Yes, Dagger, this is essentially an Iskander missile "tied" to the MIG-31. And the whole hypersonic characteristic, it appears due to the summation of the speed of the aircraft, and additional acceleration due to the "fall" from a great height.
As for the impossibility of shooting down, I agree that the rather outdated air defense of Ukraine can hardly cope with this task, but I’m not sure that this will be a noticeable problem for NATO, don’t compare the technologies of the 21st century and the dispersed ancient wagon from the mountain, which they pass off as a Bugatti Veyron, just because that she rolls down the mountain faster than being towed by a horse
Oh yes ... I wonder how these missiles will be produced in the absence of Western high-tech components? Missile stocks are not eternal, and production will soon be completely paralyzed. "Import substitution"? Do not make me laugh !
For example, I personally observed the dismantling of the "unparalleled" Orlan-10 UAV (really a very primitive device) and the wreckage of another one, the name of which I do not know. So - if you throw out Western components from there, it will be absolutely not a functional glider for manual launch from the roof of the house
For the Ukrainian missile defense system, even relatively slow Calibers are a problem. And the hypersonic Dagger is a big and so far insoluble problem for NATO missile defense in general and the United States in particular. To effectively intercept missiles, your anti-missile must fly at least twice as fast, and preferably four times. The dagger flies at a cruising speed of approximately Mach 5.5 and the US does not have (and is not expected to in the foreseeable future) missile defense missiles capable of flying twice as fast. Another problem with NATO and the Russian Dagger is that this missile, flying in a hot cloud of plasma, is capable of maneuvering, that is, it does not fly along a ballistic trajectory, which makes it practically invulnerable. And the main problem of the United States with the Russian Dagger is that the Americans are used to fighting, urging an aircraft carrier and then bombing from it. And where are all the American aircraft carriers now? They are 1500+ km from the nearest Russian Dagger, because Dagger (even without a nuclear warhead) is a born carrier killer.
That is why I said above that the first launch of the Dagger ruined most of the US plans. The Pentagon now does not know how to fight, there is no longer an effective military strategy. This is not an empty hatred in the style of "the Taliban with rifles drove the Yankees out of Afghanistan", this is a simple statement of facts and the current state of affairs.
Statistics on Caliber used against Ukraine. Of the 100% launched, approximately 10-20% reach the targets. Part of the launched Calibers simply does not reach due to the fact that these are missiles "having no analogue"
A noticeable part is shot down by Ukrainian air defense. I also saw it happen in person. At the same time, some of those Caliber who, surprisingly, were able to fly, get anywhere - into residential buildings, wastelands, beach toilets, as it was in Odessa. So Calibers are not a problem, no matter how much you would like the opposite.
Let's omit about aircraft carriers, tell me better - why are NATO ships (of various classes, including cruisers, destroyers) constantly present in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, and are they "not afraid of daggers"?
And these are not only American, but also Italian, Greek, ....
I'm very interested to hear the "logical explanation"!
Oh yes - and more. It’s probably not news to you that the “Dagger” needs what to become a hypersonic missile? And here's what - "the missile must be dispersed by the MiG-31 carrier." Those. this "feature" works only with such a launch ("Iskander", which underlies the "Dagger" rocket itself is slow). The question is - what will happen if the enemy simply destroys the same MIG-31s at the parking points, which, in the version adapted for the launch of the "Dagger", are literally one? It's complicated ? Not ! Especially when you consider some facts:
- MIG-31 in general, only 519 units were produced for the entire time.
- A dozen of them are now monuments.
- At present, a little more than 250 MiG-31 aircraft of various modifications remain in service and storage in the Russian Aerospace Forces.
- Combat radius: 720 km (at an altitude not very convenient for NATO air defense, i.e. at the maximum ceiling).
- The car itself is quite outdated (more than 25 years old) and very unreliable - even an official Russian source speaks of almost 45 lost aircraft due to various kinds of malfunctions.
And about the habits of fighting
To fly at maximum height and bomb Aleppo in the Syrian way, which had no air defense - this is Russian heroism. But in Ukraine, for some reason, the "heroes" do not risk inflicting massive air strikes deep into the territory of Ukraine. Can you tell me why? I will answer ! Even weak Ukrainian air defense is a PROBLEM for the Russian Air Comic Forces!