Kinzhal

Russia's air-launched aeroballistic missile derived from the Iskander — presented by Moscow as a hypersonic “Dagger” and first combat-tested over Ukraine, where its aura of invincibility was shattered by successful Patriot intercepts.

Overview

The Kh-47M2 Kinzhal (NATO reporting name AS-24 Killjoy) is a high-speed, air-launched aeroballistic missile that adapts the 9M723 quasi-ballistic missile of the Iskander-M system for launch from a modified MiG-31K interceptor. Pitched by the Kremlin in 2018 as one of its “next-generation” weapons and labeled “hypersonic,” the Kinzhal marries a solid-fuel rocket motor with a nuclear- or conventional-warhead and a claimed range of 1,500-2,000 km. Its operational inventory is small, and its combat debut in Ukraine exposed vulnerabilities that undercut the uninterceptable narrative.

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