MOSCOW, October 4. /TASS/. The Northern Fleet’s Severodvinsk nuclear-powered submarine has successfully conducted its first test launch of the Tsirkon hypersonic missile in the Barents Sea, Russia’s Defense Ministry told journalists.
"For the first time, Russia’s Navy conducted tests of the Tsirkon hypersonic missile from the Severodvinsk nuclear-powered submarine. The launch was performed at a hypothetical sea target in the waters of the Barents Sea. According to objective control’s data, the missile’s trajectory matched the set parameters and it hit the hypothetical target," the military agency reported. According to the Defense Ministry, "the trial launch of the Tsirkon missile from the nuclear-powered submarine was deemed successful."
The Tsirkon missile’s launch was conducted from the water surface position.
On September 30, a source in the military-industrial complex told TASS that the first trial launch of the underwater version of the Tsirkon hypersonic missile would be conducted from the Severodvinsk nuclear-powered submarine in October. Depending on the outcome, the second launch from the underwater position at a sea target is being planned for November.
On July 19, it was reported that the Project 22350 lead frigate Admiral Gorshkov had successfully launched the Tsirkon hypersonic missile at a land target at a speed of Mach 7 and at a distance beyond 350 kilometers. According to the military agency, the frigate launched the missile from the waters of the White Sea. The land target was located on the coast of the Barents Sea.