What is Kinzhal, advanced hypersonic missile used by Russia in Ukraine?

NEW DELHI: Russia has used its newest hypersonic missile called '

Kinzhal

' to destroy a weapons storage site in Ukraine's western region as it majorly stepped up its offensive in the country.

The claimed strike marked the first use of the nuclear-capable advanced weapons system in the Ukraine war, state news service RIA Novosti said.

Here's all you need to know about the hypersonic missile
* According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a US-based think-tank, the Kinzhal is a nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missile that flies at 10 times the speed of sound and can overcome air-defence systems. Kinzhal means 'dagger'.

* The missile has a range of approximately 1,500-2,000km and can carry a nuclear payload or conventional payload of 480 kg.

* The Kinzhal has a length of 8 metres, a body diameter of 1 metres, and a launch weight of approximately 4,300 kg.

* This is the first time that Russia has admitted to using the high-precision weapon in combat.

* The Kinzhal was one of an array of new weapons Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled in his state-of-the-nation address in 2018. Putin had termed Kinzhal as "an ideal weapon".

* Following launch, the Kinzhal rapidly accelerates to Mach 4 (4,900 km/h), and may reach speeds of up to Mach 10 (12,350 km/hr), according to CSIS.

* The speed of the missile, combined with its erratic flight trajectory and high maneuverability, could complicate interception.

* CSIS says that Russia’s designation of the Kinzhal as a “hypersonic” missile is somewhat misleading, as nearly all ballistic missiles reach hypersonic speeds (i.e. above Mach 5) at some point during their flight.

What is a hypersonic weapon?
They are normally defined as fast, low-flying, and highly maneuverable weapons designed to be too quick and agile for traditional missile defence systems to detect in time, according to Bloomberg.

Unlike ballistic missiles,

hypersonic weapons

don’t follow a predetermined, arched trajectory and can maneuver on the way to their destination, according to the Congressional Research Service.

The term “hypersonic” describes any speed faster than five times that of sound, which is roughly 760 miles (1,220 kilometers) per hour at sea level, meaning these weapons can travel at least 3,800 miles per hour.

At hypersonic speeds, the air molecules around the flight vehicle start to change, breaking apart or gaining a charge in a process called ionization. This subjects the hypersonic vehicle to “tremendous” stresses as it pushes through the atmosphere, according to a 2018 US Army paper.

Types of hypersonic weapons
There are two main types of these weapons — glide vehicles and cruise missiles.

Most of the attention is focused on the former, which are launched from a rocket before gliding to their target, because of the challenges of achieving hypersonic propulsion of missiles.

The missiles have engines called scramjets that use the air’s oxygen and produce thrust during their flight, allowing them to cruise at a steady speed and altitude.

Who has these weapons?
US, China and Russia have the most advanced capabilities, and several other countries are investigating the technology, including India, Japan, Australia, France, Germany and North Korea, which claims to have tested a hypersonic missile.

In fact, India is also closing in on having such weapons in its arsenal. Last year, India successfully tested its hypersonic technology demonstrator vehicle (HSTDV), powered by a scramjet engine.

The HSTDV will serve as a crucial building block in the development of long-range hypersonic weapons, which will take at least another four to five years to become a reality.

(With inputs from agencies)