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Context

• The first crew to use hypersonic, air-launched Kinzhal missiles during Russia’s military operation in Ukraine has been presented with state awards.

Details

About

• The Kh-47M2 Kinzhal is a Russian hypersonic air-launched ballistic missile.
• Hypersonic weapons are generally defined as long-range, maneuvering, air-breathing systems that travel in excess of Mach 5.

Range and Speed

• It has a reported range of 1,500–2,000 km (930–1,240 mi) and speed up to Mach 10.

Warheads

• It can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads.

Launch

• It can be launched by Tu-22M3 bombers or MiG-31K interceptors 

Target

• It can hit both static targets and mobile ones such as aircraft carriers.

Design

• The missile is designed to be able to hit NATO warships posing a threat to strategic missile systems in European Russia and to destroy NATO missile defense systems, ballistic missile defense ships and land objects close to the Russian borders.

READ ALL ABOUT THE BASICS OF MISSILES: https://www.iasgyan.in/blogs/the-basics-of-missiles

LIST OF INDIAN MISSILES: https://www.iasgyan.in/blogs/list-of-important-indian-missiles

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements with reference to Missiles. 1.A Hypersonic Cruise Missile travels at a speed of more than 10 Mach. 2.A ramjet engine does not have any turbines, unlike turbojet engines. 3.In a strategic warhead, radioactive materials are present and when triggered they exhibit huge radioactivity that can wipe out even cities. 4.    Subsonic cruise missile flies at 0.8 Mach - a speed much lesser than that of sound. How many of the above statements are incorrect? A) Only 1 B) Only 2 C) Only 3 D) All Answer: A) Only 1 [Statement 1 is incorrect]  PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements with Kinzhal Missiles? 1.    Kinzhal is a Russian hypersonic air-launched ballistic missile. 2.    It can carry conventional warheads only. 3.    It can hit both static targets and mobile ones such as aircraft carriers. 4.    It has a speed up to Mach 20. How many of the above statements are correct? A) Only 1 B) Only 2 C) Only 3 D) All Answer: B) Only 2 1 and 3 are correct statements.

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-recognises-first-crew-use-hypersonic-missile-ukraine-tass-2023-09-04/