When the Zircon flies at a speed of about 10,000 km/h, a plasma cocoon forms around the missile, reliably shielding it from any air defense systems. Military expert Boris Rozhin explained the principle of the warhead's operation.
He reminded that the 3M22 Zircon belongs to a new generation of hypersonic weapons. According to him, the missile is capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 9 – approximately 10,000 km/h – and hitting targets at a range of up to 1500 km.
The missile's speed is so high that the pressure in front of it creates a plasma cloud that absorbs radio waves. Therefore, the Zircon is invisible to radars.
The Zircon is approximately twice as fast as the maximum interception speeds for which Patriot systems are designed, Rozhin explained. At the same time, some of the missile's characteristics still remain classified.
Currently, Zircon missiles are launched from ships and submarines through universal launch systems 3S14. Military analyst Yuri Knutov emphasized that it is impossible to shoot down the missile with existing air defense systems.
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