TASS Russian news agency
“The first launch of the Tsirkon missile is planned to be performed from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate in June within the framework of its state trials,”
TASS source
According to the other TASS source, the Tsirkon missile is planned to be launched four times during its state trials.
The Machine-Building Scientific and Production Association integrated into the Tactical Missiles Corporation declined to comment on the information.
A source in the defense industry told TASS earlier that the Tsirkon hypersonic missile had successfully completed flight development tests on a ship. The flight development test program was fully executed in 2020. The Admiral Gorshkov frigate made three successful Tsirkon launches — two at sea and one at a ground target.
On April 20, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the Tsirkon trials were planned to be completed in 2021.
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Naval News comments:
The first-in-class frigate test fired the Tsirkon (sometimes spelled Zirkon) hypersonic missile four times last year: In December, in early October and in November 2020. The first Tsirkon test launch from a warship was scheduled in late 2019, but took place in January 2020. The Admiral Gorshkov frigate of project 22350 fired the missile from the Barents Sea.
Open sources said the hypersonic 3M-22 missile was designed by NPO-machinostroeniya in Reutov in Moscow region. It is a part of 3K-22 (Tsirkon code) complex which NATO reports as SS-N-33. The missile can develop a speed of Mach 9 and fly at an altitude of 30-40 km where the range and speed increase as air resistance is smaller. Experts estimate the payload at 300-400 kg and the missile length at 8-10 meters. Tsirkon is to be fired from universal vertical launchers 3S-14 on warships and submarines and from Bastion mobile coastal missile launchers.
