCOW --- Under development by Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia Corporation headquartered in the Moscow Region, the Tsirkon advanced hypersonic antiship missile has achieved Mach 8 at a recent test, TASS reports, citing a source in the defense industry.

"The tests have proved that its cruising speed is Mach 8 (the Mach number indicates the relationships between sonic speed and flight altitude)," the source said without specifying the date of the launch and the launcher used. According to him, the Tsirkon can be fired by the 3S-14 versatile vertical launch system used in the Kalibr (NATO reporting name: SS-N-27 Sizzler) and Oniks (SS-N-26 Strobile) missile systems as well. An official confirmation of the reports is unavailable at the moment.

The official tests of the Tsirkon have been kicked off this year. When the missile enters service, it will join the weapons suites of the Pyotr Veliky (Kirov-class) and Admiral Nakhimov nuclear-powered battlecruisers among others. According to open sources, the Tsirkon’s range is in the neighborhood of 400 km and its maximum speed equals Mach 4-6.

In late March this year, British media have actively discussed the Tsirkon’s characteristics, saying the weapon was a threat to the Royal Navy and was a game changer, according to the Novosti News Agency.

For instance, the Daily Mirror wrote the sophisticated missile was fit to destroy the RN’s most advanced ships "in a single strike."

"Experts warn the unstoppable missiles could spell disaster for the Navy's new £6.2 billion aircraft carriers… But with no method of protecting themselves against missiles like the Tsirkon, the carrier would have to stay out of range, hundreds of miles out at sea. That would make it impossible for the carrier's jets and helicopters to reach their target, carry out their mission, and return without running out of fuel - effectively rendering them useless," the Mirror’s article said.

The Daily Mail, in turn, warmed that the missile could fly at a speed of 7,400 km/h - six times faster than sonic speed.

"Current Navy anti-missile defenses are only equipped to shoot down projectiles traveling 2,300mph, meaning they would be useless against the Tsirkon. The 'unstoppable' projectile could spell disaster for the Navy's… aircraft carriers," the article explained.

The Daily Star called the Tsirkon a "game changer….The lethal missile - which can be fired from land, sea and submarines - can reportedly cover 155 miles in just 2.5 minutes, which is faster than a bullet from sniper's rifle," it said.

Early media reports on the development of the Tsirkon cropped up in February 2011. Some presumed for want of an official confirmation that the BrahMos-II antimissile system was the Tsirkon’s export version. There had been an assumption before 2012 that the Tsirkon was a successor to the Bolid system from NPO Mashinostroyenia as well.

NPO Mashinostroyenia set up a team of project engineers in 2011. The weapon’s preliminary design was complete the same year, as were the preliminary designs of the subsystems of the missile. A division of UPKB Detal did some of the job. The development of the hypersonic missile system is scheduled for completion before 2020, according to the Military Russia web portal.

Later on, the media have reported that the Tsirkon program was either discontinued or altered. No proof has been offered, but it is possible that it is the closure of the program due to technical problems that prompted the government to propose that the Raduga Design Bureau and NPO Mashinostroyenia pool their efforts to work on hypersonic missile development, according to the Gazeta.ru website. -

-ends-

And, for the first time, the Daily Star finally gets someone quoting an article.

Seriously though, WTF?
 
I'm surprised they didn't get a page 3 "star bird" to comment on it, standard practice usually.
 
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jun/3/russia-tests-hypersonic-missile-which-it-says-make/
 
Grey Havoc said:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jun/3/russia-tests-hypersonic-missile-which-it-says-make/

"Zircon" looks suspiciously like an S-300/400. ;)
 
How am I tired of that fcuking clickbait shit...
 
https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2017/11/russia-military-official-claims-mach-8-zircon-hypersonic-missile-is-operational.html
 
Trying to make a simplified potential range estimate. The thing is that due to the scramjet propulsion, treating it similar as rocket would be false. My approach however is to use rocket equation to predict the boost speed, range and burnout altitude then followed by Breguet range equation to predict potential range in the horizontal flight.

