Hypersonic "Zircon" rocket: characteristics

In recent years, the United States has been intensively developing its national missile defense system. The desire of the US government to deploy some elements of its missile defense system in Eastern Europe was the reason for the start of the nuclear-missile race between America and Russia.

The urgency of creating new supersonic weapons

In view of the intensive strengthening of US missile defense systems near the borders of Russia, the Ministry of Defense of the country made a strategic decision to actively counter it by creating new hypersonic missiles. One of them is ZK-22 - a hypersonic rocket "Zircon". Russia, according to its military experts, will be able to effectively confront any potential aggressor only if it urgently modernizes its army and navy.

Essence of modernization of the Russian Navy

Since 2011, according to the plan of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, work is underway to create such a unique weapon as the Zircon missile. Characteristics of supersonic missiles are distinguished by one common quality - the highest speed. They have such a speed that the enemy can have difficulties not only in terms of their interception, but at the attempt of detection. According to military experts, the cruise missile Zirkon is very effective and deterrent to any aggression. The characteristics of the product make it possible to consider this weapon as the modern hypersonic sword of the Russian air fleet.

Statements in the media

For the first time, applications for the development of a complex with a hypersonic cruise missile "Zircon" of sea basing appeared in the media in February 2011. The weapon became the newest complex development of the Russian designers.

The alleged designation of the Zircon missile system was the abbreviation 3K-22.

In August 2011, the general director of the Tactical Missile Armament Concern, Boris Obnosov, announced that the corporation had begun developing a rocket that would speed up to 13 Mach, exceeding the speed of sound by 12-13 times. (For comparison: today the speed of Russian Navy strike missiles is up to Mach 2.5).

In 2012, the Deputy Defense Minister of Russia stated that in the near future the first test of the created hypersonic missile is expected.

Open sources reported that the development of a ship complex with a hypersonic rocket "Zircon" was entrusted to "NPO Mashinostroyeniya." It is known that information about the technical characteristics of the installation is classified, alleged data were reported: range - 300-400 km, speed - 5-6 Max.

There are unconfirmed reports that the missile is a hypersonic version of BraMos, a supersonic cruise missile that was developed by Russian designers together with Indian specialists based on the Onyx P-800 missile. In 2016 (February), BrahMos Aerospace company stated that the hypersonic engine for its brainchild could be developed within 3-4 years.

In March 2016, the media announced the beginning of tests of the hypersonic rocket "Zircon", which were carried out from the ground launch complex.

In the long term it was planned to install Zirkon on the newest Russian submarines Husky. At the moment, these multi-purpose atomic submarines of the 5th generation are being developed by the Malakhit design bureau.

At the same time, information was published in the media that the state flight-design tests of the missile are in full swing. Upon their completion, it is expected that a decision will be made on the adoption of Zirkon into the Russian Navy. In April 2016, information was published that the tests of the Zircon rocket would be completed by 2017, and in 2018 the launch of the unit in mass production is expected.

Development and testing

In 2011, the Tactical Missile Weapons Concern began designing hypersonic anti-ship missiles Zirkon. The characteristics of the new weapons, in the opinion of experts, have much in common with the already existing "Bolid" complex.

In 2012 and 2013, a new rocket was tested at the testing site in Akhtubinsk. The carrier was TU-22M3. The result of the tests were conclusions about the reason for the unsuccessful launch and short-duration flight of the warhead. Subsequent testing was conducted in 2015 with the use of a ground launch complex as a carrier. Now, with the emergency launch, the Zircon rocket was launched. The characteristics of the year 2016 when tested gave a positive result, which prompted developers to announce in the media about the creation of a new hypersonic missile weapon.

Where is it planned to use the new missiles?

After the completion of further planned state tests hypersonic missiles will be equipped with "Husky" (multi-purpose nuclear submarines), "Leader" cruisers and modernized nuclear cruisers "Orlan" and "Peter the Great". On the heavy nuclear cruiser "Admiral Nakhimov" will also be installed anti-ship missile "Zircon". Characteristics of the new ultra-high-speed weapons are much superior to similar models - for example, such as the "Granite" complex. Over time, it will be replaced by ZK-22. Extremely promising and modernized submarines and surface ships will use the Zircon missile.

Specifications

• The range of the missile is 1500 km.
• The installation has a speed of about 6 Max. (1 Max is 331 meters per second).
• The combat part of ZK-22 weighs not less than 200 kg.
• 500 km - radius of damage, which has a hypersonic rocket "Zircon".

The characteristics of the gun give grounds to judge the superiority of the army that owns it over an opponent who does not possess such weapons.

Engine and fuel

Hypersonic or super-fast is the object whose speed is at least 4500 km / h. When creating such weapons, developers face many scientific and technical problems. Among them, there are very urgent questions about how to accelerate a missile using a traditional jet engine and what fuel to use? The Russian scientists-developers decided: to accelerate the ZK-22 use a special rocket-direct-flow engine, which is characterized by supersonic combustion. These engines operate on the new fuel "Decylin-M", for which an increased energy intensity (20%) is inherent.

Areas of science involved in the development of

High temperature is the usual medium in which the Zircon rocket is carried out after dispersing its maneuvering flight. Characteristics of the homing system at supersonic speed during flight can be significantly distorted. The reason for this is the occurrence of a plasma cloud, which can close the target from the system and damage the sensor, antenna and controls. For a flight at hypersonic speeds, rockets should be equipped with more advanced on-board radio-electronic equipment. The serial production of ZK-22 involves such sciences as materials science, engine building, electronics, aerodynamics and others.

What was the purpose of the Zircon rocket (Russia)?

The characteristics obtained after state tests give grounds to believe that these supersonic objects can easily overcome the enemy's anti-tank defense. This became possible due to two features inherent in ZK-22:

• The speed of the warhead at an altitude of 100 km is 15 Mach, i.e. 7 km / sec.
• Being in a dense atmospheric layer, even before approaching its goal, the warhead performs complex maneuvers, which makes the work of the enemy's missile defense difficult.

Many military experts, both Russian and foreign, believe that the achievement of military-strategic parity directly depends on the availability of hypersonic missiles.

About the prospects

The media is actively exaggerating information about the United States lagging behind Russia in terms of developing hypersonic missiles. In their statements, journalists refer to the data of US military research. The appearance of a hypersonic weapon in the arsenal of the Russian Federation is expected to be even more modern than the Zircon missile by 2020. For the US missile defense system, considered one of the most advanced systems in the world, the emergence of extreme high-speed nuclear weapons in the Russian air force will, in the opinion of journalists, be a real challenge.

Unannounced race of high-tech weapons continues in the world. Hypersonic weapons are attributed to the latest technologies, which in the 21st century will play a decisive role in the outcome of the war. It is no coincidence that in 2000, US President George W. Bush signed a directive that turns into reality the possibility of a rapid global strike using hypersonic high-precision cruise missiles.

It's easy to guess who it was meant for. Probably, that is why in October 2016, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced the use of the X-101 in the war in Syria - the newest cruise missiles, the range of which is about 4,500 km.

The hypersonic rocket "Zircon", the characteristics of which guarantee a colossal advantage in arming the army that has it, is the "golden dream" of any general, minister and president. The presence of such weapons can become a significant deterrent in any military conflict.