TSIRKON: Russia test fires Hypersonic Cruise Missile successfully
On October 7, 2020, Russia test-fired TSIRKON (Zircon) Hypersonic Cruise missile successfully in the Barents Sea.
Highlights
The test fire was conducted from the Frigate Admiral Gorshkov Vessel in White Sea. The Missile hit the destined the target located at a distance of 450 km in less than 4 and half minutes. The Missile reached hypersonic speeds of more than Mach 8.
This is the second time Russia is conducting a test fire of the Missile full stop earlier it was done in January 2020 for the first time. The Missile was launched from white sea and it hit the target located in Barents Sea.
Putin’s birthday
The test fire was conducted to celebrate the birthday of the Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Nyonoksa Radiation Accident
In August 2019, the radiation leak from the test fire of the Missile Zircon killed two people at Nyonoksa military range. The incident is called the Nyonoska Radiation Incident. The military range is the main rocket launching site of Russian navy.
Several International communities believe that it was a major nuclear accident.
How was the incident revealed?
Russia is usually not open about its nuclear and other arms and missiles testing. In spite of this, the incident was revealed to the world by the seismic and acoustic sensors installed in Norway, Finland and Sweden under Nuclear Test Ban Treaty organisation. The explosion was detected by these sensors. These sensors monitor the globe for prohibited nuclear test.
Barents Sea
It is located in the Northern coasts of Norway and Russia. It is a Shallow shelf sea with an average depth of 230. It is bordered by the Norwegian sea in the west, Kola Peninsula to the south. There are three main types of water in the barents sea. They are Atlantic water from North Atlantic drift, cold Arctic water from the north and coastal waters.
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Month: Current Affairs - October, 2020