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Russia successfully tests new hypersonic Tsirkon missile:
Russia says it has successfully tested a new hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile in a move hailed by President Vladimir Putin as a "great event" for the country.
The military said on Wednesday that the Tsirkon missile was fired from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate in the White Sea on Tuesday morning in the Russian Arctic and successfully hit its target.
Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian military's General Staff, told Putin – who turned 68 on Wednesday – that it was the first time the missile had successfully struck a target at sea.
"The tasks of the launch were carried out. The test-fire was successful," he told Putin. Gerasimov said the missile hit its target 450 kilometres (280 miles) away in the Barents Sea and reached a speed of Mach 8 – eight times the speed of sound.
China and America have also been developing hypersonic missiles.
Previously:
US Hails New Milestone in Development of Hypersonic Weapons
Russia Takes Lead by Deploying Hypersonic Nuclear Warheads First
Air-Breathing Engine Precooler Achieves Record-Breaking Mach 5 Performance
Putin Hails Successful Test Of Russia's New Hypersonic Missile
China Tests Hypersonic Aircraft "Starry Sky-2"
General: U.S. Has No Defense Against "Hypersonic Weapons"
Hypersonic Cruise Missile Scores USD$175m DARPA Cash
(Score: 4, Interesting) by PartTimeZombie on Thursday October 08 2020, @02:15AM (13 children)
Won't missiles of that type make aircraft carriers obsolete?
Or is that a bit simplistic?
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Thursday October 08 2020, @02:32AM (7 children)
Well, there are plenty of much lower-tech weapons that are effective against aircraft carriers - which is also why they never sail alone, incidentally.
But the thing is this: if Putin sinks a US aircraft carrier, you can be fairly sure Uncle Sam will shove a couple of MOABs down his back passage in very short order, just before possibly dropping a few nukes on choice Russian military installations.
So no, that weapon is pretty useless in the real world. It's just Russia flexing its muscles - and wasting money on pointless military hardware instead of paying decent pensions to its citizens, rebuilding the road network, or properly decommissioning the Typhoon fleet in Murmansk so it doesn't end up in a major nuclear disaster in the Barents sea a few years from now... that sort of thing.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 08 2020, @03:10AM
no i don't think sinking a aircraft carrier merits a nuclear counter-strike in a sane world ...
however it would be sad, 'cause a floating nuke powered desalination plant is a asset in troubeling times and should be protected as a un world heritage "site" ...
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday October 08 2020, @03:14AM
Ahem [wikipedia.org]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Thursday October 08 2020, @03:48AM
Depends on the circumstances. If the US and Russia are already shooting at each other, then loss of a carrier may be perceived as the cost of doing business. If it's a surprise attack, then launching nukes may be a good idea merely because the US might not have those nukes in a few minutes. Russia would have already factored in the US's retaliation capabilities before making the attack.
(Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Thursday October 08 2020, @09:10AM (1 child)
Unless Russia sells these things to countries already hostile to the US that are also run by leaders that are bat shit insane enough to use them. Iran and North Korea come to mind.
A hypersonic missile doesn't even need an explosive warhead to do a massive amount of damage to it's target, the pure kinetic force of the missile hitting the ship will be devastating in and of itself.
And with a closing speed of mach 8 I have yet to hear of a ship defense system currently deployed that can stop it.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."
(Score: 2) by corey on Monday October 12 2020, @11:39AM
(Score: 2) by r1348 on Thursday October 08 2020, @11:03AM (1 child)
You are aware, right, that what you imagine the US reaction would be is also something Russia is perfectly capable of?
(Score: 2) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Thursday October 08 2020, @11:42AM
Yes: that's my point: nobody will do anything stupid because of the MAD doctrine. The superduper missile will never be used. Therefore, it's just for showing off.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Arik on Thursday October 08 2020, @02:59AM
Aircraft carriers have been obsolete for ~80 years.
Obsolete shit can rule the battlefield. See 15th-17th century "field plate."
State of the art metalurgy, yet completely useless against a good black powder weapon.
Though the weapons existed, in practical terms you could probably put on good plate (assuming it was somehow available to you) and ignore the possibility of it being penetrated for a good long time.*)
*(In most cases, no refunds, caveat emptor maximo isauarus.)
[...]
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Oceania has not always been at war with Eastasia.
Daddy never did hit mommy.
It's important that we remember these little truths, no?
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday October 08 2020, @03:25AM
At the very least, harder to defend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 08 2020, @07:58AM (1 child)
Speed of light (well laser speed anyway) is a pretty good counter to mach 8.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 08 2020, @01:16PM
But the front of the missile is already hardened to withstand the heat of supersonic speed. OTOH just a little additional heat might be enough to cause failure.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday October 08 2020, @02:36PM
Or better for target practice.
The US might develop hypersonic missiles.
Inexpensive, mass produced Falcon 9 boosters also have potential military applications.
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 3, Informative) by c0lo on Thursday October 08 2020, @03:22AM
3M22 Zircon [wikipedia.org] - scramjet missile.
Jan 2020 tested against a ground target. Seems like this one is a test against naval targets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 08 2020, @07:55AM
It's technically interesting, being a scramjet and all, but hypersonic missiles have been around for about 60 years. Rockets can do that.
US ships have been defending against the threat for about 40 years. The Phalanx CIWS can deal with this, but we'll probably upgrade to laser in the next decade.