Russia announced its first use of a new hypersonic missile in March after it destroyed an underground arms depot in the western Ukrainian village of Deliatyn.
Moscow claims the Kinzhal (Kh-47M2) can travel faster than five times the speed of sound, a velocity of more than 6,000 kilometers (7,674 miles) per hour, or 1,668 meters per second. It can strike targets up to 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) away.
But the weapon, believed by experts to be a modified version of Russia’s Iskander missile, is designed to launch from a fighter jet, which means it could conceivably travel much faster, possibly up to Mach 10, or about 3,430 meters (2.13 miles) per second, according to the BBC, citing the Washington D.C.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has bragged that his country leads the world in the development of super-fast hypersonic missiles, which are hard to track because they can change directions in mid-flight.
But how does the Kinzhal compare to comparable ballistic missiles? To determine the world’s fastest supersonic weapons, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Federation of American Scientists, Military-Today, and the U.S. Department of Defense. (Missiles whose speeds are not publically available were not included.).
It turns out that the Kinzhal ranks in the middle of the 25 fastest weapons worldwide. A dozen missiles travel faster, led by China’s DF-41 road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile, France’s M51 submarine-launched missile, and the American Trident D5, also submarine-launched. Out of these 12 missiles, only the Trident is both smaller and faster than the Kinzhal, at 2.1 meters in length (6.9 feet) versus 8 meters (26.25 feet). The Trident also has a much longer range, at 12,000 kilometers, or 7,457 miles. (Here’s how far the most powerful missiles can travel.)
Click here to see the world’s fastest supersonic weapons.
Eight countries have these 25 fastest weapons in their stockpiles, led by Russia with 10; China with six; and Iran with five. South Korea’s Haeseong II supersonic ship-launched cruise missile is a relative slowpoke, traveling at just 350 meters per second (783 miles per hour), which is equivalent to the muzzle velocity of a 9mm bullet fired from a Glock semi-automatic handgun. (These are the 50 most popular guns in the world.)
34. Haeseong II
> Est. max speed: 350 meters (1,148 feet) per second
> Country: South Korea
> Range: 500 kilometers (311 miles)
> Launch weight: 1,400 kilograms (1.54 tons)
> Length: 5.5 meters (18.04 feet)
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33. Hyunmoo-3
> Est. max speed: 412 meters (1,352 feet) per second
> Country: South Korea
> Range: 500 kilometers (311 miles)
> Launch weight: 1,360 kilograms (1.49 tons)
> Length: 6.2 meters (20.34 feet)
32. Hellfire
> Est. max speed: 450 meters (1,476 feet) per second
> Country: United States
> Range: 7-11 kilometers (4-7 miles)
> Launch weight: 45-48.5 kilograms (99-107 pounds)
> Length: 1.62-1.75 meters (5.31-5.74 feet)
31. Topol (SS-25 “Sickle”)
> Est. max speed: 700 meters (2,297 feet) per second
> Country: Russia
> Range: 11,000+ kilometers (6,835+ miles)
> Launch weight: 45,100 kilograms (49.71 tons)
> Length: 20.5 meters (67.26 feet)
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30. P-800 Oniks/Yakhont/Bastion (SS-N-26 “Strobile”)
> Est. max speed: 750 meters (2,461 feet) per second
> Country: Russia
> Range: 300 kilometers (186 miles)
> Launch weight: 3,000 kilograms (3.31 tons)
> Length: 8.6 meters (28.22 feet)
29. Hsiung Feng III
> Est. max speed: 780 meters (2,559 feet) per second
> Country: Taiwan
> Range: 120-150 kilometers (75-93 miles)
> Launch weight: 660 kilograms (1,455 pounds)
> Length: 5.1 meters (16.73)
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28. Haeseong III
> Est. max speed: 830 meters (2,723 feet) per second
> Country: South Korea
> Range: 1,500 kilometers (932 miles)
> Launch weight: 700 kilograms (1,543 pounds)
> Length: 5.5 meters (18.04 feet)
24/7 Wall St.
