PCR "Zircon": characteristics, tests. Hypersonic cruise missile "Zircon"

In the modern world, the arms race is incredibly relevant, even taking into account the fact that the last global conflict took place more than seventy years ago. However, local conflicts have not ceased since then, therefore each year the countries are developing all new and new weapons, spending billions of dollars on it. Naturally, as one of the superpowers, the Russian Federation is also actively involved in this process. In this article, we will discuss one of the latest developments of the country - the "Zircon" RCC. To begin with, it is worth investigating what a PCP is, and also how this technology has appeared. And then it will be possible to go directly to the consideration of the ZIRCON itself.

The history of the RCC

The RCC is an anti-ship missile, that is, a type of weapon designed to defeat water targets. The first projects of such weapons appeared even during the First World War, when military technologists dreamed of unmanned aerial vehicles that could freely move through the air and hit enemy targets. However, for the first time such a project was implemented not on paper, but in practice already during the Second World War. In 1943, Germany successfully used a similar anti-ship missile - and since then began the active production of this type of weapons.

During the Second World War such missiles were also created by Japan and the United States of America, and fifteen years after the end of the war the first developed SCW was also used in the USSR - it was a P-15 "Thermite" missile. Since then, various countries have manufactured various anti-ship missiles, which have been constantly developed and improved. If the first German RCC in 1943 could attack only at a distance of 18 kilometers, the Soviet PKR of 1983 P-750 "Meteorite" could already overcome the distance to 5500 kilometers.

However, in the context of modern combat operations, the most important aspect was not the range of attack, or even its strength, but the invisibility - to date, the launched "Meteorite", which is about 13 meters long, will be immediately noticed by radars and shot down. That is why modern missiles are much smaller, but they are capable, for example, of flying most of the distance at a very low altitude, remaining imperceptible to the enemy radar, and then right before the target to soar upward to most effectively attack this target.

Moreover, modern designers are working on the creation of the RCC, which could independently choose the target and lay a route to it, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the weapon several times. However, these are American designers - what about Russia?

It is here that you need to switch to the Zirkon PCB. The development of this rocket has been going on for a long time, and testing, apparently, began in 2012, but this information is not confirmed. "Zircon" is to become a new word in the history of the arms race - but what does it represent? What information about it has already become known to the public?

What is this missile?

The 3M22 Zircon rocket is one of the latest developments of Russian military technologists. Strictly speaking, if we describe this project briefly, it is a hypersonic anti-ship missile for operational purposes. Work on the development, production, testing and commissioning began in 2011 - that's when the first mentions appeared in the press. However, in fact, the work could have been conducted earlier, but this information is unlikely to be published or confirmed by anyone. This rocket is produced by NPO Mashinostroyenia, and from this information there were other rumors, namely, that the 3M22 Zircon missile is the direct heir of another project of the same manufacturer, the Bolid missile system.

Some components

So, now you know what the Zircon rockets are, and when their development was started. Of course, there are supporters of the theory that the whole process was launched much earlier, but theories can come up with a lot. As for the facts, there is documentation, according to which it was in 2011 that a special group was formed, consisting of leading designers of the industry, which was tasked with developing this rocket and the missile system as a whole.

It is by 2011 that the first drawings of both the rocket itself and its various subsystems are included. All developments were conducted in the "NPO of mechanical engineering", as well as in its structural subdivisions, including the UPKB "Detal". However, the mass production of these missiles will be directly carried out in the "Strela" software in the city of Orenburg. These are preliminary data, which may change in the future, but as of 2016 it was planned to use the Orenburg Strela to produce the Zircon missiles.

Suspension of development

In 2012, the press began to leak stunning information - there was evidence that the new Zircon missile could never be born. Many sources reported that the project is either completely closed or suspended for making major changes. There was no confirmation at that time, so people could only guess whether the work on this project would be resumed.

As a result, the government of the country decided to merge the "NPO of machine building" working with the ICB "Rainbow" - this step was taken in order to resume work on the project so important for the country's military sphere. "Zircon" was obliged to enter the arsenal of the Russian Navy in spite of everything, therefore, all necessary measures were taken to ensure that the project was thawed.

As a result, the work on the rocket was resumed, and in the spring of 2013 the public learned that some difficulties had arisen during the previous year, so the work on the project was suspended, but there could be no question of abolishing the development of the Zircon missiles.

The current situation

What happens to this project in recent years? Naturally, during 2013 and 2014 the project was actively developed - as already mentioned, there is even information that its first tests were conducted much earlier, but no one confirms this information. According to official sources, it was only in the summer of 2015 that it was announced that the missiles were ready for testing. Most likely, early tests did take place, but in 2015 it was already a question of full-scale tests at the state level.

As a result, in February 2016 it was reported that the tests have already begun - and upon their completion the project will be announced for mass production. In April 2016, it was reported that the tests will last for a full year and will be completed in 2017, and in 2018 the serial production of the Zircon RCC will be launched. The characteristics of this rocket have not yet been fully disclosed, but there are already a lot of details, which will be discussed later.

