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Ukraine Details Russia’s 3M22 Zircon Missile and Identifies 70 Companies Behind It
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Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) has released new details on Russia’s 3M22 Zircon missile, including its guidance system, propulsion, and the network of 70 enterprises involved in its production.
According to the statement of August 30, the intelligence agency published the information through its War&Sanctions portal as part of an ongoing effort to document Russia’s ballistic missile capabilities.
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Zircon was originally developed as an anti-ship weapon for deployment aboard Russian nuclear-powered submarines and Project 22350 frigates equipped with 3S14 universal vertical launch systems, HUR reported.
However, Russia’s difficulties operating its fleet in the Black Sea during the war against Ukraine prompted it to adapt the 3M22 for launches from land-based Bastion-M missile systems, the agency said.
HUR added that the Zircon carries a warhead weighing approximately 120 kilograms, which it described as unusually small given that the 3M22 is the most expensive missile among Russia’s strike weapons. For comparison, the agency said Russia’s smaller Banderoľ cruise missile carries a 150-kilogram warhead.
The missile uses a two-stage propulsion sequence after launch. Once the 3M22 leaves its launch container aboard a vessel or from a coastal missile system, a booster motor accelerates it to the altitude and speed required to activate its main propulsion system. The booster then separates and the main sustainer motor takes over. According to HUR, both use solid propellant.
During the initial phase of flight, orientation and stabilization thrusters located on a protective fairing position the missile on course toward its designated target. The fairing subsequently separates from the missile.
Russia has claimed that the Zircon can reach speeds of up to Mach 9 during certain phases of flight. HUR, however, said the highest speed recorded to date does not exceed Mach 6.8 and is not maintained throughout the entire flight.
The 3M22 uses a combined guidance system, relying on inertial navigation during the midcourse phase before switching to an active radar seeker during the terminal stage, according to the agency. Its onboard digital computing system is the Baget-83, which HUR said is also commonly used in other Russian ballistic missiles.
The missile’s tail section contains electrohydraulic steering actuators and aerodynamic control surfaces that serve as its primary means of maneuvering. The control surfaces remain folded while the missile is inside its launch container and deploy after launch. HUR said the entire tail section of the Zircon is made of titanium.
Alongside the technical assessment, Ukrainian intelligence identified 70 Russian enterprises involved in the Zircon production chain. The companies are responsible for manufacturing the missile’s major systems and components, including its body, engines, and solid rocket propellant.
HUR also published information on officials and employees of key enterprises involved in the program, as well as foreign-made technological equipment used by the manufacturers.
The Zircon disclosure follows a similar HUR investigation into Russia’s Iskander-M ballistic missile program. Ukrainian intelligence previously released details on 35 companies linked to the production of Iskander-M missiles, shedding light on the industrial and supply networks supporting Moscow’s ballistic weapons production.
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