27. Shtil (SS-N-23 “Skiff”)
> Est. max speed: 858 meters (2,815 feet) per second
> Country: Russia
> Range: 11,000 kilometers (6,835 miles)
> Launch weight: 47,000 kilograms (51.80 tons)
> Length: 14.9 meters (48.88 feet)
26. ATACMS
> Est. max speed: 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) per second
> Country: United States
> Range: 165-300 kilometers (103-186 miles)
> Launch weight: 1,673 kilograms (3,688 pounds)
> Length: 4.0 meters (13.12 feet)
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25. ASMP
> Est. max speed: 1,029 meters (3,376 feet) per second
> Country: France
> Range: 80-300 kilometers (50-186 miles)
> Launch weight: 860 kilograms (1,896 pounds)
> Length: 5.4 meters (17.72 feet)
24. YJ-18
> Est. max speed: 1,029 meters (3,376 feet) per second
> Country: China
> Range: 220-540 kilometers (137-336 miles)
> Launch weight: 1,579 kilograms (1.74 tons)
> Length: 8.2 meters (26.90 feet)
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23. Fateh-110
> Est. max speed: 1,715 meters (1.04 miles) per second
> Country: Iran
> Range: 200-300 kilometers (124-186 miles)
> Launch weight: 3,450 kilograms (3.80 tons)
> Length: 8.9 meters (29.20 feet)
22. OTR-21 Tochka (SS-21 “Scarab”)
> Est. max speed: 1,800 meters (1.19 miles) per second
> Country: Russia
> Range: 70-120 kilometers (44-75 miles)
> Launch weight: 2,000 kilograms (2.20 tons)
> Length: 6.4 meters (21.00 feet)
21. Shahab-3
> Est. max speed: 1,931 meters (1.20 miles) per second
> Country: Iran
> Range: 1,300 kilometers (808 miles)
> Launch weight: 17,410 kilograms (19.19 tons)
> Length: 16.6 meters (54.46 feet)
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20. Qiam-1
> Est. max speed: 1,935 meters (1.20 miles) per second
> Country: Iran
> Range: 700-800 kilometers (435-497 miles)
> Launch weight: 6,155 kilograms (6.78 tons)
> Length: 11.5 meters (37.73 feet)
19. Iskander (SS-26 “Stone”)
> Est. max speed: 2,000 meters (1.24 miles) per second
> Country: Russia
> Range: 500 kilometers (311 miles)
> Launch weight: 3,800-4,020 kilograms (4.19-4.43 tons)
> Length: 7.3 meters (23.95 feet)
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18. Fateh-313
> Est. max speed: 2,401 meters (1.49 miles) per second
> Country: Iran
> Range: 500 kilometers (311 miles)
> Launch weight: 3,500 kilograms (3.86 tons)
> Length: 9.0 meters (29.53 feet)
24/7 Wall St.
