While Kim Jong Un is continuing to try to find the gas pedal in his own ICBM program, Russia has just upped the ante. Big time.
North Korea, whose expressed purpose is the total nuclear annihilation of the United States, has had trouble in recent weeks getting their rockets further than stone’s throw from their launchpads before detonating. Sure, they had one “successful” launch in the last 5 days, but that payload still only traversed 600 miles of ocean; nowhere near the amount needed to reach the West Coast of the United States.
The U.S., for her part, went ahead and deflated Kim’s ego a bit this week as well with the successful testing of a surface-to-air missile defense system that allowed to Pentagon to wallop an incoming ICBM over the Pacific Ocean on the first try. Even if North Korea gets to the point that they could reach Los Angeles in time for the 2024 World Series, their measly attempt at inciting World War III will just become another fireworks show for Dodgers’ fans.
Russia, however, has unveiled something just a bit more frightening this week: A hypersonic missile that moves so quickly that there would be no possible way to stop it.
“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.
“The weapon could be fitted to nuclear-powered cruiser Pyotr Velikiy as soon as 2018, Russian state media reports.
“It can be fired from land, sea and submarines carrying payloads ranging from high explosive to nuclear. “
While the testing of this projectile was not considered a live-fire drill, as U.S. spy satellites indicated, the sheer speed of the weapon would allow it to cruise at an incredible 4,600 m.p.h., six times the speed of sound.
