ASC "Zircon": characteristics, tests. Hypersonic cruise missile "Zirkon"

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

In today's world, the arms race is incredibly relevant, even taking into account the fact that the last global conflict took place more than seventy years ago. However, local conflicts have not stopped since then, so every year countries develop more and more new weapons, spending billions of dollars on them. Naturally, as one of the superpowers, the Russian Federation is also actively involved in this process. This article will focus on one of the latest developments of the country - anti-ship missiles "Zircon". To begin with, it is worth understanding what RCC is, as well as how this technology appeared. And then it will be possible to go directly to the consideration of the Zircon anti-ship missile itself.

History of RCC

ASM is an anti-ship missile, that is, a type of weapon designed to destroy water targets. The first projects of such weapons appeared during the First World War, when military technologists dreamed of unmanned aerial vehicles that could freely move through the air and hit enemy targets. However, for the first time such a project was implemented not on paper, but onactually during the Second World War. In 1943, Germany successfully used a similar anti-ship missile - and since then, active production of this type of weapon has begun.

During the Second World War, Japan and the United States of America also created similar missiles, and fifteen years after the end of the war, the first anti-ship missile developed was used in the USSR - it was the P-15 Termit missile. Since then, various countries have manufactured various anti-ship missiles, which have been constantly developed and improved. If the first German anti-ship missile of 1943 could only attack at a distance of 18 kilometers, then the Soviet anti-ship missile of 1983 P-750 "Meteorite" could already overcome the distance of up to 5500 kilometers.

However, in the conditions of modern hostilities, the most important aspect was not the range of the attack and not even its strength, but invisibility - today launched "Meteorite", which is about thirteen meters long, will be instantly noticed by radars and shot down. That is why modern missiles are much smaller, but at the same time they are able, for example, to fly most of the distance at a very low altitude, remaining invisible to enemy radars, and then, right in front of the target, shoot up sharply in order to most effectively attack this target.

Moreover, modern designers are working on the creation of anti-ship missiles, which could independently select a target and lay a route to it, thereby significantly increasing the effectiveness of the gun. However, these are American designers - what about Russia?

Right hereit is necessary to switch to the Zircon anti-ship missiles. The development of this rocket has been going on for a long time, and testing, apparently, began in 2012, but this information is not confirmed. RCC "Zircon" should become a new word in the history of the arms race - but what does it represent? What information about her has already become known to the public?

What kind of rocket is this?

The 3M22 Zircon missile is one of the latest developments of Russian military technologists. As a matter of fact, if we describe this project briefly, then this is an operational hypersonic anti-ship missile. Work on the development, production, testing and commissioning began already in 2011 - it was then that the first mentions appeared in the press. However, in reality, work could have been carried out earlier, but this information is unlikely to be published or confirmed by anyone. The production of this rocket is carried out by NPO Mashinostroeniya - and based on this information, other rumors appeared, namely that the 3M22 Zircon rocket is the direct successor of another project of the same manufacturer, the Bolid missile system.

Some details

So, now you know what the Zircon missiles are, and also when their development was started. Of course, there are supporters of the theory that the whole process was started much earlier, but there are a lot of theories. As for the facts, there is documentation according to which it was in 2011 that a speciala group of leading industry designers tasked with developing this missile and the missile system as a whole.

The first drawings of both the rocket itself and its various subsystems date back to 2011. All developments were carried out in NPO Mashinostroeniya, as well as in its structural divisions, including UPKB Detal. However, the direct mass production of these missiles will be carried out at the Strela Production Association in the city of Orenburg. These are preliminary data that may change in the future, however, as of 2016, it was planned to use the Orenburg Strela to produce Zircon missiles.

Pause development

In 2012, stunning information began to leak into the press - there was evidence that the new Zircon missile might never be born. Many sources said that the project is either completely closed or put on hold to make major changes. There was no confirmation at that time, so people were left to wonder if work on this project would be resumed.

As a result, the country's government decided to merge the NPO Mashinostroeniya working on the project with the Raduga Design Bureau - this step was taken in order to resume work on such an important project for the country's military sphere. Zircon was obliged to enter service with the Russian Navy no matter what, therefore, all necessary measures were taken to ensure that the project was unfrozen.

As a result, work on the rocket resumed,and in the spring of 2013, the public learned that some difficulties had arisen during the previous year, so work on the project was suspended, but there was no question of canceling the development of Zircon missiles.

Current situation

What is happening with this project in recent years? Naturally, during 2013 and 2014, the project was actively developed - as mentioned earlier, there is even information that its first tests were carried out much earlier, but no one confirms this information. According to official sources, it was only in the summer of 2015 that it was announced that the missiles were ready for testing. Most likely, early tests still took place, but in 2015 it was already about full-scale tests at the state level.

As a result, in February 2016, it was reported that the tests had already begun - and upon completion, the project would be announced ready for mass production. In April 2016, it was reported that the tests would last for a whole year and be completed in 2017, and in 2018 the serial production of the Zircon anti-ship missiles will already be launched. The characteristics of this missile have not yet been fully disclosed, but quite a few details are already known, which will be discussed later.

