What is the Zircon Missile?

About Zircon Missile:

• The 3M22 Zircon (Tsirkon), NATO code-named SS-N-33, is a scramjet-powered hypersonic cruise missile developed by Russia.
• Initially designed to target naval assets, the missile has evolved to include land-attack capabilities, making it an important tool for precision strike missions.
• It entered service in 2022, with initial deployments on Project 22350 Admiral Gorshkov-class frigates.
• Features:
  • It has an estimated length of 9 meters (30 feet) and a diameter of 60 cm (24 inches), with an estimated weight of between 3,000 and 4,000 kg (3–4 tons).
  • The missile is powered by a two-stage propulsion system.
    • The first stage consists of a booster engine powered by solid fuel, which accelerates the missile to supersonic speeds.
    • After reaching a certain speed, the scramjet engine in the second stage ignites, utilizing liquid fuel to accelerate the missile to hypersonic speeds.
  • Its speed—reaching up to Mach 9—makes it extremely difficult to intercept.
  • The operational range of the Zircon is reported to be around 400–450 km (250–280 miles) at low altitudes, while it can extend up to 1,000 km (620 miles) in a semi-ballistic trajectory.
  • It is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads, providing it with a versatile role in modern warfare.
  • The missile uses a combination of inertial navigation, radar homing, and plasma stealth to navigate towards its target.
  • One of the key features of the Zircon is its ability to generate a plasma cloud during hypersonic flight, which absorbs radio waves and makes the missile more difficult to detect by radar. This phenomenon is known as plasma stealth.