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missiles. The 10 aircraft deployed on experi-
mental combat duty in the Southern Military
District, bordering Ukraine and the Black Sea.
The third and newest hypersonic weapons
the Russians have claimed is 3M-22 Tsirkon
or Zircon anti-ship missile (ASM). The Zircon’s [ COVER STORY ]
estimated range is 500 kilometres at a low
level and up to 750 kilometres at a semi-bal-
listic trajectory, but the state-owned media
in Russia reports the range as 1,000 kilome-
tres. It’s a two-stage missile that uses solid
fuel in the first stage and a scramjet motor in
the second stage. The Russian Navy is also
reportedly expediting test launches of the ASM
from submarines and surface combatants.
missile. The DF-17 is the weapon that the US intelligence community
estimated in 2017 to become the first of its kind to see operational
deployment. The new boost-glide missile, which reportedly can
travel faster than five times the speed of sound, could “transform”
Beijing’s strategy for dealing with Taiwan, South China Morning
Post reported late last year. The DF-17 first appeared in public in
Beijing during a military parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of
the founding of Communist China. “Observers were surprised to
see 16 DF-17s on their launchers during the Oct. 1, 2019 National
Day parade,” the paper reported.
The DF-17 is a two-stage weapon with a rocket booster and
“The schedule of the hypersonic missile’s test a high-speed gliding warhead. The DF-17 reportedly can strike
launches from naval ships will be tightened,” targets over a distance of nearly a thousand miles. Its speed and
Russian defence industry sources were quoted flat trajectory could complicate interception attempts. Traditional
as saying by TASS news agency on March 25, ballistic missiles such as the DF-15 and DF-16 arc higher than the
2020. “The Yasen submarines will begin firing DF-17 does, making them easier to destroy mid-flight. China first
drills this year, alongside the continuing series tested the DF-17 in 2013 and rushed the weapon into service.
of launches from the Admiral Gorshkov.”
India Too Goes Hyper
China Not Far Behind India also have active hypersonics development programmes. India
China has been developing its hypersonic has been developing a range of cruise missiles and ballistic missiles
weapon capabilities with advancements in to meet its security challenges under the Integrated Guided Missile
both HGVs and HCMs. DF-ZF, a hypersonic Development Programme. These include the Prithvi and Agni mis-
glide vehicle known in the U.S. as the WU-14, siles as well as the anti-tank Nag and surface to air Akash. India
has undergone more than a half dozen devel- in collaboration with Russia has developed the Brahmos cruise
opment tests between 2014 and 2016. Of the missile. India in mid-2019 conducted a successful first test flight of
seven tests during this period using its Wu-14 the indigenously developed Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator
(DF-ZF) hypersonic glide vehicle, six have Vehicle (HSTDV), a technology so far developed only by countries
been successful. And, Chinese media report such as US, Russia and China. The HSTDV is an unmanned scram-
that as of March 2020, the Dongfeng-ZF had jet (allowing supersonic combustion) demonstration vehicle that
been tested eight times in succession, all of can cruise up to a speed of Mach 6 and rise up to an altitude of
which have been successful, and the troops 32. km in 20 seconds.
have been actually equipped with this weapon. It has a range of uses, including missiles of the future, and ener-
The DF-ZF is launched during the last stage gy-efficient, low cost and reusable satellite-launch vehicle. The
of a missile and can reach nearly Mach 10, as HSTDV cruise vehicle is mounted on a solid rocket motor, which
well as manoeuvre to avoid missile defences will take it to a required altitude, and once it attains certain Mach
and zero in on targets. This weapon can be numbers for speed, the cruise vehicle will be ejected out of the
configured to carry a nuclear or conventional launch vehicle. The scramjet engine gets ignited automatically later.
warhead and China claims it is precise enough Besides its utility for long-range cruise missiles of the future, the
to attack ships at sea. The DF-ZF is scheduled dual-use technology will have multiple civilian applications too. For
to be operational by the end of this year. instance, it can be used for launching satellites.
Beijing also showcased late last year the According to an official at the Defence Research and Development
Dongfeng 17 (DF-17) hypersonic boost-glide (DRDO), the state-owned defence agency has started work to

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