Launch Equipment

The 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missile will be launched from the Russian missile cruiser 11442M. Naturally, it is impossible to launch a rocket without using an additionalequipment by simply loading it on board the ship. That is why these cruisers will be equipped with a special launcher 3S-14-11442M. This is a vertical launch installation, which significantly improves the functionality of this type of weapon. However, it is worth remembering that although these data are quite fresh, they remain conjectural - over time, everything can change, but today this is the most relevant information.

Control and guidance systems

The control and guidance systems that will be used to power Russia's Zircon missiles have also been developed separately. This is quite logical, since it is in these systems that the main capabilities of anti-ship missiles lie. As mentioned earlier, the first anti-ship missiles could not fly very far, and the guidance was carried out rather crudely. In the modern world, the conditions are completely different, so much more attention is paid to the launch, control and guidance of missiles.

Now anti-ship missiles can fly at incredibly low altitudes to avoid enemy radars, as well as lay their own route to the target, which is the most effective, and correct it as they move. Systems for the Zircon missile were developed at various locations. For example, the autopilot and inertial navigation system was developed at NPO Granit-Electron, and the control system itself was developed at NPO Elektromekhaniki. Also, some elements were developed by the above-mentioned “NGOmechanical engineering”, namely the Unitary Design Bureau “Detal”.

Engines

As for the engines that will power the rocket, they were developed back in 2009-2010 - of course, no one made an official statement. Moreover, these engines were allegedly developed and produced for a foreign customer, however, most likely, this information was disseminated only as a distraction. Accordingly, by the beginning of the design of the Zircon missiles, the engines for it were ready and tested in practice.

Specifications

One of the most interesting points, of course, are the technical characteristics of this rocket. What is she capable of? What kind of competition can the leading anti-ship missiles of today create? It is worth remembering that the P-800 Oniks was the last successful anti-ship missile model created on the territory of the Russian Federation - this missile could attack at a distance of up to 300 kilometers and flew at the same time at a speed of Mach 0.85. What can the Zircon anti-ship missiles offer?

The speed of this rocket is impressive and represents one of the biggest strengths of the project. According to preliminary data, it will be able to reach speeds of about Mach 4.5, but there are suggestions that in the final product the speed can even reach Mach 6. As for the distance at which this rocket will operate, here the creators are simply amazing. According to the first data, it will be 300-400 kilometers, but this information is not final. There is information regarding the fact that by the time of launch into mass productionthe range of anti-ship missiles "Zircon" will be at least 800 kilometers and can even reach thousands of kilometers.

Tests

As already mentioned, the first official test of the Zircon rocket was carried out only in 2015, but numerous sources indicate that this is not the whole truth. Yes, indeed, at the official state level, the first tests began in 2015, they took place throughout 2016 and will be completed in 2017. Based on their results, a decision will be made on the need for any improvements, after which the new anti-ship missiles will be put into mass production.

However, some assumptions are still worth reading. For example, somewhere in July-August 2012, a throw test of this missile was made from a Tu-22M3 aircraft over Akhtubinsky - it turned out to be unsuccessful, and many sources claim that it was for this reason that the development of the project was suspended in the same year.

A year later, in the same place, in Akhtubinsk, another test was carried out - again the rocket was dropped from the plane, but this launch was also unsuccessful, the flight was too short. Reasons to believe that this missile was precisely the Zircon anti-ship missile, gives an interview with the head of the KTRV, in which he said that the Russian Federation already has missiles that fly hypersonic.

In September of the same year, the third launch of a rocket from an aircraft was carried out over Akhtubinsk - and it again turned out to be unsuccessful. Most likely, it was a prototype of the Zircon rocket or some other hypersonic prototype that was being tested at that time.on the territory of the Russian Federation.

As mentioned earlier, in the summer of 2015 there was no longer any need for secret launches, since the readiness of the Zircon anti-ship missiles for full-scale state tests was announced. And the first test took place already in December of the same year - it was no longer a launch from an aircraft. A ground launch complex was installed at the Nenoksa test site, from which the first official launch was made. However, it turned out to be unsuccessful - the rocket, having taken off into the air, almost immediately fell to the ground.

All these tests were unsuccessful, but the rocket must have flown someday. And it happened in March 2016. At the same Nenoksa test site, a launch was made from the same ground-based launch complex, which turned out to be successful. It was then that the media officially announced that the tests of the new Zircon anti-ship missiles had begun.

Media

So, tests of the Zircon anti-ship missile system have been underway for about a year, this year it is planned to complete these tests and, with good luck, launch mass production. But where will these missiles go when they are ready? It was already reported above that the 11442M cruiser, which is currently being upgraded to be able to carry these missiles, will be armed with them.

But there are also longer-term plans. Firstly, the Zircon anti-ship missiles will be installed on the cruiser 11442 Peter the Great, the modernization of which is scheduled for 2019. In addition, fifth-generation Husky submarines will be supplied with these missiles. These nuclear multi-purpose submarines have not even beenwent into production. They are at the design stage. But the Zircon anti-ship missiles were created largely with the aim of integrating them into the Husky systems, which would make these submarines incredibly dangerous and deadly effective.