Turns Out Russia Is Overselling Its 'Unstoppable' Hypersonic Missile
Mach 5+ missiles still can’t handle the heat, according to a U.S. report.
BY DARREN ORF
PUBLISHED: FEB 3, 2023
You can’t spell “hypersonic” without “hype,” and right now, the much-talked-about Mach 5 weapons system is an obsession of the world’s largest militaries.
China successfully tested a Mach 5 weapon back in 2021—with one U.S. general calling the launch a near “Sputnik” moment—and Russia has been talking about the weapons since 2018, when it produced a sizzle reel of one hypersonic missile, the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal, blowing up Florida. Not to be outmatched, the U.S. has around 70 (yes, seven-zero) efforts to develop hypersonic technologies including bombers, missiles, and the engines to power them.
In fact, just this week, Vladimir Putin announced imminent plans to test his frigate-launched Zircon hypersonic missile, which can supposedly reach speeds of Mach 9. The embattled Russian leader took part in the farewell ceremony (albeit remotely) of the Admiral Gorshkov frigate back in January, and the ship will launch the missile during a training exercise with South Africa and China navies later this month. Russia says it’ll be “the first-ever [launch] during an event of this kind,” though the launch is likely a show of force to the West more than anything.
While an “unstoppable” Russian missile would certainly be a problem for the U.S. (along with most of Europe), Putin might be overselling the weapon’s capabilities.
In 2021, Nikolai Yevmenov, commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy, told a Russian news site that the weapon still had problems—and some of those problems are likely highlighted in a new report by the U.S. Congressional Budget Office.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a42759933/russia-hypersonic-missile-problems/
