Russian Navy Admiral Gorshkov class frigate fires Zircon anti-ship hypersonic cruise missile


According to a video published by the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) on May 28, 2022, the Admiral Gorshkov class frigate Project 22350 from the Russian Navy has performed a firing test of the Zircon anti-ship hypersonic cruise missile in the Barents Sea.
Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link


Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 Russian Navy Admiral Gorshkov class frigate fires Zircon anti-ship hypersonic cruise missile in the Barents Sea. (Picture source Russian MoD)


On May 28, 2022, the Russian Navy lead frigate of project 22350 "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov" fired a hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile Zircon to reach a target in the White Sea. This firing test was conducted in the framework to test the combat capabilities of the frigate.

According to information published by the Russian Ministry Of Defense, the Zircon missile has successfully hit the sea target at a distance of around 1,000 km.

The Admiral Gorshkov Russian designation project 22350 is a new class of frigates built by Severnaya Verf OJSC for the Russian Navy. They are to be capable to execute long-range strikes, conducting anti-submarine warfare, and carrying out escort missions.

The Admiral Gorshkov class frigate has a length of 13 m, a beam of 16 m, a draught of 4.5 m, and a displacement of 4,500 t. She has an operational range of 4,850 nmi (8,980 km) at a speed of 14 knots (26 km/h).

The Admiral Gorshkov class is powered by a combined diesel and gas (CODAG) including two 10D49 cruise diesel engines of 5,200 shp (3,900 kW) and combined diesel or gas (CODOG) propulsion systems including two M90FR boost gas turbines of 27,500 shp (20,500 kW).

The Admiral Gorshkov is armed with one 130 mm Amethyst/Arsenal A-192M naval gun, 16 3S14 VLS (Vertical Launching System) cells able to launch Kalibr, Oniks or Zircon anti-ship cruise missiles, 32 Redut VLS cells for 9M96, 9M96M, 9M96D/9M96DM(M2) and/or quad-packed 9M100 surface-to-air missiles, two Palash CIWS (Close-In Weapon System), eight 330 mm torpedo tubes for Paket-NK anti-torpedo/anti-submarine torpedoes and two 14.5 mm MTPU pedestal machine guns.

The Zircon is a scramjet-powered maneuvering anti-ship hypersonic cruise missile. It can fly more than five times the speed of sound and maneuver in mid-flight, making them much harder to track and intercept than traditional projectiles. This missile could hit targets at sea and on land with a range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles).