The U.S. Air Force’s scramjet-powered Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) has finally reached the flight test phase, with at least one “release” having been carried out so far over a range in Australia. HACM has suffered significant delays, and the Air Force has taken the risky step of scaling back overall testing plans to try to keep the program on schedule. The stated goal is to be able to make a decision to start rapidly acquiring HACMs in 2027.
A rendering DARPA put out during the preceding Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) effort. DARPA
“The U.S. Air Force, in partnership with Australia, has conducted a flight test of the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) as part of our continuous work to advance long-range strike capabilities,” an Air Force spokesperson confirmed to TWZ today. “This effort is part of the Southern Cross Integrated Flight Research Experiment (SCIFiRE), a collaborative agreement built on more than 15 years of partnership between our two nations.”
“Leveraging this enduring alliance, the Royal Australian Air Force executed the release of a HACM flight test unit over a designated Australian test range, gathering crucial data to advance the program’s objectives,” the spokesperson added. “The flight was the culmination of an extensive series of tests designed to measure the missile’s performance under realistic flight conditions.”
The spokesperson did not name the test range where the “release” was conducted or say when that occurred. Whether the missile flew under its own power for any amount of time after release is unknown. What aircraft was used to carry the missile aloft is also not known. TWZ has reached out for more information.
The Air Force did say previously that it planned to conduct HACM launches in Australia. The expectation has long been that this would be done at the country’s sprawling Woomera Test Range, which provides an ideal location for extended-range flight testing activities in general. The U.S. and Australia have partnered on other hypersonic testing at Woomera in the past, as seen in the video below. The remote inland location of the range complex makes it well suited for conducting more sensitive tests away from prying eyes, as well.
HiFiRE 5B rocket reached Mach 7.5
The Government Accountability Office (GAO), a Congressional watchdog, has also reported in the past that RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets would be used to conduct at least some of the HACM test launches. This would fit with today’s statement from the U.S. Air Force saying that it was the RAAF that “executed the release.” The Air Force’s initial launch platform is the F-15E Strike Eagle, though others are expected to follow.
A pair of RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets. RAAF
To date, neither the Air Force nor Raytheon has released a confirmed picture or rendering of HACM. In 2023, the Air Force did release a picture, seen below, showing an air-breathing hypersonic cruise missile test article related to either HACM or the preceding HAWC effort.
USAF
“The missile consists of two stages, a rocket booster and a scramjet cruiser, which separates from the booster and eventually dives toward its target,” according to GAO. Scramjets do not function effectively at lower speeds, and designs powered by them require some form of initial boost to a high Mach velocity. Hypersonic speed is generally defined as anything above Mach 5, but what HACM’s peak speed might be is unknown.
Two-stage air-breathing missile-like hypersonic vehicle designs have been tested on several occasions in the past. This includes Boeing’s scramjet-powered X-51 Waverider and HyFly 2 hypersonic test vehicles, among others. The X-51 (as its name indicates) and HyFly 2 also notably had so-called ‘waverider’ configurations designed to ‘skip’ on the shockwaves generated during high-speed flight to help provide additional lift. Whether HACM might also use this principle is not known.
X-51A WaveRider Scramjet Second Hypersonic Flight Test
It’s also worth noting here that Castelion’s Blackbeard hypersonic missile also has a two-stage configuration. It remains unconfirmed whether or not the second stage of that weapon is powered, but it does not appear to be an air-breathing design either way. Castelion is currently developing an air-launched version of Blackbeard for the U.S. Navy, which is also in flight testing now, as well as a ground-launched type for the U.S. Army. You can read more about that missile here.
Scramjet-powered air vehicle designs, including aircraft and missiles, have historically proven challenging. As noted, HACM has suffered delays over the years. The original goal had been to begin flight testing in 2024, which slipped first to 2025 and then 2026.
“The HACM program is on track to conduct its first flight test in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, but officials said there is effectively zero margin left in the schedule for the rapid prototyping effort. The program has already descoped the rapid prototyping effort from seven to five planned flight tests,” GAO said bluntly in a report published in July. “The Air Force plans to produce 13 missiles during the rapid prototyping effort, including test assets, test spares, and operational rounds.”
“If a significant flight test failure occurs, it is likely that the program will not be able to complete all five tests within the 5-year rapid prototyping timeframe,” the report continued. “According to the program, completing at least the first three flight tests is critical for informing the Air Force’s decision to initiate a rapid fielding effort and procure HACM in fiscal year 2027.”
GAO’s July report, which had a January cutoff date, noted later on that the Air Force’s target date for initiating the rapid fielding effort, more specifically, was the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2027. This fiscal period began last Thursday and runs through the end of the year. Whether the service is still aiming to keep to that part of the schedule is unclear, but it would seem extremely difficult to do so.
Another rendering of a notional hypersonic missile that has been used to illustrate discussions about HACM in the past. Raytheon via GAO
“The HACM program has taken on risk to maintain its current schedule. According to program officials, maintaining the schedule has required aggressively resequencing activities to focus almost exclusively on those necessary to support the first flight test date,” GAO’s report added. “In some cases, officials said this has involved risky strategies, such as concurrently performing parts validation testing while completing the system’s design, which could require the redesign of key parts if they fail validation testing.”
Lockheed Martin, which previously put out this rendering of a hypersonic cruise missile, had been working on HALO for the Navy before that program was cancelled. Lockheed Martin
Regardless, the U.S. military, as well as its Australian counterparts, have made it clear in the past that they view hypersonic weapons as critical for success in future conflicts, especially high-end fights, such as one in the Pacific against China. In general, air-breathing hypersonic cruise missiles offer a valuable and highly flexible way to strike targets, especially time-sensitive ones, quickly and over extended ranges. The weapon’s high speed and maneuverability drastically increase its ability to penetrate through enemy air defenses and reduce the total time an opponent has to react.
Whether or not the Air Force will be able to avoid any more major delays with HACM remains to be seen. The service’s goal to start at least limited production of HACM before the end of 2027, if not sooner, is even more ambitious now after years of schedule slips. As mentioned, officials have already acknowledged there was no more margin for error at the start of the year. There are many questions still about what form any initial fielding will take, and how that might be further impacted by the truncated testing plan.
The HACM program has at least now hit the important milestone of beginning flight testing.
ANTIGUA, Florida and the Caribbean… what do they all have in common? Obviously they’re all beautiful, exotic destinations that typically cost thousands to visit.
They’re also some of the amazing locations currently being offered as prizes in some incredible competitions. We’ve rounded up all of the best ones to enter right now…
There are tonnes of competitions open at the moment where you could win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunityCredit: supplied
There’s something for everyone, from luxury staycations to five-star escapes abroad – plus all are free to enter.
So whatever your ideal holiday is, here are some of the best competitions currently taking entries offering a wide range of prizes…
Europe
Live like royalty on a family trip to Versailles
Le Shuttle is giving away a trip to Versailles for a family of four, with access to the Palace of Versailles, the Trianon Estate, Queen’s Hamlet and Gardens, plus a guided tour of the special Marie-Antoinette by Sofia Coppola exhibition.
You’d stay at the Le Louis Versailles Château MGallery and get a VIP shopping experience with One Nation Paris.
There are some competitions for trips to Europe as well including to VersaillesCredit: GettyAlternatively, you could enter to win a short break to Croatia and get a £250 Ellis Brigham voucher as wellCredit: Getty
Travel in style on aCroatia long weekend
Win a short break on the Dubrovnik Riviera in Croatia, plus an Osprey backpack and a £250 Ellis Brigham voucher.
The winner gets a four-night trip and can choose between either a men’s Farpoint 55 or women’s Fairview 55 pack.
Just answer the question ‘what is the capital city of Croatia?’ along with your details by December 15 – click to enter.
Live in luxury on a French Alps family ski trip
Family Ski is offering a seven-night family ski holiday for four to the French Alps.
Included in the prize is £500 of Roarsome Ski Wear for Kids, accommodation in a luxury catered chalet at either Ardent, Portes du Soleil or Reberty, Les Trois Vallées (depending on availability), childcare and airport transfers.
You’ll need to book your own travel from the UK to Geneva, plus lift passes, ski hire and travel insurance.
To enter, fill out the entry form and follow Roarsome and Family Ski Company on Instagram by October 31 – click to enter.
Take the family to the alternative Lapland
Win a family trip to Swedish Lapland worth £4,648.
On Instagram, Letsgofaraway is offering a round-trip (flights up to a maximum of £1,033.09) to Grand Lodge at Blueberry Lodge Lapland for up to eight people.
One activity at the lodge for all guests in included, plus a private session in the relaxation area, which has a sauna, Nordic hot tub and a homemade fika.
To enter, follow @letsgofaraway_, @hospitality.guide, @danieltravl and @blueberry_lodge_lapland on Instagram, then like the competition post, tag two friends and repost/share.
Ever heard of Swedish Lapland? Well, there’s a competition to win a trip thereCredit: AlamyOr you could explore Austria more with a trip to InnsbruckCredit: Getty
Snowy holiday to Innsbruck
Monster energy drinks is offering a snow trip for two people to Innsbruck in Austria.
If you don’t have a card, that’s fine, you can sign up for free.
There’s competitions with long-haul prizes as well such as a trip to AntiguaCredit: GettyOr you could be in with a chance of heading to Saint LuciaCredit: Getty
Luxury Saint Lucia holiday and Arsenal tickets
Windjammer Landing Resort & Residences is offering a seven-night round-trip to Saint Lucia from London.
You’ll also get two tickets to an Arsenal game hosted by the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority and two Arsenal t-shirts.
Answer the questions ‘what is the name of Saint Lucia’s famous national landmark?’ and ‘which Arsenal legend has just visited Saint Lucia?’ by December 15 – click to enter.
Fabulous, personalised holiday toOrlando
Tripadvisor and Visit Orlando are offering an eight-night holiday to Orlando, Florida for two people, plus a free holiday planning session.
Tripadvisor and Visit Orlando have also teamed up to give away an eight-night holiday to Orlando in FloridaCredit: GettyOr perhaps you’ll win a trip to Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands…Credit: Getty
Cruise
14-night all-inclusive cruise to the Canaries
Saga is giving away a 14-night all-inclusive cruise to the Canaries and Casablanca.
You’d set sail from Portsmouth on January 6, 2027 in a Twin Standard Balcony cabin, stopping at La Palma, Tenerife, Madeira and Gran Canaria.
If you have always dreamt on going on a cruise, there are plenty of cruise competitions as wellCredit: AlamyIncluding ones sailing to the Canaries and to GreeceCredit: Supplied
14-night Caribbean cruise with food and drink included
Win a river cruise through Europe on the Danube or Rhine with Scenic worth £7,000.
The prize includes suite accommodation, excursions, five dining venues, premium drinks, butler service, return flights and transfers and complimentary e-bikes to explore the destinations you stop at.
Five star trip for two at Old Course Hotel, St Andrews
Old Course Hotel in Scotland is a five-star spot boasting views of the Fife coastline and a large golf course.
Win a one-night stay at the hotel for two people with a two-course dinner and a full Scottish breakfast – worth £700.
You’ll get a full day to spend at Kohler Waters Spa, with a spa pool, hydrotherapy suite with a thermal pool, steam room, sauna and plunge pool and the UK’s first Espuro Foam Steam Rooms.
Each guest will get a 50-minute treatment, from a custom massage, hot stone massage, classic prescription facial, reflexology session or a 25-minute facial and 25-minute massage combo.
You need to have a Muddy Stilettos account to enter (free to sign up) and click here to answer ‘what town is Old Course Hotel in?’ by October 14.
You could win a hotel stay and tickets to see Wicked on the West End in LondonCredit: PAOr you could win a stay at a Harbour Hotel and a Salcombe Gin experienceCredit: Alamy
West End show and a 4-star London hotel stay
The Royal Mint recently launched a coin dedicated to the musical Wicked to celebrate 20 years of the West End show.
To celebrate they are giving away a one-night stay at The Clermont Hotel, a silver Proof Colour edition of the Wicked UK coin and two tickets to the London show.
Five-star countryside retreat and year’s supply of popcorn
Popcorn brand Jo & Sephs are offering a luxury trip to Devon, to celebrate the release of the new Sense and Sensibility movie.
The prize includes a three-night stay in a five-star hotel, a private horse-drawn carriage ride and afternoon tea, plus a year’s supply of popcorn.
Click here to answer the question: ‘in Sense and Sensibility, what are the names of the two Dashwood sisters at the heart of the story?’ by November 30.
In another competition, you could be lucky enough to win a stay at Andy Murray’s hotel in ScotlandCredit: Verena SplettOr you could win a luxury trip to Devon with Jo & Sephs
A luxury stay at Andy Murray’s Scottish country house hotel
Discover Britain is running a competition to win a luxury stay at ‘Cromlix’ – Sir Andy Murray‘s country hotel in Scotland.
It includes dinner in the hotel’s new restaurant – The Garden Room.
SACRAMENTO — Look, Xavier Becerra could cruise to a South Pacific island and bask on the beach until election day and Californians would still choose him as their next governor.
Who won the debate? Becerra, because he came across as calm, collected and capable of governing this troubled state — certainly very few voters’ ideal candidate, but the only real choice for most Californians.
Moreover, Hilton’s only previous political experience was as an advisor to a British prime minister and his sole claim to U.S. notoriety was as a Fox News TV host–not exactly resume boosters in California.
He’s a shoo-in simply because he has a “D” beside his name in this state where Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly 2-to-1 and despise the GOP president.
Expert columnists cover the insights, legislation, players and politics you need to know.
By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy such as personalizing your experience and ads.
“You’re the candidate who is supported by the machine in Sacramento — the unions, big business, all these people that for 16 years have given us the highest cost of living in the country, made it impossible to build anything, given us the highest unemployment rate, the highest poverty rate….
“And that’s why we’ve got to try something different this time instead of voting for more of the same.”
OK, fair point. But try what exactly? That’s where Hilton stalls or veers erratically.
He’d build “10 new cities.” Build them where exactly? He doesn’t say.
He definitely doesn’t want to construct new apartment buildings in the suburbs “when we have got so much space that we could be building on in California.”
