Development
| External videos | |
|---|---|
| Russian MoD Zircon coverage | |
 The first launch of the Tsirkon hypersonic missile from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate on YouTube | |
| The second launch of the Tsirkon hypersonic missile from the frigate Admiral Gorshkov on YouTube |
Tsirkon is reported to represent a further development of the Hypersonic Experimental Flying Vehicle (ru. GELA / HELA) developed by NPO Mashinostroyeniya.[21]
In April 2017, Russian state media, TASS, reported that Zircon had reached a speed of Mach 8 (6,100 mph; 9,800 km/h; 2,700 m/s) during a flight test.[12] Zircon was again test-fired on June 3, 2017, almost a year earlier than had been announced by Russian officials.[22] In November 2017, Colonel General Viktor Bondarev told TASS that the missile was already in service.[23] Another flight test reportedly occurred on December 10, 2018, during which the missile demonstrated that it could attain a speed of Mach 8.[24]
On February 20, 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the missile can accelerate up to Mach 9 and destroy both sea and land targets within 1,000 km (540 nmi; 620 mi).[13][25] By the year's end, on December 24, 2019, Putin stated that Zircon's land-based version was in development.[14]
According to the commander in chief of the Russian Navy Nikolai Yevmenov, as of January 2020, 3M22 was still in testing phase and despite the overall positive evaluation of the test program, still suffered from teething problems. Modernized frigates are expected to be the first platform to receive the hypersonic missile, and the tests are to be continued in parallel with the Navy's armament with the Kalibr cruise missile. Yevmenov further stated Zircon is expected to enter service "in the coming years".[26] In early January 2020, Zircon was first test-launched from the frigate Admiral Gorshkov in the Barents Sea, and successfully hit a ground target in the Northern Urals, exceeding the distance of 500 km.[27]
On October 7, 2020, the Russian Chief of General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, stated a Tsirkon was launched from Admiral Gorshkov in the White Sea and successfully hit a sea target in the Barents Sea 450 km (280 mi) away, reportedly reaching a speed of "more than Mach 8" and altitude of 28 km (17 mi).[11]
On November 26, 2020, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the successful test of a missile launched from Admiral Gorshkov in the White Sea, hitting a naval target 450 km away in the Barents Sea.[28]
On December 11, 2020, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the successful test of a missile launched from Admiral Gorshkov in the White Sea, hitting a ground target 350 km away in the Arkhangelsk Region.[29]
On July 19, 2021, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the successful test of a missile launched from Admiral Gorshkov in the White Sea, hitting a ground target 350 km away on the coast of the Barents Sea. The flight speed reached nearly Mach 7.[30]
The flight tests of the missile from a coastal mount and a surface ship carrier were reportedly completed as of late September 2021 with over 10 launches performed.[31]
On October 4, 2021, the Ministry of Defence of Russia announced the successful test of a missile launched from a nuclear submarine for the first time from a surfaced position. The Defense Ministry, which tested firing the Zircon missile from a warship in July, said that the nuclear submarine Severodvinsk fired the missile while deployed in the Barents Sea and had hit its chosen target. Low-quality video footage released by the ministry showed the missile shooting upwards from a submarine, its glare lighting up the night sky and illuminating the water's surface.[32][33] A second submerged launch from a depth of 40 m was reported later the same day.[34] The next day it was reported that the missile's trials from the submarine have been completed.[35]
A Tsirkon hypersonic missile test-launched from the Northern Fleet's frigate Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Gorshkov struck a naval target in the White Sea with a direct hit, Russia's Defense Ministry reported on November 18, 2021.[36]
The crew of the Northern Fleet frigate Admiral Gorshkov, as part of the completion of the cycle of tests of hypersonic missile weapons, fired another Zircon missile at a sea target on November 29 and another one at a coastal target on December 16.[37][38] The Tsirkon hypersonic system was salvo-launched on December 24, 2021, and again launched on February 19, 2022.[39][40] On May 28, 2022, the Russian Ministry of Defense released a video and news of a new test-launch where a Zircon missile hit a sea target at a distance of 1,000 km (620 mi) in the White Sea.[41] The program of state trials was reportedly completed with that launch.[42][43]
On July 18, 2022, it was reported that weapon would be adopted by the Russian Navy by the end of 2022.[44]
On July 31, 2022, speaking in St Petersburg on Russia's Naval Day, President Vladimir Putin announced that the Black Sea Fleet would be equipped with Zircon anti-ship hypersonic cruise missiles "in the coming months".[45]
Two contracts have been signed for the production of the missile - one in the summer of 2021 and one in the fall of 2022.[46]
On November 3, 2022, TASS announced the design and manufacture of a prototype mobile ground vehicle launcher for the Tsirkon as part of a coastal defense missile system.[47]
On December 23, 2022, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu announced the reception by the Admiral Gorshkov frigate of a batch of Zircon missiles.[48]