Reading

 My bedtime reading (69 pages):

https://www.csis.org/analysis/complex-air-defense-countering-hypersonic-missile-threat

                                            

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Hypersonic means at Mach5 +. Less than that might be Supersonic.

The Kalibr missile is supersonic.

Ballistic missiles are launched from rockets and fall bact to earth by

gravity. Cruise missiles have their own power. A hypersonic ballistic missile

goes to near-space and falls back to earth with declining hypersonic speed.

The Zircon missile has a scramjet that takes over once the missile is rocket launched.

It accelerates.

At high speeds, the air around a missile forms a plasma. At high altitude the

air is much thinner.

This is the great advantage of hypersonic missiles; they can manoeuvre once

launched and are approaching target. A multiple re-entry missile might have 

up to 16 different targets.

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The horizon makes it impossible to see a hypersonic missile before it

is near the end of its mission.

Yikes! the Zircon missile is intended to sink warships!!

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https://behorizon.org/kinzhal-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-in-modern-warfare/