Give Russia's navy a missile fast enough to hit an aircraft carrier or other large ship before its defences can react, closing hundreds of kilometres in a few minutes.
In service on ships; used against Kyiv since Feb 2024, where some were shot down
Updated 31 Aug 2026Checked 11 Oct0 updates this week
Fired from vertical cells on frigates and submarines, and against Ukraine apparently from modified Bastion coastal launchers.
Long described as a scramjet; Ukraine's intelligence lists a two-stage solid rocket motor from NPO Iskra instead.
It climbs to around 20-28 km, where thin air lets it hold hypersonic speed, then dives on the target.
A radar seeker (3B222, per Ukrainian intelligence) picks out the target ship in the final phase.
| Spec | 3M22 Zircon |
|---|---|
| Speed (Russian claim) | Mach 8-9R (reported) |
| Speed (Ukrainian assessment) | ~Mach 5.5, near Mach 7.5 at the endE (estimated) |
| Length | ~9 mR (reported) |
| Warhead (Ukrainian intel) | ~120 kg (3G22)E (estimated) |
| Flight altitude | ~28 kmR (reported) |
R reported by the company · E our estimate
NPO Mashinostroyeniya
Zircon, Oniks anti-ship missiles, BrahMos partner
NPO Mashinostroyeniya is Russia's main designer of anti-ship cruise missiles, founded in 1944 and based in Reutov near Moscow. It is part of the state-owned Tactical Missiles Corporation and built the P-800 Oniks and the Zircon hypersonic missile.