Like out in Southern California deserts or Central Valley farm fields — requiring two-hour commutes to urban jobs?
And where does the water come from for these 10 new cities as the West scrambles for what’s left of diminishing supplies? But unfortunately there was no discussion of that during the debate.
One debate exchange that caught my attention was about vaccines. Hilton seemed to be carrying the torch for whacko anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Becerra’s successor as U.S. health secretary in the Trump administration.
Debate co-moderator Dana Bash recalled what Hilton said previously about children’s vaccinations: “The government should have nothing to do with these fundamental and vital decisions.” And she asked whether he’d push to eliminate California’s vaccine requirements.
“No,” Hilton replied. “I’m pro vaccine.” But then he seemed to wander all over the stage looking to have it both ways.
It’s a “very, very emotional issue for a lot of parents,” he said, adding there’s “data around the world” showing that where vaccine “mandates are lower… you actually have higher [vaccination] compliance, where parents don’t feel that they’re being bullied into doing something that they don’t want to do. And that’s what I want to see here.”
But he ultimately said,“I’d follow the law.”
In California, the law requires all children without medical exemptions to be vaccinated for several diseases — including polio, measles, mumps, chickenpox, hepatitis B and whooping cough — before they’re admitted to school.
That’s a blessing. When I grew up, practically every kid at some point was bedridden with one or more of those dangerous ailments. Then some saviors invented vaccines.
“We had nearly eradicated measles,” Becerra said, responding to Hilton. “When I left HHS, you rarely heard of a case of measles…. Today, children are dying of measles. Today, the spread of measles has reached a proportion we haven’t seen since the 1960s.
“That’s what happens when vaccine deniers take over.”
Becerra achieved all he needed to in the debate. He didn’t screw up. He kept cool and actually was fairly quick on his feet in replying to Hilton’s attacks, while planting a MAGA hat firmly on the Republican’s head.
He missed an opportunity to accomplish more, however — like making Californians feel really good about voting for him, rather than merely because he’s the only Democrat left standing in the contest to replace the termed out Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Voters might like to hear what Becerra’s vision is — if he has one — for the California he wants to build.
What does he have in mind besides just defending California against Trump? That’s a given. How’s he going to lower our living costs? Upgrade public education? Prevent wildfires? Details, not platitudes.
Rather than relaxing on his lead, Becerra should be constantly moving around the state, introducing himself to Californians and — more importantly — listening to their problems and ideas. To his credit, he’s doing that this week.
“The debate was boring and uneventful, but Becerra won it,” says Republican consultant Rob Stutzman. “He is perfectly vanilla and that makes it really hard to pin him down in an attack.”
“We got the genuine Xavier Becerra. That’s exactly who he is,” says veteran Democratic strategist Garry Sragow, a longtime political ally. “Thoughtful, committed and very decent, but does not go very high on the charisma meter.”
In California right now, a candidate’s charisma rates much lower than a simple “D.”
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu and Pop artist Ed Ruscha have a long history of admiring each other’s work. Twenty-four years ago, a nervous Iñárritu visited Ruscha’s Venice studio to offer him the role of the gynecologist in “21 Grams.” They needed a doctor with noble features and blue, believable eyes. That plan didn’t pan out, schedule-wise, but the filmmaker and the artist finally found a way to collaborate.
The result — a Ruscha-designed poster for Iñárritu’s new film “Digger,” starring Tom Cruise — was unveiled Sunday at an intimate brunch at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, attended by Iñárritu, Ruscha and Cruise, as well as “Digger” actors John Goodman, Jesse Plemons, Michael Stuhlbarg and Ross Hatt.
Iñárritu and Cruise laughed as they made a clumsy attempt at a countdown before whipping aside a black velvet curtain to reveal the poster for the first time: a very Ruscha, text-heavy work on a slate gray background with a beige border. A looming ice shelf in the background is surrounded by phrases including, “A Man. A Plan. A Meltdown,” and “Comedy equals tragedy plus time.”
Filmmaker Alejandro Iñárritu and “Digger” star Tom Cruise unveil Ed Ruscha’s new poster for the film. (They just pulled off the black velvet curtain on the floor below.)
(Kevin Garrison)
“Well, the movie blew my hair back,” Ruscha said at the unveiling brunch inside LACMA’s new (still unopened) restaurant, with LACMA Director and Chief Executive Michael Govan by his side. “And not only that, it parted it down the middle. It has since grown back.”
The crowd laughed knowingly. “Digger,” which opens Friday, is a satirical black comedy that follows oil tycoon Digger Rockwell as one of his drilling rigs in Greenland explodes, dislodging an ice shelf that floats away to cause a global disaster. As a dark parable for the dangers of climate change, the film has already proved polarizing, with early reviews coming in mixed.
Ruscha noted that he first saw “Digger” at a screening about six months ago, alongside Govan. “I knew I had seen an epic production, an epic product from an epic producer,” Ruscha said. “So I jumped at the idea of doing the poster. And I thought about it, and I think about this movie, and it reminded me of a kaleidoscope. It’s got so many running-around ideas. It was kaleidoscopic in its message, and its content and its humor.”
Ruscha turned his attention to Iñárritu, “It’s got something to offer to the world, and I thank you for that.”
The filmmaker loved the poster, and the fact that the ice shelf sat front and center.
From left to right — “Digger” actors John Goodman and Jesse Plemons, filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu, artist Ed Ruscha, actor Tom Cruise, LACMA director Michael Govan and actors Ross Hatt and Michael Stuhlbarg — pose with Ruscha’s new poster for the film.
(David Jon)
“The billing is nature: We are human beings, we are in a war against nature,” Iñárritu said — describing what he feels the poster relays — in a phone interview from Mexico City a day before the event. “We think that we are different from nature. So nature, in a way, becomes our enemy. We are fighting a fight against nature, and the enemy is an ice shelf going to Europe. And he just put [that] in the center of it, [like] a disaster movie, which is very clever, as he always is.”
“Those decisions that he made with a very prominent element in a simple way, with one or two words, it just says so much with so little,” Iñárritu continued. “And then he [put] some lines around [it], very Ruscha, that in a way convey the spine or the character itself.”
The director had the same feelings two years ago, at LACMA’s Ruscha retrospective. He said so much with so little, Iñárritu thought, and that “less is more” thinking could hold so much power in a film poster.
Iñárritu, too, has been exhibited at LACMA: earlier this year, with the film installation “Sueño Perro,” a resurrection of lost footage from “Amores Perros;” and in 2017-2018, with the virtual reality installation “CARNE y ARENA,” which explored the human condition of immigrants and refugees.
The director’s collaboration with Ruscha is proof of concept for LACMA’s annual Art + Film gala, entering its 15th year, which seeks to highlight and strengthen the connections between film and visual art by bringing the two communities together at a splashy party — often creating lasting connections between the two groups.
Both Ruscha and Iñárritu have been honored at the gala, the former in 2012 (with Stanley Kubrick) and the latter in 2015 (with James Turrell). “This is a beautiful encounter of art and film,” Govan said at the unveiling.
“Digger” has evolved over nine years, Iñárritu said. It’s been a long journey of taking note of current events, including where the world is going, as well as people’s obsessions and fears.
