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Russia was the first country in the world to field multiple operational hypersonic weapons.
Though the Kremlin has frequently boasted of these systems as being nearly impossible to intercept, those boasts have not been substantiated.
Combat in Ukraine has provided the first real-world test of at least one system in the arsenal, however: the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal.
But Russia’s other two systems, the Zircon and Avangard, have not faced real-world tests yet.
What is a Hypersonic Weapon?
Hypersonic relates to speeds above Mach 5, so all hypersonic weapons hit that extreme speed, but not all hypersonic weapons are the same.
There are three major categories: ballistic missiles, hypersonic cruise missiles, and hypersonic glide vehicles.
Speed alone isn’t the primary advantage; other desired characteristics include maneuverability, compressed warning times, and the ability to complicate missile-defense tracking.
The Kinzhal
The Kinzhal is an air-launched ballistic missile originally derived from the Iskander ballistic missile. Carried primarily by the MiG-31K and Tu-22M3M, the Kinzhal is released at altitude, where a solid-fuel rocket rapidly accelerates the missile.
Russia claims the top speed is around Mach 10, but that is unconfirmed.
The missile is understood to follow a largely ballistic flight profile with limited maneuvering and is used for high-value targets like airfields, command centers, infrastructure, and theoretically, carrier-sized naval targets.
In Ukraine, Russia has employed the Kinzhal repeatedly. Ukraine claims that Patriot batteries have intercepted several Kinzhals.
If true, this would demonstrate that hypersonic does not necessarily mean invulnerable and that modern layered air defenses can pose a challenge to futuristic hypersonic weapons.
The Zircon
The 3M22 Zircon is a true hypersonic cruise missile, launched from either ships or submarines—primarily the Admiral Gorshkov-class frigates or Yasen-class submarines.
Powered by a scramjet, the Zircon hits sustained hypersonic cruise around Mach 8. Offering a lower flight profile than ballistic missiles, the Zircon was designed for anti-ship missions and land attack.
The Zircon can threaten carrier strike groups, complicate naval missile defense, and generally represents Russia’s principal naval hypersonic weapon.
But public information remains relatively limited compared with the Kinzhal; the long-term operational effectiveness is still being assessed.
The Avangard
The Avangard is a strategic nuclear weapon, a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) mounted atop an intercontinental ballistic missile.
The ICBM boosts the glide vehicle into near space, where the vehicle separates and glides through the upper atmosphere.
The vehicle then performs maneuvers during descent, with reported speeds exceeding Mach 20.
The strategic purpose is nuclear deterrence; it was designed to complicate missile defense and was not intended for conventional battlefield use.
The Avangard is indeed a strategic—not tactical—weapon.
Lessons from Ukraine
Ukraine has become the first major combat laboratory for hypersonic weapons. The biggest lesson is that advanced missiles still operate within a broader kill chain.
Success depends on targeting, guidance, survivability, and available air defenses. Patriot systems have reportedly demonstrated capability against some Kinzhal attacks.
This suggests that no weapon is completely unstoppable.
At the same time, however, hypersonic weapons remain difficult targets, requiring sophisticated integrated air-defense systems; they remain among Russia’s most advanced strike assets.
Industrial Considerations
Hypersonic weapons are expensive and technologically demanding.
With precision guidance, advanced propulsion, and specialized materials capable of surviving extreme temperatures, these weapons are not easy to make.
The production process has also been complicated by Western sanctions, which reduce Russia’s access to advanced electronics.
Because of the cost and complexity, hypersonic missiles are generally reserved for high-value targets rather than routine battlefield use.
Strategic Implications
Russia’s hypersonic program has influenced weapons development worldwide.
The US, China, Europe, Japan, and others are accelerating hypersonic weapons, missile defenses, and tracking sensors. The Ukraine war has shifted discussion from whether hypersonic missiles are “unstoppable” to how best to detect and intercept them.
Future competition is likely to focus as much on defensive technologies—like space-based sensors, improved interceptors, and integrated air-defense networks—as on increasingly faster offensive missiles.
Russia’s hypersonic arsenal remains among the world’s most sophisticated. But combat experience suggests these weapons are dangerous—but not immune to modern air defenses.
The emergence of hypersonics will continue to accelerate the next phase of offense-defense competition, driving investment in hypersonics and the systems built to stop them. In 4 words: They are the future.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a writer and attorney focused on national security, technology, and political culture. His work has appeared in Tablet, City Journal, The Hill, The Spectator, and The Cipher Brief. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global & Joint Program Studies from NYU. More at harrisonkass.com.
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