I wonder if such approach sufficient for at least early estimate.
 
stealthflanker said:
Trying to make a simplified potential range estimate. The thing is that due to the scramjet propulsion, treating it similar as rocket would be false. My approach however is to use rocket equation to predict the boost speed, range and burnout altitude then followed by Breguet range equation to predict potential range in the horizontal flight.

I wonder if such approach sufficient for at least early estimate.

Do we know that it is, in fact, scramjet powered?
 
That is what is being rumored though my guess would more towards a boost glide weapon.
 
sferrin said:
Do we know that it is, in fact, scramjet powered?

If the patent is to be believed then M-6 cruise speed is perhaps can be considered scramjet realm. Although yes that the engine might be dropped and the vehicle will glide after.
 
Trying to make a rough outline of it, a big what-if. based on patent image.

48407179_10212931428304769_1237126391439294464_n.jpg


48390181_10212931428384771_1424684800052035584_n.jpg


The maximum diameter will be based on UKSK's dimension, which likely limit the missile diameter to 0.7-0.72m (that of an Oniks). The length will be dictated by the rocket motor booster and for the kill vehicle, it's combustor length. For M-6 boost speed, assuming launch weight of 3200 Kg. approximately the rocket propellant will weigh about 1800 Kg, the rocket motor propellant section is then will be about 5.71m in length, adding the nozzle and intersection part. I figure it would be about 7 meter for the booster part. The kill vehicle's inlet is assumed to have combustion velocity of M 2.45 during the M.6 cruise and combustion time of 0.002 second. Thus the combustor length is about 1.7 meter. Then i scale the patent image of it and yeah for the proportion it appears that the kill vehicle would be 3.73m of length in total.

The L/D for the M-6 cruise will be about 5.9 max and maybe about 4.7 average. with 120 Kg of propellant, giving range of 1066-1300 Km.
 

"Russia’s Pacific Fleet to upgrade warships to carry Tsirkon hypersonic weapons

According to experts, the Tsirkon hypersonic missile can’t be intercepted by any existing air defense capabilities
Marshal Shaposhnikov anti-submarine warfare ship Yuri Smityuk/TASS

BOLSHOI KAMEN /Vladivostok/, November 8. /TASS/. The Project 1155 large anti-submarine warfare ship Marshal Shaposhnikov and the Project 949A Antey-class multipurpose nuclear-powered submarine Irkutsk currently undergoing their upgrade for Russia’s Pacific Fleet will be capable of using the latest Tsirkon hypersonic weapons, Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said on Friday.

"In 2020, we are due to receive the upgraded ship Marshal Shaposhnikov. I am confident that the management [of the Dalzavod Ship Repair Center] will duly fulfil the assigned task and the timeframe of the ship’s delivery won’t be shifted. The universal launchers, which the ship will receive, will enable it to eventually employ the latest Tsirkon hypersonic missiles," the deputy defense minister said, wrapping up his visit to enterprises of the Far Eastern shipbuilding cluster.

The nuclear-powered submarine Irkutsk, which the Zvezda Shipyard in the Primorye Region in the Russian Far East is upgrading to the 949AM level, will also receive this capability. The sub is due to be delivered to the Russian Pacific Fleet in 2022, the defense official said.

In his State-of-the-Nation Address to the Federal Assembly on February 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Tsirkon missile was capable of developing a speed of Mach 9 and its range capability could exceed 1,000 km. The Russian leader also said that the Tsirkon could strike both naval and ground targets. The new missile will be deployed on warships and submarines armed with Kalibr cruise missiles."
 
"In 2020, we are due to receive the upgraded ship Marshal Shaposhnikov. I am confident that the management [of the Dalzavod Ship Repair Center] will duly fulfil the assigned task and the timeframe of the ship’s delivery won’t be shifted."

Translated : "The schedule's looking really dodgy and I know who to blame if they don't fix it."
 
Are there any actual pictures of the Zircon? The link shows a Brahmos II mockup.

There is a distinct lack of information, beyond it being hypersonic. Even hypersonic is a squishy enough term to mean a wide range of capabilities.