“The film is a love letter for the young generation,” Iñárritu said. “I think it’s kind of a warning, or a wake-up call. But you can have fun about it, because it’s the only way to — humor allows us to have space and recognize ourselves in that absurdity. So I feel that it’s a human, urgent, now film.”
NATO member Latvia is moving toward acquiring Anduril Industries’ Barracuda family of long-range strike missiles, with Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs highlighting the effort during a visit to the U.S. defense technology company and a series of new defense-industry cooperation agreements involving Latvia. If the acquisition goes through, Latvia would be the first of the Baltic states to field a strike weapon in this category.
“It was great to visit Anduril to meet with Palmer Luckey and to witness signing of memoranda of cooperation with MOD of Latvia and Origin Robotics,” Rinkēvičs said in a post on X. “Looking forward to complete acquisition of Barracuda long-range missiles and [Latvian-U.S.] defense industry cooperation.”
The statement does not specify the precise Barracuda variant involved, the number of missiles Latvia intends to acquire, the expected delivery schedule, or the value of the prospective purchase. We have reached out to Anduril for more details.
A likely candidate weapon is the Barracuda-500M, one member of Anduril’s family of autonomous, jet-powered cruise missiles, alongside the Barracuda-100M and -250M variants. Official descriptions put its range at more than 500 nautical miles, with a stated speed range of approximately 190 to 500 knots. The missile can be air-launched, for which it has received the official U.S. military designation AGM-189A. But with only a handful of utility biplanes and helicopters in its inventory, Latvia would acquire the surface-launched version, designated SLB-500M.
Introducing: Barracuda-M Family of Cruise Missiles
The announcement points to a potentially significant expansion of Latvia’s precision-strike capabilities as NATO’s eastern flank continues to build out longer-range conventional fires.
Latvia has already ordered the U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, which will be fired from M142 HIMARS launchers. The system is expected to enter Latvian service in 2027 and has a maximum range of about 186 miles.
A U.S. Army M142 HIMARS launcher involved in an exercise at at Spilve Airfield and Liepāja Airport in Latvia. Latvian Armed Forces Eriks Kukutis
Latvia’s ATACMS capability will give the country a foundation for ground-launched precision fires, but the broader European trend is toward significantly greater reach.
Ground- and sea-launched cruise and ballistic missile systems capable of hitting targets at between 1,000 and 2,000 kilometers (620 and 1,242 miles) or more are an emerging target for several European NATO members. France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Sweden and the United Kingdom are pursuing combinations of indigenous development and foreign procurement to address this requirement.
Latvia’s neighbor Poland, for example, has been building a layered long-range strike architecture combining JASSM/JASSM-ER air-launched cruise missiles with HIMARS and ATACMS. Warsaw’s ambitions are extending toward ground-launched weapons with ranges potentially reaching 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) and the country has previously expressed openness to hosting U.S.-owned nuclear weapons on its territory, too.
A M142 HIMARS launcher is seen during Poland’s Armed Forces Day parade in 2025. Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto/Getty Artur Widak
Latvian interest in Barracuda fits into the same larger transformation in European conventional strike capabilities.
For NATO’s Baltic members, the logic is particularly straightforward, with mobile, ground-launched weapons providing an additional means of striking military targets at depth without requiring control of the air over the launch area.
Dragon’s teeth obstacles are among the anti-mobility measures on Latvia’s eastern border with Russia. Latvian Armed Forces
The potential Barracuda acquisition would represent another step in a broader European shift toward deep precision strike, a term increasingly used to describe conventional weapons capable of holding targets hundreds or thousands of miles away at risk.
Deep precision strike is widely acknowledged as an increasingly important European capability gap. European NATO members have historically relied heavily on air-launched cruise missiles and other aircraft-delivered weapons, while ground-launched long-range systems have been comparatively scarce.
The deterioration of the European security environment following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, together with the 2019 collapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, are important factors behind renewed European interest in long-range conventional strike.
A key driver behind Europe’s push for longer-range conventional strike is the desire to build a credible deterrent capable of holding targets deep inside Russia at risk, potentially including Moscow. Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign has demonstrated the strategic value of being able to impose costs at significant distances, while also underscoring the importance of having sufficient stocks of precision weapons. For NATO’s eastern flank, systems such as the ground-launched Barracuda could therefore provide not just another fires capability, but an additional means of imposing costs on an adversary without relying exclusively on airpower.
Importantly for Latvia, the emerging European approach is not limited to large air forces. NATO’s prospective deep-strike requirements are likely to place significant emphasis on mobile ground-launched systems because they can be dispersed and offer survivability advantages while avoiding the cost and vulnerability associated with relying exclusively on aircraft or ships as launch platforms.
An Anduril Barracuda 500, top, and a Barracuda 100, displayed during Modern Day Marine 2026 in Washington, D.C. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Abigail Hutcheson Cpl. Abigail Hutcheson
That makes systems such as the surface-launched Barracuda particularly relevant to countries on NATO’s eastern flank.
Anduril has positioned Barracuda as part of an effort to address what it describes as a shortfall in affordable, producible long-range precision weapons. A prototype surface-launched Barracuda-500 successfully demonstrated its launcher, missile, and booster concept in testing in 2025. Anduril has emphasized that the family is intended to be more producible and affordable than many existing “exquisite” long-range weapons.
European governments are increasingly wrestling with the same issue. However, there is a fundamental tension between rapidly filling capability gaps through off-the-shelf purchases and developing indigenous European weapons that can strengthen the continent’s defense-industrial base, which is also a critical political consideration.
Latvia’s emerging relationship with Anduril appears to combine elements of both approaches, by acquiring an American-developed strike capability while simultaneously pursuing industrial cooperation with U.S. defense companies.
Ground launch of Anduril’s Barracuda-500M. Anduril
There is also a recent European precedent for combining Barracuda procurement with local industrial participation.
In July 2026, Anduril signed a strategic agreement with Polish national maintenance, repair and overhaul provider Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 2 (WZL-2) to establish production of the Barracuda-500M at WZL-2 facilities in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Polish state-owned defence group Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa said Poland was the first European country to sign such an agreement with Anduril.
Bezpieczeństwo zaczyna się od silnych sojuszy.
💥🖊️ Dziś została podpisana umowa o współpracy @PGZ_pl i WZL-2 z firmą Anduril Industries, która umożliwi utworzenie w Polsce miejsc montażu i produkcji autonomicznych rakietowych pocisków manewrujących dalekiego zasięgu… pic.twitter.com/JnmM6lQZ7L
— Ministerstwo Aktywów Państwowych 🇵🇱 (@MAPGOVPL) July 6, 2026
Polish officials have also emphasized the missile’s intended low production cost relative to higher-end U.S. cruise missiles. The planned Polish program is expected to progressively increase Polish content and eventually incorporate broader European elements, including software solutions from Anduril.
Latvia has not publicly detailed whether any Barracuda-related production, assembly, or other industrial work would be conducted in the country.
However, Latvia’s Investment and Development Agency says the country’s defense-technology delegation in the United States is seeking opportunities involving joint development, testing, manufacturing, system integration and supply chains. Origin Robotics is among the Latvian companies participating in that effort.
