Fast and Accurate, Russia's New Weapon Said to Be Unrivaled

jpnn.com, RUSIA - Russia on Monday claimed that its Zircon hypersonic cruise missile successfully hit the target in its second test launch in two weeks.

The launch was hailed by President Vladimir Putin as part of a new generation of unrivaled weapons systems.

The missile was fired from the warship Admiral Gorshkov in the White Sea and hit targets at sea more than 400 km away, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Short video footage shows the missile lighting up the night sky with a burst of white light.

The United States, China, and North Korea are also involved in a race for hypersonic missiles, the next generation of long-range weapons that are harder to detect and intercept.

Hypersonic missiles travel at more than five times the speed of sound or about 6,200 km/h in the atmosphere.

Putin announced a new line of hypersonic weapons in 2018. He claimed they were capable of reaching almost anywhere in the world and capable of evading missile shields built by the US. (ant/dil/mcr20/jpnn)

This news has been broadcast on JPNN.com with the title: Cepat dan Akurat, Senjata Anyar Rusia Ini Disebut Tak Tertandingi