Russia has launched five successful flights of a hypersonic jet that is capable of destroying an aircraft carrier with a single impact, according to a new report. The Zircon cruise missile travels between 3,800mph and 4,600mph – five to six times the speed of sound – and puts Russia ‘half a decade’ ahead of the US’, the report says. This makes it faster than any anti-
missile system, including those that are expected to appear in the next two decades. Russian military analyst Vladimir Tuchkov said: ‘In Russia, the testing of actual weapons is already underway. ‘It is expected to be added into Russia’s arsenal between 2018 and 2020’, he told state media outlet Sputnik. ‘A speed of Mach 6 is more than enough of a guarantee to overcome any anti-missile system’, he said. READ MORE
