NATO fails to track any of Zircon hypersonic missile test launches

NATO countries have not been able to track a single launch of the Zircon hypersonic missile.

NATO countries have not been able to track any of the launches of the Zircon hypersonic missile that Russia has recently conducted. The test launches of the missile were predictable, but still NATO failed to detect them — this indicates that Russia's new hypersonic weapon is efficient indeed.

According to Western sources, NATO closely monitors test launches of Zircon missiles, but effective surveillance is impossible due to several factors at once:

• NATO lacks radar stations capable of tracking targets moving at hypersonic speed;
• using electronic and electronic reconnaissance equipment is difficult due to the interference of Russian electronic warfare equipment.

The flight of Russia's Zircon missile can be tracked at the initial stage of the flight, but after acceleration to hypersonic speed, its movement ceases to be recorded.

The Zircon hypersonic missile is to enter service at the Russian Armed Forced in early 2022.