In terms of hypersonic weapons, that is to say that can fly at a speed greater than Mach 5, some countries are more advanced than others. So it is with Russia, which is developing three kinds.
Indeed, in December 2019, Moscow announced the commissioning of the Avanguard system, a glider launched by an RS-18 / SS-19 intercontentinal ballistic missile, which would allow it to ground on its target at a speed of Mach 17.
For its part, the Russian Navy continues to test the 3M22 Zirkon missile [ou Tsirkon], which exceeded the speed of Mach 8 in recent tests. Finally, the “Kinjal” air-to-ground aerobalistic missile, derived from the Iskander missile, will be deployed by the MiG-31K Foxhound long-range interceptor.
But, a priori, Moscow does not intend to stop there. Indeed, this week, a Russian industrial source confided at the Ria Novosti agency that the 5th generation Su-57 “Felon” fighter aircraft had just completed test flights by taking in its hold the “functional” model of a new hypersonic missile, the name of which has not been specified .
Clearly, the Su-57 carried a missile without a propulsion system and military charge but having the same characteristics [masse et dimensions] as well as electronic circuits identical to the ammunition it represents.
The interlocutor of RIA Novosti indicated that test firing of this new hypersonic missile is planned in the “near future”. In addition, he specified that this “compact” air-to-ground machine would be intended to destroy air and anti-missile defense systems as well as “cruise and ballistic missile launchers.” “
Such use is consistent with the characteristics of the Su-57 Felon. Thanks to its weak radar signature, it would thus be able to fire its hypersonic missile as close as possible to the opposing defenses, leaving them only a very good chance of reacting.
But we will not know more for the moment, the Russian Consortium Tactical Missiles [KTRV] and the Unified Aeronautical Company [OAK, dont fait partie Sukhoï, le constructeur du Su-57] having declined any comment about this new missile.
However, it is possible that the latter is a variation of the GZUR missile which, developed by KTRV for ten years, would be able to fly at Mach 6 and travel 1,500 km. Having to measure 6 meters long for a mass of 1.5 tonnes, selon Red Samovar, it is normally intended for the PAK-DA, that is to say for the future Russian bomber.
Anyway, on February 9, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu assured that hypersonic weapons would form “the backbone of Russia’s conventional deterrents”, explaining that their potential was “being enhanced”, mainly by “precision weapons”.
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