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Russia Quietly Arms Su-57 With Naval Zircon-Class Missile—A Hypersonic Weapon Built to Evade Air Defenses
What happens when Russia’s most advanced stealth fighter is armed with one of the world’s fastest and most elusive missiles—once launched only from ships and submarines? The answer could reshape aerial warfare, as Moscow equips its Su-57 with a new air-launched Zircon-class hypersonic missile capable of exceeding Mach 9.
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russia’s Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jet has been equipped with hypersonic weaponry, according to Lieutenant General Alexander Maksimtsev, Chief of the Main Staff and First Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
In an interview with the state-owned Krasnaya Zvezda, Maksimtsev confirmed that the aircraft is now fitted with “modern aviation strike systems and hypersonic weapons” as part of the ongoing state defense procurement program.
According to Military Watch Magazine on August 2, the specific class of hypersonic missile integrated into the Su-57 remains undisclosed.
However, the report indicates the likely candidate is an air-launched version of the Zircon cruise missile, which has been under development for several years.
The missile—originally deployed from Russian Navy ships and submarines—reaches speeds of up to Mach 9 and is designed to evade current and next-generation air defense systems.
The Zircon was first reported in operational service on a Russian surface combatant in early 2023 and later expanded to submarine platforms.
Russian defense officials, including then-Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, have described the missile’s capability to bypass air defenses as a key advantage.
The missile features an estimated range of 1,000 kilometers, and its high velocity is considered sufficient to disable large naval vessels through kinetic impact alone.
Although Russia has not officially confirmed which missile is now in service aboard the Su-57, previous state media coverage and defense industry sources have indicated that a compact hypersonic missile for internal carriage had reached the prototype stage by early 2023.
The missile was reportedly designed to fit the internal weapons bays of the Su-57, maintaining the aircraft’s low-observable profile.
Parallel efforts have also been made to expand the Su-57’s long-range strike capability. In October 2023, Russian media reported that a new air-launched cruise missile—derived from the Kh-101/102 family used by strategic bombers—had been adapted for use by the Su-57.
Although reduced in size, the missile reportedly retained its 3,500-kilometer range through a new turbojet engine and redesigned internal layout.
While the Su-57 currently serves with only one frontline regiment, military analysts note that missile systems developed for the platform could later be deployed across other aircraft types.
A similar approach was seen in July 2025, when the R-77M air-to-air missile, originally designed for the Su-57, was adopted by Su-35S units. Russia’s MiG-31K interceptor also remains a candidate for fielding air-launched hypersonic weapons, including the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal ballistic missile and potentially a version of the Zircon.
Despite the advancements, the Su-57 program has faced continued scrutiny from Western defense observers due to limited serial production, engine development delays, and questions regarding the maturity of onboard sensors. The aircraft has been observed in limited combat roles in Ukraine but has not been widely deployed.
If current integration efforts are successful, the Su-57 may become one of the few platforms globally capable of combining stealth and hypersonic strike capabilities.
Earlier in July, Ukrainian defense-linked sources reported that Russia had begun using its new K-77M (Izdelie 180) air-to-air missile in combat over Ukraine. Designed for the Su-35 and Su-57 fighters, the missile features an advanced radar seeker, extended range, and improved electronic countermeasure resistance—posing a new challenge for Ukrainian pilots near the front lines.