As to the actual missile theory, the counter argument is that anti-stealth will improve as ship-board radar gets better. Unlike a stealth fighter, a stealth AShM will have to penetrate all the way to the radar source, it has no range to aid the stealth effect. It is important here to note that the US is trying to field two hyoersonic systems.

In terms of advantages, a hypersonic missile has a kinematic advantage over interceptors, if conducting terminal maneuvers it will pose serious challenges to a missile defense. This was a topic of active research, but I don't know if how much was solved, esp as nobody in the west has a hypersonic missile analog.

What is confusing about the Zircon is the range, which is rumored to be ~250nm. That seems to be very short for a modern missile. Maybe the Russians are trading size, 80 on a Kirov, for range?

Last thought, I'm not surprised the Russians beat the US to hypersonics. Russia has more practical experience at hypersonic cruising weapons from the old, massive, Russian missiles.
[/QUO
DrRansom said:
Russia has more practical experience at hypersonic cruising weapons from the old, massive, Russian missiles.

None of them cruised at hypersonic speed. Also it's a bit early to be declaring them the winner seeing how just about every report is different and seems to have whatever missile the author could find a picture of at the time. Doesn't even say it's mode of propulsion.

True and in my opinion the sheer thought of the existence just pushes the scientists at JPL to push harder on the technology to where we actually build THE mach 5 hypersonic missle at sea level. Our intelligence gathering may have already discovered what the Russians can and can't do. Hitler scared the world into thinking he had the atomic bomb. We however found that he was onto the how part of it. So who actually came to the table with the first one? Not Hitler. Not the USSR. Scare tactics at times can be the mother of all creations
 
On another note:
 
It appears first launch from ship was concluded in January. 22350 Gorshkov (which is kinda execrable) was launching platform. Further testing on ships and later on submarines is promised.
 
Here is the link https://topwar.ru/168367-stalo-izve...rzvukovoj-rakety-cirkon-s-borta-korablja.html


"It became known about conducting new tests of hypersonic weapons in Russia. We are talking about tests of the Zircon hypersonic anti-ship missile, capable of destroying almost any surface ships, including aircraft carriers.

The TASS information service, citing sources in the defense structures, writes that the newest hypersonic weapons - the Zircon missile - were first tested from the side of the ship. The admiral Gorshkov frigate belonging to project 22350 is used as a carrier of the new generation of test missile weapons. It is added that the tests were carried out in January.

The Zircon was reportedly tested at a special naval training ground in the Barents Sea. The 3M22 cruise missile was not used against a sea target, but against a ground target. She successfully hit this target, which was at that time on the training ground of the Northern Urals. It is noted that a hypersonic missile covered more than 500 km.

Recall that initially it was reported about the range of the Zircon in 500 km. Now there is evidence that hypersonic Raman scattering can travel up to 1000 km, at certain sites developing a speed of 8-10 M (sound speeds).

It is known that the next series of tests for the Zircon SCR will be firing from a submarine. On what kind of submarine will be equipped with a hypersonic missile for conducting test firing, not yet reported."
 
Naval News has an article, in two parts. March 2, and 3, 2020


and
 
Hmmmm...

745ezdtruj.png

(http://paralay.iboards.ru/viewtopic.php?p=584154#p584154)

Tsirkon is, at least initially, a naval ASCM first and foremost and not a strategic nuclear ALCM, but the configuration depicted is intriguing - probably an airbreather, and not a million miles removed from the X-51ski that commonly serves to illustrate 3M22. You could be forgiven for using the X-51 as a fairly representative placeholder, if this is the real thing and the actual layout is too secret to reveal.
 
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Main differences:

- the booster/interstage is more compact than the one based on an ATACMS-derived motor that is used by the X-51. Not unexpected for a deployable weapon with a purpose-built rather than adopted booster.
- the missile body looks broader and flatter than the tall/narrow X-51.
- the cruise stage fins, especially the lower/horizontal pair, seem a good bit larger than on the X-51.
- what little can be seen of the air intake looks quite different (significantly further aft, for one).
 
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