Russia admits its deadly Zircon hypersonic missile is suffering from 'childhood diseases'

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FILE - In this file photo taken on Jan. 16, 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting on drafting constitutional changes at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia. Instead of openly declaring plans to extend his rule, like he did in 2011, he proposed constitutional amendments to appear to give more power to Russia's parliament. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File)

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  • Russia's deadly Zircon hypersonic missile is apparently suffering from unspecified "childhood diseases," the Russian Navy's top admiral revealed.

  • Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov told RIA Novosti that the weapon is likely still years away from entering service.

  • In February of last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin boasted that the developmental missile can hit speeds up to Mach 9 and eliminate targets up to 620 miles away.

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Russia is in the process of developing a new hypersonic cruise missile — the 3M22 Zircon (Tsirkon), but the weapon is currently suffering from "childhood diseases," the Russian navy's top admiral revealed to Russian media, The Drive first reported.

Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov told RIA Novosti that the Zircon hypersonic missile expected to eventually arm Russian frigates would be available to the fleet "in the coming years."

The Russian admiral did not elaborate on what "childhood diseases" are affecting the weapon's development. He simply said that modernization efforts will correct these deficiencies. Yevmenov explained that work on the Zircon missile will be carried out simultaneously with ongoing efforts to arm warships with the 3M-54 Kalibr land-attack cruise missile.

Russia's state-run TASS news agency reported without official confirmation last March that one of the Project 22350 Admiral Gorshkov-class frigates would likely test-launch the Zircon before the end of 2019. No test appears to have taken place, despite, as The Drive notes, speculation surrounding a missile test involving the Admiral Gorshkov in late November.

While TASS reported that "the frigate's crew will hold a series of trials to test-fire new missile armament," a follow-on report, citing the Northern Fleet, revealed that "the frigate fired one cruise missile Kalibr and one missile Oniks from the onboard launchers." Neither missile is "new."

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in February of last year that the Zircon was able to hit speeds as high as Mach 9 and eliminate targets on land and at sea up to 620 miles away.

The exact capabilities of the Zircon missile are unknown.

In November of last year, he revealed that the Project 1155 Udaloy-class destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov and Project 949A Antey-class nuclear-powered submarine Irkutsk would be upgraded to carry the Zircon.

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