Ukrainian Defenses Prove Successful Against Russian Rockets, but Not Hypersonic Missiles

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!

• Ukrainian air defenses claim to have successfully destroyed many of the Russian rockets launched into civilian centers, but are unable to defend against hypersonic missiles.
• Russia recently used several Kinzhal missiles, which can accelerate to Mach 4 and make unpredictable course changes to evade detection, and are believed to be nuclear-capable.
• While some experts believe that hypersonic missiles may not be a game changer in the conflict, others believe that they pose a real challenge to missile defense systems.

Russian forces have recently launched a new type of weapon, hypersonic missiles known as Kinzhals, in an early morning attack on Ukrainian targets. Ukrainian defenses claim to have shot down only 34 of the 81 incoming missiles, including six Kinzhals, which are believed to be nuclear-capable.

Hypersonic missiles like the Kinzhal are a new type of weapon that combines superior speed and maneuverability to evade detection and make unpredictable course changes as they approach their target. While the Ukrainian defenses have been successful in shooting down many of the missiles, they are unable to defend against the Kinzhals.

The Kinzhal was unveiled by Russian President Vladimir Putin five years ago and can accelerate to Mach 4, which is four times the speed of sound, and may be capable of speeds up to Mach 10 with a range of about 1,250 miles.

Although there is debate over how much of a game changer they are, some experts believe that they pose a real challenge to missile defense systems. While U.S. Northern Command Chief Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck downplayed the significance of the Kinzhal in the conflict, Victor Cha, who served on the National Security Council during the George W. Bush administration, told NPR last year that hypersonics could pose a real challenge—even to U.S. missile defense systems.

According to James Acton, co-director of the nuclear policy program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Kinzhal is launched from an aircraft and has a shorter range than the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, another sophisticated weapon that Russia has developed.

The Zircon anti-ship missile has also reportedly been developed, but there are no reports of it or the Avangard being used in combat.

The Pentagon has expressed some urgency on the subject, with Dee Dee Martinez, comptroller of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, saying that hypersonic missiles “pose a new challenge to our missile defense systems.”

In conclusion, Russia has recently used hypersonic missiles known as Kinzhals in an early morning attack on Ukrainian targets. While Ukrainian defenses have been successful in shooting down many of the missiles, including the Kinzhals, some experts believe that they pose a real challenge to missile defense systems.

The Kinzhal is a new type of weapon that combines superior speed and maneuverability to evade detection and make unpredictable course changes as they approach their target. While the Ukrainian defenses have been successful in shooting down many of the missiles, they are unable to defend against the Kinzhals.

The Pentagon has expressed some urgency on the subject, and more development and technology investments will be needed to counter these advanced threats.

Source: npr.org