spat
.700 Nitro Express
Yea, I'll believe that when I see it.In April 2017, Russian state media, TASS, reported that Zircon had reached a speed of Mach 8 (6,100 mph; 9,800 km/h; 2,700 m/s)
Zircon is believed to be a maneuvering, winged hypersonic missile with a lift-generating center body. A booster stage with solid-fuel engines accelerates it to supersonic speeds, after which a scramjet motor with liquid-fuel (Decilin [ru]; JP-10 jet fuel) in the second stage accelerates it to hypersonic speeds.[17][47]
Zircon can travel at a speed of Mach 8 (6,100 mph; 9,800 km/h; 2.7 km/s). This has led to concerns[neutrality is disputed] that it could penetrate existing naval defense systems.[55] Because it flies at hypersonic speeds within the atmosphere, air pressure in front of it forms a plasma cloud as it moves, absorbing radio waves and making it practically invisible to active radar systems (plasma stealth)
Its claimed Mach 9 speed would mean that it cannot be intercepted by existing missile defence systems, and its precision would make it lethal to large targets such as aircraft carriers
The other, unrelated SS-N-22 was the Raduga P-270 Moskit. It was ramjet-propelled (though launched by a small solid-fuel rocket), and was carried by later-model Sovremenny class destroyers, Tarantul class corvettes, and several smaller warships. This weapon has a top speed of Mach 3.[1] The high speed of the missile means a typical response time for the target of only 25 to 30 seconds, giving a target little time to react.
There are a lot of problems with that article.
The plasma sheath forms as they say. Same phenomenon that re-entering spacecraft experience.
But it does *not* render something invisible. It *does* in fact light the thing up like a beacon for everyone in the hemisphere to see.
It also blinds the missile itself making it unable to track anything.
We can shoot down high-hypersonic ballistic missiles easily.
An anti-ship missile without a seeker head and unable to receive external guidance because it's encased in a plasma sheath is not going to have a very high hit probability against a maneuvering warship.
There is a reason we don't make any, and it's not for lack of ability. We had a *manned* hypersonic aircraft in the 1960s. We could easily make hypersonic missiles. They just have enough drawbacks that they aren't useful.
Also, using one against a US carrier would be tantamount to nuking it as far as our reaction would go.
As for "why don't we just leave Iran alone and let them have the mideast", there are *a lot* of reasons why that would be a very bad idea.
We tried isolationism twice last century. It didn't end well for anyone. After that we decided *someone* needed to fill a role as the "world police". Nobody else stepped up, and now, the only candidates are *not* someone we want to hand that role over to.
Your analogy with Mike Tysons and the child is apt except we are prime Tyson in a room full of children. Almost 200 of them.
One of the 3rd graders just got a 2 year old to stab a 5th grader in the leg, and you're suggesting we just ignore it.