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‘Major generational leap’: Iran says it has built hypersonic ballistic missile
Iran Hypersonic Ballistic Missile: The weapon targets anti-missile defense systems and represents a “major generational leap".
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Iran has produced its first hypersonic ballistic missile, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported. This comes as scrutiny grows over Tehran’s defense ties with Russia amid Ukraine invasion.
Read more: Russia rolls out 'training' in schools aimed at training kids in weapon assembly
The weapon targets anti-missile defense systems and represents a “major generational leap,” IRNA quoted Amirali Hajizadeh, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force, as saying.
Earlier this month US expressed concerns that Russia could acquire Iranian surface-to-surface missiles for use in Ukraine, in addition to drones it’s already bought from Tehran.
Iran's announcement also comes at a time when North Korea's test of a hypersonic missile last year sparked concerns.
Russia currently leads the race to develop the missiles, followed by China and the United States. A hypersonic missile is manoeuvrable, making it harder to track and defend against. Unlike ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles fly on a trajectory low in the atmosphere, potentially reaching targets more quickly.
