Russia tests hypersonic missile; Prez Putin says it as an ideal weapon for new generation

Moscow, March 12: Russia has test-launched a hypersonic missile which President Vladimir Putin lauded as “invincible” earlier this month. Russian Defense Ministry released a video which shows the test launch of this hypersonic missile.

The high-precision Kinzhal (Dagger) missile was launched from a MiG-31 supersonic interceptor jet that took off from an airfield in the South Military District in Russia’s southwest, the Defence Ministry said.

“The launch went according to plan, the hypersonic missile hit its target,” the Ministry added. “A MiG-31 fighter crew of the Russian Aerospace Forces conducted a combat training launch of a hypersonic missile of the Kinzhal high-precision air missile system in the designated area,” the ministry said. “The hypersonic missile confirmed its technical operational performance and timing data of the Kinzhal missile system.”

 

Speaking in an annual state address on 1 March, the Russian leader claimed the missile’s speed “makes it invulnerable to current missile and air defense systems since interceptor missiles are, simply put, not fast enough”.

The missile is one of a range of next-generation nuclear weapons unveiled by President Putin that are designed to get past America’s defense systems. Putin has called the Kinzhal missile the “ideal weapon” and said it has a range of 1,200 miles and travels at 10 times the speed of sound.