The broader Latvian delegation includes companies working across unmanned and counter-unmanned systems, communications, electronics, sensors, software, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and manufacturing.
A Latvian Army soldier shows drone video footage to U.S. Marines during a HIMARS live-fire exercise at Adazi Training Area, Latvia. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Niles Lee Sgt. Niles Lee
Exactly how Latvia intends to employ Barracuda, how many missiles it plans to acquire, and whether any portion of the system will eventually be produced or integrated in Latvia remain unclear from the president’s announcement.
For now, the development marks another indication that long-range precision fires are moving from a capability concentrated among Europe’s largest military powers toward a broader requirement across NATO’s highly strategic eastern flank.
IT was written all over Katie Holmes’s face as she arrived at the Calvin Klein show at this month’s New York Fashion Week.
The reason for the actress’s mega-watt smile? The man on her arm, artist Jason Bard Yarmosky, whom Holmes, 47, has been dating since the start of the summer – and helped her get over the trauma of her doomed marriage to Tom Cruise.
Katie Holmes and Jason Yarmosky turned heads at New York Fashion Week as they stepped out in carefully co-ordinated looksCredit: Shutterstock EditorialThe actress and Tom Cruise were considered one of Hollywood’s biggest power couples before their marriage ended in 2012Credit: Reuters
Holmes and her new man, 39, attended four major fashion week events together, each time carefully co-ordinating their outfits – which in Hollywood terms says far more about relationship status than you might think.
Their romance has been the talk of New York society this summer, since they were first spotted in the Hamptons together in early July.
Handsome Jason is something of a name himself, building 40,000 followers on Instagram where he shares his work.
A source tells The Sun that he and Holmes have fallen for one another – fast – and that engagement may well be the next move.
“They have become close very quickly,” says the source.
“Something about Jason’s sense of self and passion for what he does really pulled Katie into his orbit and they’ve become inseparable. They are very much in love.”
They reportedly first met at a Tribeca Festival dinner in June, where Yarmosky had been selected for the festival’s Artist Awards Programme which was presented by Chanel.
They immediately bonded, says a source, over their “shared creativity”, with Holmes impressed by his work and his “quietly confident” energy.
Yarmosky is certainly cool, becoming something of a power player on the New York art scene, recently creating work for a special exhibition at iconic department store Bergdorf Goodman.
His website describes his paintings and drawings as centring around “themes of aging, time and memory” with a lot of his recent work inspired by his grandparents.
They made their relationship Instagram official this month, and shared sizzling photos from a trip they took to Lake Como in Italy as a collab post, the ultimate new power couple move.
Our source said that the trip was a huge step for them, and their electric connection was plain to see in the series of bikini photos as they enjoyed a boat trip on the lake.
Her friend Amy Astley, the former Vogue editor, commented that she was “glowing”.
“For Katie to make this romance so public is very telling,” said one friend.
“She has deliberately kept her romantic life under wraps for decades.”
Indeed, Holmes’s only long term relationship since her high-profile divorce from Tom Cruise, after almost six years of marriage, was with Jamie Foxx.
They were said to have dated for five years and in that time they were photographed together out in public only a handful of times.
In 2019, there were two – very rare – public appearances, first at the Clive Davis and Recording Academy Pre-Grammy Gala, then at the Met Gala.
A few months later, the romance was said to be over – and Holmes hasn’t found a great love again, until now, despite being linked fleetingly to chef Emilio Vitolo Jr. in 2020 and musician Bobby Wooten III in 2022.
“Things feel very different for Katie now,” said the source.
“For the first time since splitting from Tom, she wants to show the world how in love she is.”
And she certainly is – so much so that rumours are circulating that the pair could even be heading for engagement.
“It’s been a complete whirlwind,” said one Hollywood source.
“Katie’s friends and – most importantly – her parents Martin and Kathleen, all approve of the relationship. It is a big deal that they are together so publicly, it says a lot about where they are at.”
Katie and her new man have been increasingly open about their romance with a string of public appearances in New YorkCredit: GettyThe pair looked loved-up during their romantic getaway to Lake Como earlier this summerCredit: @katieholmes / instagram
Holmes has been notoriously private about every aspect of her life since her extremely high profile marriage, and subsequent divorce from Tom Cruise – something which left her feeling “shaken” and “cautious about living in the spotlight” said sources at the time.
It has been almost twenty years since the pair married in a lavish Italian wedding, at Bracciano’s 15th-century Odescalchi Castle – a celebration that reportedly cost them upwards of $3 million and included a performance by Andrea Bocelli.
Their relationship had been a whirlwind, from meeting in 2004, to getting engaged in 2005 and having their only child Suri in April 2006, just seven months prior to the wedding, the pair became a Hollywood power couple – known as TomKat – in record time.
She told W magazine, “I’ve found the man of my dreams”.
But their downfall was almost as dramatic as the couch-jumping which defined the start of the romance.
Holmes filed for divorce from Tom Cruise in 2012 after nearly six years of marriage through a carefully planned, covert exit from the relationship.
The Wall Street Journal reported at the time that the couple had been at loggerheads about Scientology, the controversial religion of which Cruise has been a prominent member for over 40 years, calling it a “beautiful religion”.
He said in 2016, “It’s something that has helped me incredibly in my life.”
He added, “It’s something, you know, without it, I wouldn’t be where I am. So it’s a beautiful religion. I’m incredibly proud.”
Reports revealed that Holmes and Cruise had disagreements over how the couple’s daughter, Suri, would be raised, with Holmes wanting to raise Suri away from Scientology.
During a court case in 2013, Cruise confirmed that it was “one of the assertions” made by his ex-wife which led to their split.
Following the split, Holmes was granted custody of Suri and they set up home in New York where they lived an exceptionally quiet life.
Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise pictured with their daughter Suri, who was born in 2006Credit: RexKatie and her Dawson’s Creek co-star and former boyfriend Joshua Jackson have reunited professionally for her new film Happy HoursCredit: Getty
Cruise was last photographed with his daughter, now 20 and attending Pennsylvania’s Carnegie Mellon University, in 2012 and she is said to have dropped his last name going instead by Suri Noelle, her mother’s middle name, in a recent Edinburgh Festival performance.
“They don’t have any kind of relationship,” a source has said of Suri and Cruise. “She was raised by Katie. They are incredibly close.”
Prior to her marriage Holmes had been riding high in her career which started with hit teen show Dawson’s Creek, and had just starred in Batman Begins in 2005.
Following their dramatic split, however, Holmes found herself somewhat “iced out of Hollywood”, says one industry insider.
Two years ago Holmes admitted: “Do I have 20 scripts at my door, all with the green light? No. Would that make life easier? Yes.”
Her most notable role in the post-Cruise years was as Jaqueline Kennedy in the TV miniseries The Kennedys, but the big blockbuster offers dried up.
Two years ago, she made a splash on Broadway with director Kenny Leon’s revival of Our Town.
Since then Holmes has been busy stepping back into the spotlight.
She has written and directed new romcom Happy Hours, in which she also stars alongside her former Dawson’s Creek co-star – and ex-boyfriend – Joshua Jackson.
She said earlier this year that “working with Josh again was a dream.”
