Ukraine's Defence Intelligence reveals inner workings of Russian Zircon ballistic missile
Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) has released an interactive 3D model and information on the components of the 3M22 Zircon ballistic missile system.
Source: War & Sanctions portal
Quote: "The Zircon was designed to strike a range of naval targets (hence the letter M [standing for "morskiy" (naval)] in the missile's name) and to be launched from Russian nuclear-powered submarines and Project 22350 frigates equipped with 3S14 universal vertical launch systems. During the Russia-Ukraine war, facing significant problems in deploying its fleet in the Black Sea, the enemy was forced to adapt 3M22 missiles for launch from Bastion-M coastal defence missile systems."
Details: According to the Ukrainian intelligence agency, the 3M22 has a warhead weighing about 120 kg. DIU described this as an extremely low figure for the most expensive missile among all of Russia's strike weapons. By comparison, it noted that the small Banderol cruise missile carries a 150 kg warhead.
"After the missile leaves the launch container aboard a ship or coastal missile system, the booster motor ignites, allowing the missile to reach the altitude and speed required to start the sustainer motor. After the booster separates, the main sustainer motor starts. Both motors – the booster and the sustainer – use solid propellant," DIU said.
The agency noted that the missile is initially aligned with the course towards its target by the orientation and stabilisation system thrusters located on a protective fairing, which is subsequently jettisoned.
Russia claims that the missile can reach speeds of Mach 9 during certain stages of flight. However, DIU said the maximum recorded speed of the 3M22 missile does not exceed Mach 6.8 and is not maintained throughout the entire flight.
"The 3M22 has a combined guidance system – inertial guidance during the cruise phase and an active radar homing seeker during the terminal phase. The missile is equipped with the Baget-83 onboard digital computing system, which is typical of all Russian ballistic missiles," Ukrainian intelligence said.
The missile's tail section contains electrohydraulic steering actuators and aerodynamic control surfaces, which serve as its primary flight-control surfaces. The control surfaces are folded during transport and deploy after the missile leaves its launch container. The entire tail section of the 3M22 missile is made of titanium.
In addition to information on the missile's design and components, DIU released data on 70 companies involved in producing 3M22 Zircon ballistic missiles, their main systems and assemblies, airframes, engines and solid rocket propellant. It also published information on executives and employees of key companies involved in its production, as well as foreign technological equipment used by these companies.
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