NATO 'Carrier Killer' and 'Killjoy': What is Russia's Hypersonic Kinzhal Missile?

Moscow has already successfully used Kinzhal missiles in a combat situation amid the ongoing Russian special military operation in Ukraine.

Russia's Rostec state corporation head Sergey Chemezov announced on Sunday that his company had further increased the production of the Kinzhal (Dagger) hypersonic missiles.

He said: "Such a large quantity of this weapon was not [initially] required," but that the Kinzhals’ production has been increased since the beginning of the ongoing Russian special military operation in Ukraine.

So what is the Kinzhal missile and can it be referred to as a state-of-the-art weapon? Sputnik answers these and other questions.

What is the KInzhal?

The Kh-47M2 Kinzhal (NATO reporting name "Killjoy") is a Russian nuclear-capable hypersonic ballistic missile, which has a range of more than 2,000 km (1,200 miles) and is typically launched from the Tu-22M3 bombers or the MiG-31K multi-role fighter interceptors at altitudes of about 18 km (11 miles).

A Kinzhal missile. File photo

© Sputnik / Alexey Kudenko

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The warplanes fitted with the Kinzhals have been deployed at airbases in Russia's Southern and Western Military District.

How Fast is the Weapon?

The Kinzhal missile is capable of travelling at least five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5, which is the definition of hypersonic.

The missile can reach a speed of up to Mach 10 (12,250 km/h or 7,612 mph) while also performing evasive maneuvers, which helps the Kinzhal to be virtually invulnerable to enemy air missile defense systems.

With the weapon’s advanced maneuvering capabilities, high precision and hypersonic speed, some sources refer to the Kinzhal as a "carrier killer" due to its purported ability to disable or possibly even sink a hypothetical 100,000-ton aircraft carrier with a single strike.

What is the KInzhal Missile Designed for?

The missile aims to target NATO warships and missile defense systems, as well as the alliance’s land objects close to Russian borders.

The Kinzhal was reportedly designed to tackle any current or planned NATO air defenses, including the MIM-104 Patriot, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and Aegis Combat System.

The overall design of the weapon is shared with the Russian-made short-range ballistic missile Iskander, which has a hypersonic speed of 2100–2600 m/s (Mach 6–7).

When Did 'Carrier KIller' Enter Service?

After the Kinzhal entered service in December 2017, the MiG-31Ks armed with the Kinzhal missiles conducted 89 sorties over the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea a year later.

Subsequent years saw more such sorties in Russia, with the Kinzhal missile being used during the ongoing Russian special military operation in Ukraine.

Lieutenant-General Sergey Kobylash, commander of the long-range aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces, said that during the special operation, the Kinzhals "had repeatedly been used to destroy ground targets" of the Ukrainian army.

He was echoed by Valery Gerasimov, the head of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, who revealed that Ukraine’s air defenses had failed to tackle the Kinzhal missiles, which, he said, were used for the first time in combat conditions in Ukraine.

"The Kinzhal aviation missile system has shown high efficiency and invulnerability to Ukrainian air defense systems," Gerasimov underscored.

US President Joe Biden confirmed Russia's use of the Kinzhal missile last year, describing it as "a consequential weapon with the same warhead on it as any other launched missile."

"It doesn't make that much difference except it's almost impossible to stop it. There's a reason they're using it," he added.