ATLANTIC OCEAN, January 25. /TASS/. Russia’s Defense Ministry for the first time uploaded video footage showing the cutting-edge Admiral Gorshkov frigate conducting an electronic launch of a Tsirkon hypersonic missile during the Atlantic drills.
"Today a shipborne combat training exercise was held to practice delivering a missile strike against an enemy surface target. The Tsirkon hypersonic weapon was employed to a distance of over 900 km," frigate commander, Captain 1st Rank Igor Krokhmal said in the video.
The electronic missile launch’s objective was fully achieved, he said.
"In our scenario, the electronic launch and the work by the shipborne combat team confirmed the missile system’s designed characteristics demonstrated during preliminary and state trials," the commander said.
The frigate Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov armed with Tsirkon hypersonic missiles embarked on its long-distance deployment on January 4. Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a command for the frigate’s deployment in distant waters.
The frigate Admiral Gorshkov earlier held air defense drills in the Norwegian Sea, following which it headed to the Atlantic Ocean for accomplishing assigned missions. Russia’s Defense Ministry earlier announced planned naval drills with the South African and Chinese navies off the coast of South Africa in February.
Admiral Gorshkov frigate
The Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov is the Project 22350 lead multi-purpose frigate designed to operate in distant waters. The warship was built at the Severnaya Verf Shipyard (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation) and joined the Russian Navy in July 2018. In December 2022, the frigate conducted an inter-fleet transit and arrived at the Northern Fleet’s main naval base of Severomorsk after its routine maintenance at the Kronshtadt Marine Plant.
The frigate Admiral Gorshkov carries the Kalibr-NK missile system as its basic strike weapon. The warship was actively involved in testing Russia’s breakthrough Tsirkon hypersonic missile designed and produced by the Reutov-based Research and Production Association of Machine-Building (part of the Tactical Missiles Corporation).
The naval task force consisting of the frigate Admiral Gorshkov and the medium sea tanker Kama has been deployed in distant waters under the command of Northern Fleet Missile Ships Division Commander Captain 1st Rank Oleg Gladky. The warship’s deployment aims to ensure Russia’s naval presence in strategically important areas of the World Ocean.