Russia demonstrated the launch of the Zircon missile: experts pointed to an important detail on video
This raised the issue of Western analysts against the background of reports of the possible evacuation of Russians from the Syrian base. The peculiarity of these exercises is that for the first time close footage of launching hypersonic missiles "Zircon" from the frigates of the project 22350. However, the video raised many doubts and discussions among experts. About it writes Defense Express.
The authors of The War Zone portal suggest that the frames presented can be archival and taken from preliminary trials. Similar videos of Zircon launches were published in 2020 after tests in the White Sea. The skepticism of analysts is supported by the fact that again the dispute about the possible connection of "Zircon" with the older supersonic rocket P-800 "Onyx" is raised. Nevertheless, there is no direct evidence or technical data that confirm this theory in open sources.
According to the observers, "Zirconi" launched from the frigates of the project 22350, specially modernized for these purposes. Russia does not formally reveal what changes have been made, but probably the modification has affected the vertical launchers, which on each of these ships is set 16. This emphasizes that the number of surface carriers of "zirconic" in the Navy of the Russian Federation is extremely limited.
These missiles are probably not adapted to place on other types of ships with vertical starting installations, such as Corvettes of Buyan-M or Karakurt. It is noteworthy that there are still no recordings of launchers P-800 Onyx from surface ships, although Russia has stated that these missiles could be launched from 3C14 launchers. The lack of video raises doubts about the truthfulness of statements about such opportunities.
"All these details are important because they show that the number of" zirconic "storage media is limited in the Russian fleet, and this hypersonic rocket is likely to be placed on other Navy rocket ships with vertical launchers 3C14," It is in the material of the observers. It is interesting to note that there are no records of launchers of missiles P-800 "Onyx" from surface ships.
This is surprised because the Russian side declared the possibility of launching such rockets from launchers type 3C14, which are installed on the corvettes of the projects 21631 "Buyan-M", 22800 "Karakurt" and frigates of the project 11356. surface ships. "Against this background, there is an assumption that the Russians may be exaggerated in their statements, and therefore the P-800" Onyx "is not adapted for starting with 3C14.