Russia's Hypersonic Missiles to Be Deployed Next Year

[Researcher Donghyun Song, Aviation Guidance Division, Defense Agency for Technology and Quality] Russia plans to deliver the Tsirkon hypersonic missile to its military in 2022.

In 2020, the Russian Navy conducted several test launches of the Tsirkon hypersonic missile using Project 22350 submarines and warships. The Tsirkon hypersonic missile can be launched from Project 885 and 885M warships and submarines, as well as from the Bastion coastal launcher.

Also known as the 3M-22 missile, the Tsirkon hypersonic missile is part of the 3K-22 (Tsirkon code) missile complex, which NATO designates as the SS-N-33 missile.

This missile can fly at a maximum speed of Mach 9 at an altitude of 30-40 km, where air resistance is low, allowing for improved range and speed. The missile is 8 to 10 meters long and can carry a payload weighing 300 to 400 kg. It can strike both ground and naval targets up to 1,000 km away. While it is planned to carry a conventional warhead, it is also speculated that it may be equipped with a nuclear warhead in the future.

The Tsirkon missile is a two-stage hypersonic cruise missile; the first stage uses a solid-fuel rocket to launch and accelerate the missile, and the second stage uses a scramjet motor to accelerate the missile to hypersonic speeds. This missile is designed to use the 3S-14 universal vertical launch system, which is the same launcher used by Russia’s Onyx and Kalibr missiles, making it easy to deploy on ships and submarines. Additionally, a lightweight missile variant for air operation can be deployed on Tupolev’s Tu-160/M/M2 jet bombers.