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The fact that DPRK got hypersonic weapons before US will never stop being hilarious
(www.ctvnews.ca)
this post was submitted on 04 Apr 2024
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But Kinzhal isn't a "real" hypersonic missile because it doesn't maneuver and change trajectory while at hypersonic speeds. That's why it is possible to intercept it at the last moment when it is on its way to the target.
I was also skeptical about their claims, but I am inclined to believe them because they say they shot down one a year ago. A situation where stars align, similar to Serbs shooting down a "stealth" F-117A in 1999 using a Soviet S-300 system.
Russia hasn't used their whole arsenal in Ukraine, they haven't used their "glide" hypersonic missiles, the ones that maneuver while hypersonic and can't be intercepted by Western AA. Those are the ones that can reach EU capitals within 5 minutes to deliver a nuclear warhead.
If the Patriots failed to shoot down Scuds designed in the 1950s, no way in hell they’re ever going to intercept a Kinzhal:
Intercepting a missile is not the same as an airplane that flies at a much slower speed and a much larger target.
Actually, the F-117A was shot down in part because when its bomb bay doors were open it can be seen on radar, and Serbs knew where it was going to be flying because the bombers followed the same flight path on every run.
I never said Patriots can reliably shoot down kinzhals, I said that it is possible to get a lucky hit when the kinzhal is on its final approach to target, when it flies at subsonic speeds.