Russia's New Drone Warship Set To Patrol Global Seas, Launch 'Deadly' Missiles

As tensions with the West over the conflict in Ukraine rise, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday sent a frigate outfitted with the nation's newest Zircon hypersonic missile on a trans-oceanic cruise as a show of force.

The Zircon missile, according to Russia, can get past any air defenses in the West by travelling at an incredible 7,000 mph (11,265 km/h).

The pride of Russian Army

Admiral Gorshkov, the first ship in the new series of frigates that were created to replace the outdated Soviet-built destroyers as a crucial striking component of the Russian navy, was commissioned by the navy in 2018 after extensive trials.

The ship, which is 130 metres (427 feet) long and has a crew of roughly 200, is equipped with a variety of missiles.

The ship, which is 427 feet long and has a crew of roughly 200, is equipped with a variety of missiles.

In 2019, it travelled 35,000 nautical miles around the world's oceans.

 

Rigorous test

For the most recent Russian hypersonic missile, Zircon, the Admiral Gorshkov served as the primary test vessel.

The Zircon has been put through a number of testings lately, including being launched at a number of practise targets. Since Zircon entered service last fall, the military has considered the tests a success.

The New Weapon

Zircon, which can travel nine times faster than sound at a distance of more than 1,000 kilometres, has been lauded by Putin as a powerful weapon that can overcome any anti-missile defences now in place (over 620 miles).

Putin has stressed the fact that Zircon equips the Russian military with a long-range conventional strike capability that enables it to precisely strike any enemy objectives.

The U.S. has been developing its own Conventional Prompt Global Strike capability, which aims to hit an adversary's strategic targets with precision-guided conventional weapons anywhere in the world within one hour. This is when Russia's hypersonic weapons campaign began.

Putin hailed the Zircon as Russia's response, asserting that it has no competitors and gives Russia a tactical advantage.

Putin warned that Russian warships equipped with the Zircon would provide Russia the potential to hit the adversary's "decision-making centres" within minutes if stationed in neutral waters months before he ordered the invasion of Ukraine.

Putin once more complimented the Zircon as a "unique weapon" without a "equivalent for it in any country in the world" when speaking via video link during Wednesday's farewell ceremony.

The Pentagon responded by saying it was keeping an eye on the ship and did not believe it posed an insurmountable threat.