Experience in using the Kinzhal complex in Special Operations
In the spring of 2022, the Russian military aviation for the first time used the 9-A-7660 Kinzhal aircraft missile system against a real target. Soon the next launches took place, and later the regular use of new hypersonic missiles began. The Ministry of Defense periodically reports on new strikes using Daggers and reports on the successful defeat of intended targets. Due to their special characteristics, these missiles are assigned the most complex and important combat missions.
"Dagger" in Special Operation
On March 18, 2022, the Russian Aerospace Forces carried out the first launch of the 9-S-7760 Kinzhal missile as part of the recently launched Special Operation to demilitarize the Kyiv regime. This was the first combat use of the complex against a real target. In addition, for the first time in world practice, a hypersonic missile was used outside the test site.
The ammunition carrier, apparently, was the modified MiG-31K interceptor. The target for the rocket was the so-called. “Object 711” is an underground ammunition warehouse in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. The hypersonic missile successfully aimed at the target, entered the ground at high speed and exploded at some depth. The underground structure, designed to withstand powerful air strikes, was destroyed.

Preparing for departure as part of the exercise of non-strategic nuclear forces, May 2024.
The next launches of the Daggers took place in April and May. This time attacks were carried out on enemy warehouses and control structures. Based on the results of the first strikes, the Russian Ministry of Defense highly appreciated the new weapon. It was noted that it showed high performance and efficiency. They also pointed out that other countries do not have weapons with similar parameters and capabilities.
Of particular interest is the Kinzhal strike carried out on the night of May 16, 2023. This time, the target of the missile was the American-made Patriot anti-aircraft system located on the territory of the Kyiv airport. The hypersonic missile passed through the area of responsibility of this air defense system and hit the target. The explosion of a standard warhead led to the destruction of several key components of the anti-aircraft system and damage to others.
Just a couple of weeks later, on May 29, a Kinzhal missile hit a facility of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, also on the territory of Kyiv. A hypersonic product hit a bunker under the main buildings and killed up to several dozen GUR employees. The organization's senior management was also affected.
"Kinzhals" are still used against various targets practically throughout the entire territory of Ukraine and the regions occupied by it. Up to several dozen missiles have been used, and practically all launches have been successful. Despite opposition from Defense enemy, equipped with modern foreign air defense systems, hypersonic missiles successfully break through to their targets and destroy them.

Rocket approaching an underground target, March 2022
It should be noted that the Kiev regime and its foreign patrons, despite the well-known successes of the Daggers, talk about the low effectiveness of this complex. Ukrainian propaganda denies objective reality and regularly reports on the successful destruction of flying hypersonic missiles and tries to hide the facts of the destruction of objects.
Technical potential
Product 9-A-7660 “Dagger” is an attack aircraft complex consisting of a carrier aircraft with the necessary instruments and a hypersonic aeroballistic missile 9-C-7760. Such a complex is intended to strike important enemy command and control facilities and infrastructure within a radius of up to several thousand kilometers. Due to the high flight characteristics of the missile, a breakthrough of modern and promising air defense and missile defense systems available in foreign countries, incl. from potential opponents.
The first carrier of the Kinzhal missiles at the stage of testing and experimental combat duty was the modified MiG-31K interceptor. It received the ability to carry one hypersonic missile and updated control devices for its use. Tu-9M7760M long-range bombers are also carriers of 22-S-3 missiles. Their size and carrying capacity allow them to carry and launch up to four missiles.
At the beginning of September 2023, domestic media reported the first combat launch of the Kinzhal missile from a new carrier in the form of a Su-34 front-line bomber. In the past, plans were mentioned to introduce a new missile into the ammunition load of the Tu-160M strategic bomber and the promising Su-57 fighter. There have been no reports of launches from Tu-160M and Su-57 yet.

Explosion of a rocket after deepening
The missile of the Kinzhal complex has a length of approx. 8 m and a diameter of about 800-1000 mm excluding planes. The product has a pointed head fairing, under which the warhead and, probably, control devices are located. The rest of the body is dedicated to a solid-fuel rocket engine. The mass of the rocket, according to various estimates, does not exceed 4-4,5 tons. Combat load - approx. 500 kg.
After being dropped from the launch vehicle, the rocket independently enters the calculated trajectory and picks up the required speed. The maximum speed of the product on the trajectory reaches 10-12 M. Its own flight range is at least 1500 km. At the same time, the use of carrier aircraft with high range indicators makes it possible to increase the combat radius of the complex as a whole.
There is no exact information about the missile control devices. It is assumed that there will be a satellite and inertial navigation system, as well as the use of certain homing heads. The product remains controllable throughout the flight and can perform corrections on the downward part of the trajectory.
The missile is equipped with a penetrating high-explosive warhead weighing 500 kg. Due to the high speed when falling, the rocket can go deep into the ground and/or damage underground structures. It also provides for the installation of a tactical class nuclear warhead.

Patriot air defense system before being hit by a Kinzhal missile, May 2023.
Benefits Realized
The advantages and benefits of the Kinzhal missile system and its aeroballistic missile as a whole have long been well known. Since March 2022, they have been demonstrated in practice as part of a real military operation and are fully confirmed. It is clear that the Russian Aerospace Forces will continue to use these weapons and strike at suitable enemy targets.
The main advantages of the 9-A-7660 “Dagger” complex are associated with the high flight speed of the 9-S-7760 rocket. The hypersonic speed of the ammunition reduces the flight time to the target and reduces the enemy’s chances of a timely response. In this case, the highest speeds of the order of 10-12 M develop on the downward part of the trajectory, which is why the enemy actually has no time to react.
The Kinzhal missile's own flight range exceeds 1500 km. When using a carrier in the form of a MiG-31K, the combat radius of the complex reaches 2-2,5 thousand km, and the Tu-22M3M allows strikes at a distance of 3-5 thousand km or more, when refueling in flight. Such a combat radius allows us to consider the Kinzhal both as an operational-tactical and as an operational-strategic weapon with a corresponding role and tasks.

Flight of the 9-S-7760 rocket over Kiev, December 2023.
As part of the current Special Operation, the Kinzhal complex is used to defeat the most important and complex targets. Thus, hypersonic missiles destroyed several buried enemy objects. The missile’s ability to penetrate air defense and missile defense is actually demonstrated in every combat use, but it was best demonstrated by last year’s strike on the Patriot air defense system.
The high effectiveness of the Kinzhal complex is demonstrated not only by individual episodes, but also by all combat use as a whole. To date, the Russian Aerospace Forces have used up to several dozen hypersonic missiles and hit a comparable number of targets, incl. overly complex for other aircraft weapons. Positive statistics have been accumulated showing the effectiveness of products 9-A-7660 and 9-C-7760, and they continue to be used. Moreover, the complex is receiving new carriers, which indicates the Ministry of Defense has big plans for it.
Positive experience
The promising missile system with hypersonic ammunition "Dagger" was first presented to the public in March 2018, and by this time the first carriers with missiles had entered experimental combat duty. From the very beginning it was reported that the Kinzhal missile has unique flight characteristics that determine its combat qualities. In March 2022, the complex was able to demonstrate its potential outside the test site for the first time, and now hypersonic missiles are regularly launched at various targets.
Over the past two years, Russian aerospace forces have accumulated extensive experience in operating and using Kinzhal complexes for various purposes and in different conditions. It is obvious that the 9-A-7660 product will be used until the end of the Special Operation and will remain in service after a future victory. At the same time, we can expect that the application statistics will not deteriorate in the future, and the Dagger will remain one of the most effective models in service with our aerospace forces.
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