Zircon

Russia’s ship- and coast-launched scramjet-powered hypersonic cruise missile — a carrier-killer with nuclear capability, used sparingly against Ukraine since 2024.

Overview

The 3M22 Zircon (Tsirkon) is a Russian scramjet-powered hypersonic cruise missile designed for anti-ship strike against high-value NATO surface combatants and employed in a land-attack role against Ukraine. Launched from vertical cells aboard frigates and submarines, or from coastal launchers in occupied Crimea, it combines supersonic-combustion ramjet propulsion with a traditionally compact airframe, delivering a small warhead at speeds that severely compress defender reaction times. Analysts regard the weapon as a genuine technological achievement in hypersonic cruise, yet its operational impact has been limited by scarce inventory, modest payload, and demonstrated susceptibility to terminal-phase interception.

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