Their friendship, which has been renewed in recent years after going no-contact while Holmes was married to Cruise, has been a huge part of Holmes’s “finding herself” again, our source tells us.
“With Josh, Katie can be herself,” they revealed. “He’s known her since they were kids. He’s encouraged her to find her voice artistically and also lean into being in the spotlight once again.”
And Holmes is certainly doing that, with more public appearances with her new man this year than we’ve seen since she was with Cruise, and a renewed spotlight on her life and career which she appears to be enjoying.
“Katie is happy and confident in who she is in a way that felt impossible even ten years ago,” said our source.
“Going through such a high profile divorce from someone who is so powerful, like Tom Cruise, was a life-shattering thing for her. It’s taken time but Katie feels free – and Jason is a big part of that.”
As Holmes said two years ago: “I’m adamant about having a life and not letting this industry dictate decisions as simple as what I wear or as complicated as what I do.”
She added, “You don’t want to be afraid of anything, right?”
It looks like Katie Holmes is really living by those words.
AS Cruise Week draws to a close today, we’ve been highlighting the best deals and giving you inspiration for your next trip.
But what if you’re yet to step onboard?
Scott Sanders says: ‘One of the biggest mistakes I see is guests sticking to what they know and not trying something new’Credit: suppliedA family takes snaps out on deckCredit: Getty
We asked cruise experts for top tips for first-timers.
Scott Sanders, cruise director of Marella Cruises, TUI’s UK line, says: “One of the biggest mistakes I see is guests sticking to what they know and not trying something new.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
“Whether it’s a dance class, a quiz or one of our West End-style shows, some of the best holiday memories come from stepping outside your comfort zone.”
Scott also encourages guests to make staff aware of any special occasions.
“If you’re celebrating a birthday, anniversary or another milestone, let us know,” he said. “We love helping guests mark those special moments and making their holiday even more memorable.
“And take time to chat to cabin stewards, as they often have some really good tips on ports of call on your sailings or the best places on the ship for a quiet drink or sundowner cocktails.”
Scott also advises familiarising yourself with the ship before embarking.
“Many guests spend their first day trying to work out where everything is.
“Watching an official ship tour or browsing guest videos online before your cruise can help you get your bearings before you even step on board.”
Finally, Scott says to check your phone.
“I always remind guests to switch their phones to airplane mode when we’re at sea and use the onboard wifi instead. It can save people from unexpected roaming charges when they get home.”
Bob McGowan, chief experience officer at Ambassador Cruise Line, has some advice for packing the essentials.
He says: “Always carry the essentials on your person when travelling to your destination (even if that is your cabin). Aside from passport, wallet and personal items, a change of clothes, medication, toothbrush and toiletries are worth packing in hand luggage, as you may arrive to your cabin ahead of the rest of your luggage.
“Handy items to bring on your first cruise include a backpack – great for a big day out enjoying any onshore excursions – and a small evening bag for carrying a few essentials when on the move around the ship.”
He adds: “Seasickness tablets or sea bands are a must. While most first-time cruisers find their sea legs soon after setting sail, if you’re prone to motion sickness it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
And he’s got advice for choosing your cabin, too.
“If you like to have plenty of downtime relaxing in the privacy of your cabin, you may prefer to book one with a balcony to ensure you can make the most of the weather and scenery.
“But if you plan on spending the sailing out-and-about socialising and enjoying all the fantastic experiences on offer, an inside cabin could be better suited and will be a more affordable option.
“If you or a fellow traveller suffers from the occasional bout of seasickness, choosing a lower level midship cabin offers a more stable position, so could be the best choice.”
“WHO sang Bat Out Of Hell? Was it: A, Meatballs; B, Tom Jones; C . . . ?”
“A!” shouts my partner Sophie, and I duly push the button.
Glide through the waterways and canals of the Netherlands and BelgiumCredit: Achim ThomaeTui’s super-long Aria has enough room for 200 passengers and feels spacious throughoutCredit: Tui
Speed, you see, is key to this quiz.
But, then again, so is the right answer.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
We are aboard Tui’s Aria for its Dutch Delta Discovery sailing, taking in the waterways and canals of the Netherlands and Belgium.
And the quiz we are playing, where each team has a handset to record and time their answers, is just a small part of the nightly entertainment.
Other fun includes cabaret, themed dance nights and musical bingo. And one of the joys is how laid-back it all is compared to the more glitzy shows of the huge ocean-going liners.
But while Aria, one of Tui’s quaint ships designed specially for river waterways, was significantly smaller than any ocean liner, it wasn’t less comfy.
With 96 cabins and enough room for 200 passengers, it feels spacious throughout.
There are two main communal areas: the bright Observatory Bar & Lounge on deck three, with floor-to-ceiling windows, and Verdastro restaurant below for plentiful breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
Kinderdijk is home to 19 historic windmills from the 1700sCredit: TuiMake it to Belgium and walk across the cobbled streets of medieval GhentCredit: Getty
There is also a pool, covered at night to become the Reflections Italian restaurant.
The main package is Full Board Plus, which includes three meals a day and selected drinks, including wine and beer, with lunch and dinner.
And although you may not have a choice of restaurant every night, the changing menu covered all tastes, with elegant dishes of beef wellington, artichoke souffle and a fresh catch of the day.
Our cabin was large, with plenty of storage and huge glass doors from which to watch the river banks pass by. A daily joy was throwing back the curtains to see what port we had woken up in.
We began our six-night journey in Amsterdam then stopped in Rotterdam, Veere, Ghent and Antwerp before circling back to our starting point. Our favourite was perhaps Rotterdam, the Netherlands’ second city.
It’s built along the river and 99 per cent of the buildings on the north bank were flattened in 15 minutes during a World War Two bombing raid.
It was rebuilt from the Fifties onward and is known for its unusual architecture.
One example is the Cube House development, an eccentric array of 38 bright yellow, cube-shaped houses connected together at stark angles in the sky.
They look like they would be awkward to live in. But don’t just ponder on it from the outside. If you want to find out what it’s like inside, you can tour one for 3.50 euro — and it’s great value.
Aside from the architecture, a major reason Rotterdam delighted Sophie and me was because it was one of the two times we took advantage of the daily guided trips put on by Tui.
The trip was actually a 20-minute taxi boat ride away in Kinderdijk, home to 19 historic windmills from the 1700s.
Now, I knew the Netherlands was famous for windmills, but I was surprised to learn their purpose was not for grinding wheat — but as an ingenious water-management system.
Visit the Anne Frank Museum are recommended to book weeks in advanceCredit: AlamyVisit Cube House in Rotterdam, where 38 houses are connected together at stark angles in the sky
With much of the country reclaimed from marshland, and below sea level, it is prone to flooding when heavy rains swell rivers and overwhelm drainage ditches.
To get round this, the windmills had huge wheels with paddles to scoop out the water from ditches and chuck it into a storage reservoir, which could then be let out into the rivers and sea.
But this aside, they are easy on the eye and it all feels so very Dutch.
If outdoor time is a big selling point for you, then you’ll love Veere in Zeeland (the next call on our trip), which is the region of islands and peninsulas that make up the west of the Netherlands.
If you feel energetic, I’d recommend hiring bikes for a scoot around the very flat landscape. There are lots of cycle lanes, which take you through gorgeous nature reserves and past vast lakes.