Starting equipment

Hypersonic cruise missile 3M22 "Zircon" will be launched from the Russian missile cruiser 11442M. Naturally, it is impossible to launch a rocket without using additional equipment, simply by loading it on board the ship. That's why these cruisers will be equipped with a special launcher 3S-14-11442M. This is a vertical launch, which greatly improves the functionality of this type of weapon. However, it is worth remembering that although these data are quite fresh, but they remain hypothetical, things may change in the course of time, but today this is the most relevant information.

Control and Guidance Systems

The control and guidance systems that will be used to power Russian Zircon missiles have also been developed separately. This is quite logical, since it is in these systems that the basic capabilities of the RCC lie. As it was said before, the first anti-ship missiles could not fly too far, and the guidance was carried out rather rudely. In the modern world, the conditions are completely different, therefore much attention is paid to the launch, management and guidance of missiles.

Now the RCC can fly at an incredibly low altitude in order to avoid enemy radar, as well as lay its own route to the goal, which is the most effective, and adjust it as it moves. Systems for the Zircon missile were developed at various points. For example, the system of autopilotation and inertial navigation was developed in the NGO Granit-Electron, and the management system itself was developed in the NPO Elektromekhaniki. Also, some elements were developed by the above-mentioned "NPO of mechanical engineering", namely UPKB "Detail".

Engines

As for the engines that will put the rocket into action, they were developed back in 2009-2010 - of course, no one officially made any statement. Moreover, these engines were allegedly designed and manufactured for a foreign customer, however, most likely, this information was only spread to the eye. Accordingly, at the beginning of the design of the Zircon missiles, the engines for it were ready and tested in practice.

Specifications

One of the most interesting moments, of course, are the technical characteristics of this rocket. What is it capable of? What kind of competition will the current PCR leaders create? It is worth remembering that the last successful model of the Russian-built PKR was the P-800 "Onyx" - this missile could attack at a distance of up to 300 kilometers and fly at the rate of 0.85 mah. What can ZIRCON offer?

The speed of this rocket is impressive and represents one of the greatest merits of the project. According to preliminary data, it will be able to develop a speed of about 4.5 Mach, but there are suggestions that in the final product the speed can reach even six flies. As for the distance at which this rocket will operate, the creators here are simply amazed. According to the first data, it will be 300-400 kilometers, but this information is not final. There is information regarding the fact that by the time of launch in mass production the range of the ZIRCON is at least 800 kilometers and can reach even thousands of kilometers.

Testing

As already mentioned, the first official test of the Zircon rocket was conducted only in 2015, but numerous sources indicate that this is not the whole truth. Yes, indeed, at the official state level, the first tests began in 2015, they were held throughout 2016 and will be completed in 2017. Based on their results, a decision will be made on the need for any improvements, after which the new RCC will be launched into mass production.

However, with some assumptions still worth reading. For example, somewhere in July-August 2012, a missile test of this missile from a Tu-22M3 aircraft over Akhtuba was carried out - it was unsuccessful, and many sources claim that it was for this reason that the project development was suspended in the same year.

A year later in the same place, in Akhtubinsk, another test was carried out - again the missile was dropped from the plane, however, this launch was unsuccessful, the flight was too short-lived. The reason to believe that this missile was precisely the Zircon RCC, gives an interview to the head of the KTRV, in which he said that the Russian Federation already has missiles that fly on hypersound.

In September of that year, the third launch of the missile from the plane was carried out over Akhtuba, and it again proved unsuccessful. Most likely, it was a prototype of the "Zircon" rocket or some other hypersonic prototype that was tested at that time in the territory of the Russian Federation.

As it was already said earlier, in the summer of 2015 there was no need for secret launches, as the ZIRCON readiness for full-scale state tests was announced. And the first test happened in December of the same year - it was no longer starting from the aircraft. A ground launch complex was installed at the Nenoks training ground, from which the first official launch was made. However, it turned out to be unsuccessful - the rocket, flying up into the air, almost immediately fell to the ground.

All these tests were unsuccessful, however, the rocket must have ever flown. And it happened in March 2016. At the same Nenox range from the same ground launch complex, the launch was launched, which proved to be successful. It was then that the media officially announced that the tests of the new Zircon PCB had begun.

Media

So, the tests of PRC "Zirkon" have been going on for about a year, this year it is planned to complete these tests and, if luckily coincide, launch of mass production. But where will these missiles go when they are ready? It has already been reported that they will be armed with a cruiser 11442M, which is currently being upgraded to receive the possibility of carrying these missiles.

However, there are also longer-term plans. Firstly, the Zircon shipyard will be installed on the cruiser 11442 Peter the Great, the modernization of which is planned for 2019. In addition, these missiles will be supplied submarines of the fifth generation "Husky". These atomic multi-purpose submarines have not even entered production yet. They are at the design stage. But anti-ship missiles "Zircon" were created in many ways to integrate them into the "Husky" systems, which will make the data of the submarine incredibly dangerous and deadly effective.