17. Agni-I
> Est. max speed: 2,500 meters (1.55 miles) per second
> Country: India
> Range: 700-1,200 kilometers (435-746 miles)
> Launch weight: 12,000 kilograms (13.23 tons)
> Length: 15.0 meters (49.21 feet)
16. BrahMos
> Est. max speed: 2,744 meters (1.70 miles) per second
> Country: Russia, India
> Range: 300-500 kilometers (186-311 miles)
> Launch weight: 2,200-3,000 kilograms (2.43-3.30 tons)
> Length: 8.0-8.2 meters (26.25-26.90 feet)
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15. DF-17
> Est. max speed: 3,430 meters (2.13 miles) per second
> Country: China
> Range: 1,800-2,500 kilometers (1,119-1,553 miles)
> Launch weight: 15,000 kilograms (16.53 tons)
> Length: 11.0 meters (36.08 feet)
14. DF-21
> Est. max speed: 3,430 meters (2.13 miles) per second
> Country: China
> Range: 2,150 kilometers (1,336 miles)
> Launch weight: 14,700 kilograms (16.20 tons)
> Length: 10.7 meters (35.10 feet)
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13. Kh-47M2 Kinzhal
> Est. max speed: 3,430 meters (2.13 miles) per second
> Country: Russia
> Range: 1,500-2,000 kilometers (932-1,243 miles)
> Launch weight: 4,300 kilograms (4.74 tons)
> Length: 8.0 meters (26.25 feet)
12. Agni-II
> Est. max speed: 3,500 meters (2.17 miles) per second
> Country: India
> Range: 2,000-3,500 kilometers (1,243-2,175 miles)
> Launch weight: 17,000 kilograms (18.74 tons)
> Length: 20.0 meters (65.62 feet)
11. Sejjil
> Est. max speed: 4,300 meters (2.67 miles) per second
> Country: Iran
> Range: 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles)
> Launch weight: 23,600 kilograms (26.01 tons)
> Length: 18.0 meters (59.06 feet)
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10. RS-24 Yars (SS-27 Mod 2)
> Est. max speed: 6,800 meters (4.23 miles) per second
> Country: Russia
> Range: 10,500 kilometers (6,524 miles)
> Launch weight: 49,600 kilograms (54.67 tons)
> Length: 22.5 meters (73.82 feet)
9. Topol-M (SS-27 Mod 1)
> Est. max speed: 7,320 meters (4.55 miles) per second
> Country: Russia
> Range: 11,000 kilometers (6,835 miles)
> Launch weight: 47,000 kilograms (51.80 tons)
> Length: 21.9 meters (71.85 feet)
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8. DF-5
> Est. max speed: 7,546 meters (4.69 miles) per second
> Country: China
> Range: 13,000 kilometers (8,078 miles)
> Launch weight: 183,000 kilograms (201.72 tons)
> Length: 32.6 meters (106.96 feet)
7. Minuteman III
> Est. max speed: 7,889 meters (4.90 miles) per second
> Country: United States
> Range: 13,000 kilometers (8,078 miles)
> Launch weight: 34,467 kilograms (37.99 tons)
> Length: 18.2 meters (59.71 feet)
6. R-36 (SS-18 “Satan”)
> Est. max speed: 7,900 meters (4.91 miles) per second
> Country: Russia
> Range: 10,200-16,000 kilometers (6,338-9,942 miles)
> Launch weight: 191,000 kilograms (210.54 tons)
> Length: 36.6 meters (126.64 feet)
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5. DF-31
> Est. max speed: 8,000 meters (4.97 miles) per second
> Country: China
> Range: 7,000-11,700 kilometers (4,350-7,270 miles)
> Launch weight: 42,000 kilograms (46.30 tons)
> Length: 14-15 meters (45.93-49.22 feet)
4. Agni-III
> Est. max speed: 8,000 meters (4.97 miles) per second
> Country: India
> Range: 3,000-5,000 kilometers (1,864-3,107 miles)
> Launch weight: 48,300 kilograms (53.24 tons)
> Length: 16.7 meters (54.79 feet)
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3. Trident D5
> Est. max speed: 8,060 meters (5.00 miles) per second
> Country: United States
> Range: 12,000 kilometers (7,457 miles)
> Launch weight: 59,090 kilograms (65.14 tons)
> Length: 2.1 meters (6.90 feet)
24/7 Wall St.
2. M51
> Est. max speed: 8,575 meters (5.33 miles) per second
> Country: France
> Range: 8,000 kilometers (4,971 miles)
> Launch weight: 53,000 kilograms (58.42 tons)
> Length: 13.0 meters (42.65 feet)
1. DF-41
> Est. max speed: 8,575 meters (5.33 miles) per second
> Country: China
> Range: 12,000-15,000 kilometers (7,457-9,321 miles)
> Launch weight: 80,000 kilograms (88.18 tons)
> Length: 20-22 meters (65.62-72.18 feet)
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