Popular Mechanics:
The Russian Navy will be the first to field a hypersonic weapon system, according to a prominent military analyst. The navy will test its new Zircon missile sometime next year, a missile that can allegedly fly at speeds in excess of 6,000 miles per hour. Zircon could be used to launch lightning fast strikes against targets on land or enemy battle groups at sea—including U.S. aircraft carriers—knocking them out in minutes.
Naval authority H.I. Sutton, writing at Forbes, reports that the first launch of the Zircon missile from a submarine is set for next year. The test will take place onboard the Russian Navy’s new submarine K-561 Kazan. Sutton believes Russia is sufficiently advanced in hypersonic missile technology that it will be the first to field operational hypersonic weapons.
