MOSCOW, December 8. /TASS/. Russian specialists are working on expanding the flight range of Oniks sea-and ground-based supersonic cruise missiles, a source close to the Defense Ministry of Russia told TASS on Thursday.

"The flight range of the supersonic Oniks is expected to be increased to 1,000 km," the source said.

TASS has no official confirmation of this information yet.

TASS earlier reported that a new launcher for the Tsirkon hypersonic missile created in Russia would also be capable of launching Oniks supersonic missiles fired both by Bastion coastal defense missile systems and surface ships and submarines.

According to the manufacturer’s data, the Oniks export modification (the Yakhont missile) has a maximum operational range of 300 km today. The missile can accelerate to 2.5 times the speed of sound at a high altitude and carries a 250 kg conventional warhead.

Russia’s Oniks missiles, engineered by the Reutov-based Research and Production Association of Machine-Building (part of the Tactical Missiles Corporation), have been repeatedly employed in delivering strikes against terrorists’ ground targets in Syria and in the special military operation in Ukraine.