You can reward your efforts at the next port of call, Ghent in Belgium, as you sample beer, sausage and cheese on another Tui tour.
Ghent is a medieval gem with cobbled streets lined by fascinating, old-world buildings. It was so easy to immerse ourselves that we almost missed the boat before it set sail.
There’s no need to panic if you struggle to remember those daily timings, though. Tui’s own Navigate app will keep you up to date with the schedule and you can also use it to check menus or book trips.
With our cruise nearing an end, it was back to Amsterdam, a city renowned for its canals and laidback cafes.
You can’t run out of things to do but, in our short time, we opted to visit the Anne Frank Museum. Make sure you book it as soon as you pay for the cruise as you have to reserve weeks in advance.
The secret annex that hid Anne and her family from the Nazis is accessed through a doorway concealed by a movable bookcase. It is a sombre experience climbing into the hideout but a powerful reminder of one of history’s greatest terrors.
It left us feeling even more grateful for the evening feast we were about to tuck into back on board Aria.
A cheeseboard was a definite — I just wonder if they have any Meatloaf.
GO: DUTCH DELTA DISCOVERY CRUISE
SAILING/STAYING THERE: A seven-night Dutch Delta Discovery sailing on board Tui Aria is from £1,638pp based on two people sharing a cabin and including flights from Manchester.
Cruise departs Amsterdam on July 19, 2027, and calls at Zaandam, Rotterdam and Veere in the Netherlands and Ghent and Antwerp in Belgium. See tui.co.uk/rivercruises.
Today is the last day of CLIA Cruise Week, to snap yourself up a great deal head to thesun.co.uk/cruiseweek.
STANDING on the deck with an Aperol spritz in hand and watching the beautiful Sicilian city of Messina fade into the distance, I feel like I am living the dream.
And indeed we pretty much have been since me, my husband Alistair and our 15-year-old twins Riley and Harris set off from the port of Barcelona on a seven-night Mediterranean cruise.
The charming and colourful Amalfi Coast, ItalyCredit: Alamy Stock Photo
As first-time cruisers, from the moment we step on to NCL’s 2,100-room, 18-deck Norwegian Epic – which underwent a massive refurb last year – it is brilliant fun.
Having checked on to the ship, we head to deck 15, with its two pools and three waterslides, to wait for our luggage to be delivered to our balcony state cabins.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
Here, we take a peek at our fellow passengers – an eclectic mix of young and old from America, Canada, the UK and everywhere in between – as we settle on sunloungers with drinks and enjoy the live music, while waiting to depart.
Leaving Barcelona, we pass another ship and everyone cheers and waves to our fellow cruisers.
The party atmosphere makes for the most lovely holiday vibe.
All decked out
Pisa towers above Sinead and husband AlistairCredit: Supplied by Sinead McIntyre.The cobbled streets of MessinaCredit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
With so much to do on the ship, you could never be bored.
There are 16 restaurants, including brilliant inclusive eateries such as the buffet Garden Cafe and the waiter-serviced Manhattan Room and Spice restaurants, plus seven speciality options, which we can dine at as part of our free-at-sea package.
For our first night we opt for Shanghai’s Noodle Bar, which we talk about for days afterwards.
There, we tuck into starters including sushi and spare ribs before mains of black pepper beef with broccoli, melt-in-the-mouth snapper, chicken and prawn chow mein, and egg fried rice, all washed down with sake for me and Alistair.
Our cabins have super-comfy twin beds pulled together into doubles, a sofa, shower and toilet, as well as tonnes of storage space and a TV.
We barely feel the boat move as we fall into a deep sleep, waking the next day in Marseille, where we decide to spend our first full day exploring the ship’s decks from top to bottom, taking advantage of enjoying the attractions while most guests are on shore.
Riley and Harris are delighted to find a Starbucks, while I love the serene Mandara Spa with its 50 different treatments, and we all gasp at the huge gym.
There is also teenage club Entourage, as well as Epic Theatre, where evening shows take place.
We particularly enjoy Red, White & British – a show of covers from Brit artists through the decades.
Plus, there’s a video arcade centre and a huge casino, as well as countless bars.
Exploring done, we head to the pool to test the water slides, including the 200ft bowl slide.
Excursions – which start from £37 per person – can be booked via the NCL app pre-departure or on board, and save you having to find your own way around new destinations.
However, our second stop is Villefranche-sur-Mer, a pastel-coloured coastal town where the shingle beach is just a stroll from where we disembark the ship’s tender, making a beach day a no-brainer.
Afterwards, we hit the town’s cobbled backstreets and pretty shops, marvelling at the handmade jewellery in Jour De Plage and eclectic clothes in cute Le Shopping De Nat on Rue de l’Église.
The station, with regular trains to nearby Nice and Monaco, is a stone’s throw away though, and many of our fellow cruisers set off to explore those cities instead.
Pisa The Action
Peak views of Mount VesuviusCredit: Roberto MoiolaCatch a vibrant show at the Epic TheatreCredit: Supplied
That evening, we try Cagney’s Steakhouse, where we feast on jumbo shrimp cocktail or lobster bisque, followed by ribeye and fillet steaks served with a choice of sides – we love the parmesan truffle fries.
For dessert, the seven-layer chocolate cake is divine.
Our first excursion of the week is the following day when we arrive at Italy’s Livorno and take a coach to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa in all its glory.
Close by, we happen upon amazing pizzeria Santa Maria, where an extra-large pepperoni pizza costs £16.50 and feeds Alistair, Harris and me, while Riley plumps for a focaccia sandwich with mozzarella, £7 (Ristorantesantamaria.com).
The day ends with a trip to the historic seaside town of Viarregio, where we cool off with a dip in the crystal-clear water.
Opting to go it alone in Messina – as the port is located right in the city – we pop into the stunning Messina Cathedral, home to the world’s biggest, most complex astronomical clock, which stands 60m tall inside its bell tower.
Feeling suitably cultured, we then grab a taxi to Capo Peloro, a beautiful beach on Sicily’s north-eastern tip, where the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas meet.
Just Our Vibe
Your cabin is callingCredit: Rick Diaz PhotographyUnwind on deck with an Aperol spritz in handCredit: Getty Images
Back on the ship, both teens decide to chill in their rooms, so Alistair and I grab the opportunity to head to Vibe Club, an oasis of adults-only calm on the 18th deck with four-poster sunbeds and a hot tub, where we sip cocktails as we say our goodbyes to Messina.
Dinner that night at the Teppanyaki is our stand-out meal of the week.
We feast like kings on miso soup and seaweed salad, and marvel as the chefs sing songs, catch eggs for the fried rice in their hats and cook up a storm.
My steak-and-prawn combo is delicious, as is the sake-based wasabi cocktail I wash it down with.
We finish the night at our favourite bar, Shaker’s Martini Bar, where I’ve developed a taste for the Dirty Martinis, and my whole gang love their nightly live music.
Our last full day cruising is spent on the stunning Amalfi Coast, where our excursion takes us past Mount Vesuvius and to the Phlegraean Peninsula, so we can snorkel above the Roman resort of Baia, with its marvellous mosaics that now lie submerged up to 13 metres below the sea, before relaxing on the golden sands.
