MOSCOW, Jan 4 (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin despatched a frigate to the Atlantic Ocean armed with new technology hypersonic cruise missiles on Wednesday, a sign to the West that Russia won’t again down over the battle in Ukraine.
Russia, China and the United States are in a race to develop hypersonic weapons that are seen as a manner to acquire an edge over any adversary due to their speeds – above 5 instances the velocity of sound – and manoeuvrability.
In a video convention with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Igor Krokhmal, commander of the frigate named “Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov”, Putin mentioned the ship was armed with Zircon (Tsirkon) hypersonic weapons.
“This time the ship is equipped with the latest hypersonic missile system – ‘Zircon’,” mentioned Putin. “I am sure that such powerful weapons will reliably protect Russia from potential external threats.”
The weapons, Putin mentioned, had “no analogues in any country in the world”.
More than 10 months since Putin despatched troops into Ukraine, there isn’t any finish in sight to the battle which has descended right into a grinding winter artillery battle that has killed and wounded tens of 1000’s of troopers on each side.
Russia has additionally used hypersonic Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles in Ukraine.
Along with the Avangard hypersonic glide car which entered fight responsibility in 2019, the Zircon varieties the centrepiece of Russia’s hypersonic arsenal.
Russia sees the weapons as a manner to pierce more and more subtle U.S. missile defences which Putin has warned may in the future shoot down Russian nuclear missiles.
ATLANTIC VOYAGE
Shoigu mentioned the Gorshkov would sail to the Atlantic and Indian oceans and to the Mediterranean Sea.
“This ship, armed with ‘Zircons’, is capable of delivering pinpoint and powerful strikes against the enemy at sea and on land,” Shoigu mentioned.
Shoigu mentioned the hypersonic missiles may overcome any missile defence system. The missiles fly at 9 instances the velocity of sound and have a spread of over 1,000 km, Shoigu mentioned.
The most important duties of the voyage have been to counter threats to Russia and to keep “regional peace and stability jointly with friendly countries”, Shoigu mentioned.
A U.S. Congressional Research Service report on hypersonic weapons says that Russian and Chinese hypersonic missiles are designed to be used with nuclear warheads.
The goal of a hypersonic weapon is rather more tough to calculate than for intercontinental ballistic missiles due to their manoeuvrability.
Beyond Russia, the United States and China, a spread of different nations are creating hypersonic weapons together with Australia, France, Germany, South Korea, North Korea and Japan, in accordance to the U.S. Congressional Research Service.
Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, +79856400243; modifying by Philippa Fletcher
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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