Russia's Zircon Hypersonic Missile Undergoes Extended Testing Period

Defense News ,Russia :- Russia's latest Zircon hypersonic missile, designed to achieve superior speeds and capabilities, requires additional testing before being deemed ready for active duty, according to the head of the manufacturing company. Alexander Leonov, the director of NPO Mashinostroyeniya, conveyed on Friday to the state news agency TASS that the adoption of these missiles is a meticulous process, demanding a considerable amount of testing. The exact nature of these tests remains undisclosed at this time.

The Zircon hypersonic missiles, designed for deployment at sea, boast an impressive reported range of 900 km (560 miles) and can traverse at speeds several times faster than sound, posing a significant challenge to defense systems.

In the ongoing global race to develop hypersonic weapons, Russia, China, and the United States are fervently competing. Russia, particularly, has been conducting tests on the Zircon since at least 2017, positioning it as a pivotal advancement in its military competition with Western nations.

In a notable development last year, Russia's defense ministry revealed that one of its frigates successfully executed missile launches in the Atlantic Ocean. Moscow has further disclosed plans to outfit new nuclear submarines with the highly anticipated Zircon missiles.