- Putin has sent a warship loaded with cutting-edge hypersonic missiles to the Mediterranean and Indian Oceans.
- Admiral Gorshkov’s top speed is Mach 8, or roughly 9,900 kilometers per hour (6,138 mph).
- Its first deployment in a hypothetical combat scenario would be the current mission.
According to Russian official media on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent one of his nation’s most advanced warships equipped with cutting-edge hypersonic missiles on a lengthy journey via the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and into the Indian Ocean.
According to a report, the frigate Admiral Gorshkov departed from an undisclosed port in northern Russia after Putin spoke with the ship’s captain and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu via video link.
Putin bragged that the ship was armed with long-range Zircon hypersonic missiles, which travel more than five times as fast as sound and are more difficult to track and intercept.
It doesn’t exist anywhere else in the globe, according to Putin. I am confident that such formidable weapons will dependably defend Russia from potential foreign threats and will support the preservation of our nation’s interests, he continued.
According to sources from the period, Russia tested the Zircon system in late 2021 by firing from Admiral Gorshkov in the White Sea and striking a naval target more than 400 kilometers (250 miles) distant.
Its first deployment in a hypothetical combat scenario would be the current mission.
According to Shoigu in the report, “the main efforts throughout the campaign will be concentrated on repelling Russia’s threats, ensuring regional peace, and stability with friendly countries.”
The 10th month of Russia’s war against the neighboring Ukraine has passed, yet that conflict was not directly addressed in the TASS report.
It’s also unknown whether the Zircon missile could be used in that conflict.
If it performs as promised, it is a terrifying weapon.
Zircon is “a maneuverable anti-ship hypersonic cruise missile” with a 500–1,000 km range, according to the US-based Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (310 to 620 miles).
According to the alliance, its top speed is Mach 8, or roughly 9,900 kilometers per hour (6,138 mph). Any speed over Mach 5 is considered hypersonic (3,836 mph).
According to the alliance’s website, “if that information is accurate, the Zircon missile would be the fastest in the world, making it nearly impossible to defend against owing to its speed alone.”
The site also lists the plasma cloud of the missile as another “valuable” characteristic.
“A plasma cloud entirely surrounds the missile while it is in flight, absorbing all radio frequency radiation and rendering the missile invisible to radars. This enables the missile to go to the target unnoticed,” it claims.
However, logistical difficulties make it difficult to launch Zircon missiles from the Admiral Gorshkov against targets in Ukraine.
The best firing range for the weapons, in Russian eyes, would be from the Black Sea to the south of Ukraine. However, in order to reach there, the Russian battleship would have to cross the Bosphorus Strait, which is under Turkish jurisdiction. Ankara has stated that it will not permit foreign naval boats access to this area since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine.
Even if the Admiral Gorshkov might theoretically fire on Ukraine from the northern Mediterranean, the flight path to Ukraine would pass over NATO nations, which would be perceived as a significant increase in Russian aggressiveness.
According to the CSIS Missile Defense Project, TASS reported that the Gorshkov is also equipped with Kalibr-NK cruise missiles, which have a maximum range of 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles). However, while having a greater range, those weapons would still have trouble reaching Ukraine.
Even so, the deployment of Admiral Gorshkov offered Putin something positive to discuss despite significant Russian casualties in the conflict with Ukraine, including one of its prized battleships, the Moskva, which was sunk in April of last year in what Ukraine claims was an attack by its missile troops.
According to analyst Carl Schuster, the deployment also serves as a political message for Putin.
According to Schuster, “He’s trying to show Russia is still a global player despite the expenses and criticism of his attack on Ukraine.”
He may demonstrate to his home audiences that the global response has not been as effective as depicted in the Western media and that Russia still has allies in important regions, according to Schuster. He is indicating to the world that sanctions have not hindered the Russian navy’s ability to function and that it continues to be a major maritime force.
Putin congratulated his forces after the deployment. Putin stated, “This is fantastic collaborative work, which culminated with a nice, predicted result.
“We will keep enhancing the fighting capabilities of the Armed Forces and developing cutting-edge models of weapons and other security-related equipment. This is a weapon that shows promise,” Putin was quoted.
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