The frigate ADMIRAL GORSHKOV, which is assigned to the Russian Northern Fleet, has successfully engaged a land target with a ZIRCON hypersonic missile. It was launched while the frigate was operating in the White Sea and hit a target on the Barents Sea coast.
A Russian MoD spokesman referred to the objective control data to confirm a direct hit of the target at a distance of over 350 km. The test proved all the tactical and technical characteristics of the ZIRCON missile including the flight speed of almost Mach 7.
The ADMIRAL GORSHKOV has made several test firings of the ZIRCON since October 2020. Previously, the missiles hit surface targets at sea and on the shore successfully. Further ZIRCON tests are expected to be carried out from the Project 22350 frigates ADMIRAL GORSHKOV and ADMIRAL KASATONOV. The first naval unit to be equipped with series production ZIRCON missiles will be ADMIRAL GOLOVKO, the next frigate of this series. In August 2022, the nuclear submarine SEVERODVINSK is scheduled for submerged ZIRCON test firings.
Yury Laskin
