Quick Facts
Russian/US Designation | 3M22 Zircon/SS-N-33 |
Role and Mobility | Anti-Ship Hypersonic Cruise Missile; Land-, Air-, and Submarine-Mobile |
Designer/Production | NPO Mashinostroyeniya |
Range | 1,000 km |
Warhead Type and Weight | Unknown |
MIRV and Yield | Unknown |
Guidance System/Accuracy | Active and Passive Radar Seeker; Unknown |
Stages/Propellant | 2; Solid and Scramjet |
IOC/Retirement | N/A; N/A |
Status/Number of Units | In development; Unknown |
Overview
The 3M22 Zircon or the SS-N-33 is a maneuvering anti-ship hypersonic cruise missile developed in Russia.[i] The Zircon’s estimated range is 500 km at a low level and up to 750 km at a semi-ballistic trajectory, but the state-owned media in Russia reports the range as 1,000 km.[ii] It’s a two-stage missile that uses solid fuel in the first stage and a scramjet motor in the second stage. This missile will be incorporated into the Kirov-class battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov this year and the Pyotr Velikiy in 2022.[iii]
Strategic Implications
The Zircon missile is strategically valuable due primarily to its speed. In April 2017, it was reported that the Zircon had reached a speed of Mach 8 during a test.[iv] If that information is accurate, the Zircon missile would be the fastest in the world, making it nearly impossible to defend against due to its speed alone. Another valuable aspect of the missile is its plasma cloud. During flight, the missile is completely covered by a plasma cloud that absorbs any rays of radio frequencies and makes the missile invisible to radars. This allows the missile to remain undetected on its way to the target.[v]
Recent News
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References
[i] http://cmano-db.com/pdf/weapon/3361/
[ii] http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=2732278
[iii] http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/15608/delivery-of-russias-refit-nuclear-battlecruiser-delayed-but-progress-looks-impressive
[iv] http://tass.com/defense/941559
[v] https://www.1tv.ru/news/2017-05-21/325643-v_rossii_uspeshno_proveli_ispytaniya_novoy_giperzvukovoy_rakety_tsirkon_ne_imeyuschey_analogov_v_mire