>hypersonic missiles to destroy a large warehouse of missiles and aviation ammunition of Ukrainian troops in the Ivano-Frankivsk region.
According to experts of the Ministry of Defense, during the period since the beginning of the invasion on the territory of Ukraine, the Russian aggressors apparently have already used completely a huge arsenal of precision weapons.
Therefore, Russia is currently trying to introduce new types of weapons,which she had previously announced. We are talking first of all about the Kinzhal missile system.
What is the Kinzhal missile system
The Kinzhal missile system (or 9-A -7660 Kinzhal, and in a number of sources X-47M2 Kinzhal) – this is a Russian hypersonic aviation missile system, hypersonic missiles of which are capable of hitting both stationary objects and surface targets: aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers and frigates.
According to some reports, Kinzhal is an aviation version of the Iskander missile system.
History
The first successful tests of the Kinzhal missile system were carried out Russia December 1, 2017. In February-March 2018, its operational military tests began.
For the first time to the general publicRussian President Vladimir Putin announced the emergence of the Kinzhal complex in his address to the federal assembly in March 2018.
At the same time, video materials of the test of the complex were demonstrated.
They show , that the functions of the combat platform (carrier aircraft) are performed by the Mig-31 supersonic long-range interceptor fighter.
It was stated that the missile, after being dropped at a given point, then flew with hypersonic speed, exceeding the speed of sound by 10 times and maneuvering throughout the entire flight path.
Such a the combination of characteristics allows the missile of the complex to reliably overcome all existing air defense and missile defense systems. To achieve the declared speed, the missile must be accelerated by the carrier, and the MiG-31 is the most suitable for this.
According to military experts, the new missile is not a cruise missile, but an aeroballistic< /strong>. That is, the trajectory of its flight is supported by high speed.
The MiG-31 fighter, specially upgraded to launch this missile, actually serves as its first stage, launching outside the dense layers of the atmosphere at altitudes from 12 to 15 thousand meters.
Rocket flight also takes place at the border of the stratosphere in order to avoid significant air resistance.
On March 19, 2022, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the use of the Kinzhal hypersonic missile system in Ukraine. The blow was allegedly inflicted on village of Delyatyn, Ivano-Frankivsk region. As a result of the strike, a large underground warehouse of missiles and aviation ammunition was destroyed.
Tactical and technical characteristics of the Kinzhal missile system
Carrier (launcher setup):
- MiG-31K — 1 missile;
- Tu-22M3 — 4 missiles;
- Tu-160 — supposed to have 4 on each of the two reels (possibly a smaller version for the Su-57);
- Su-57 — in perspective.
Missile: 9-C-7760 – aeroballistic.
Maximum range of the complex:
- MiG-31K – 2,000 km;
- Tu-22M3 — over 3,000 km
Maximum speed: up to 14,688 km/h or 4,080 m/s
Altitude flight at the moment of reaching hypersonic speed: 20 km.
CVO: 1 m.
Type of warhead: conventional or nuclear.
Warhead mass: 500 kg.