It’s an Italian bank holiday, and at the nearby beach club dozens are drinking prosecco, eating whitebait cooked in a huge metal vat of oil and dancing to their hearts’ content.
This couldn’t be a more fitting end to our cruise – pulling up in the port of Civitavecchia, near Rome, the next morning, we’ve laughed, danced, eaten, drunk and experienced some of the most beautiful places in the world.
FYI
The seven-day Mediterranean Barcelona to Rome voyage with Norwegian Cruise Line starts from £505 per person (Ncl.com).
Add a Free At Sea package, from £249 per person, for unlimited drinks and speciality dining.
Flights to Barcelona, returning from Rome, start from £18 each way.
Sam Catling lived the dream by ditching a supermarket job for a supposedly fun role as a cruise ship entertainer. He opens up about his day to day life on a cruise ship, the long hours he worked, and how much he took home each month
Sam Catling landed the dream job despite never working on a ship before(Image: Sam Catling)
Working on a cruise ship is the kind of job everyone fantasises about now and again. And when Sam Catling was just 18, he landed what many people would consider a dream role – a cruise ship entertainer.
Sam, now 38, now shares his memories of his time at sea, as well as interviewing others from across the maritime industry in his podcast Deck Tales, and he’s even written a book, Seems Like Smooth Sailing, that gives an unflinching account of what it’s like to work at sea for months on end.
He jokingly refers to himself as a former ‘trolley wally’ and says his CV consisted of a paper round and a job collecting trollies at Asda when family members suggested he’d be a great cruise ship entertainer. His mum and granny had just come back from a cruise and had chatted to onboard entertainers about how they got into the role, before suggesting the idea to the outgoing Sam.
He spoke about how he managed to land the role, despite his lack of previous boating experience: “I used to get The Stage magazine delivered to my newsagent on a weekly basis, and I kept looking through the ads, and eventually I saw one that said ‘now receiving applications for entertainment hosts’ so I applied.
“The first question was ‘What previous experience do you have working in entertainment?’, and eventually I wrote ‘Ive had extensive experience pushing trolleys around Asda car park for the past two years’.”
With a drama GCSE and a few workshops under his belt, Sam soon found himself in Gibraltar on a boat that was in dry dock, attending two weeks of rehearsals as the ship was refurbished. In addition to entertainers such as himself, who did events from game shows to karaoke, there were a show team with West End-style performers who Sam said were a “triple threat” with dancing, singing, and acting skills.
The job was gruelling, with Sam revealing he worked seven days a week. Visits home were extremely rare, crew stayed on the ship the duration of their contracts, which for Sam’s first cruise was six months. The days were long too, with Sam admitting he became “quite the social drinker” due to his schedules requiring him to sit down and socialise with guests.
His shifts would often finish past midnight, and he’d head to the crew bar after work until 2am, before getting up at 7am to face the next day. Sam said he became skilled at power napping: “Between your different activities that you’d host I was down in my cabin having a power nap. If I had an indoor cabin I’d just close the door and you were in pitch black darkness, so it was really easy to just have a 30 minute nap.” But he admitted: “You wouldn’t know what time of day it was because you’re cutting out all the sunlight.”
His accommodation was included, as was food and expenses, and Sam said: “You’re not paying rent, your food’s taken care of, you’ve no heating and electric and gas bills and all of that stuff. It’s all taken care of, which is nice! You don’t have to worry about all those things. But then you are spending money when you go ashore, you know, going to eat out, because after a couple of weeks of being on board you are sick of the food.”
Sam revealed that, when he worked on ships around 2006, he was taking home about £1,200 to £1,300 a month from working seven days a week. Accommodation was shared, and Sam said only managers and the top talent such as the main singers in the shows would get their own cabins.
Despite this salary being representative of a job over 20 years ago, cruise ships don’t pay much more now. According to career site prospects.ac.uk, which advises students on employment routes, those with little experience shouldn’t expect big money for their long hours: “Entry-level cruise ship jobs, such as hospitality, housekeeping, retail, or waiting staff positions, typically pay around £1,000 to £1,500 per month, often with accommodation and meals included.”
But it claims that experienced crew can get decent salaries at sea: “With experience and progression into specialist or management roles, salaries can rise to between £2,000 and £4,000 per month. Senior officers, entertainment managers, engineers, and technical staff may earn considerably more.”
Sam worked on cruise ships for four years, and nowadays he runs his podcast, which he describes as his “passion” with over 60 episodes available, as well as taking on handyman jobs and occasionally working as a TV extra.
“I want to continue doing this until I’m an old man, because there’s 70% of the planet that’s covered in ocean, so I don’t think I’m going to run out of guests anytime soon. The podcast started with just being a platform for cruise ship crew, but now it’s something else. It’s cargo ship captains, I’ve spoken to a pirate, I’ve had a deep sea salvage scuba diver and tugboat captains.”
He added: “I just really wanted to drill down into something unique and authentic, and within a specific niche that people might not know about; the stories at sea that most people don’t hear. The public might not have an interest in ships, but people are still people, and the stories that happen at sea are there for everyone to hear about.”
With their unique adults-only approach to cruising, Virgin Voyages is attracting a whole new generation of cruisers
The ship’s resident drag queen, Daisy Bucket, kept us entertained(Image: Ollie Leitelmayer)
If you’d asked me a few years ago to go on a cruise, it’s fair to say I’d be apprehensive. The idea of being trapped on a floating Butlin’s, pushing past screaming toddlers to reach the lukewarm buffet, wasn’t exactly my idea of a relaxing holiday. Then I heard about Virgin Voyages : no kids, no buffets, and the few people I knew that’d tried it raved about it.
Billed by the company as an adults-only boutique hotel at sea, Richard Branson’s cruise line has won multiple awards since it launched in 2021, as well as amassing a loyal fanbase.
I thought it was time to see if I could become one of those fans, could I finally be a cruise person? I embarked on one of Virgin Voyages’ sailings from Portsmouth, an easy 90-minute drive from my home in Oxfordshire.
This wasn’t just any cruise though, this was one of the company’s specialty comedy cruises – promising top acts from across the UK, all included in your fare.
I have to say, the standard of names was well above what I expected for a cruise ship. Headliners included Celebrity Traitors star Lucy Beaumont, Gogglebox regular Babatunde Aleshé and I’m A Celebrity all-star Seann Walsh, to name a few. All of the comedy shows were excellent, but my standout has to be Matt Richardson, of Xtra Factor fame. His show was genuinely one of the funniest things I’d ever seen, and had the audience in hysterics.
This was all offered alongside Virgin’s regular entertainment offering, which includes bingo with the ship’s resident drag queen, cabaret shows and gameshows – one of which even had a prize from the on-board tattoo parlour.
A tattoo parlour at sea pretty much sums up the whole design and vibes of the ship. Stepping onboard is like walking into a chic beach club in Ibiza. We entered our balcony cabin, and within a few minutes I was sitting in the iconic Virgin Voyages hammock with a glass of champagne. Not bad for a cruise sceptic.
The Valiant Lady may only be five years old, but it’s already had a refurb with refreshed seating areas, menus and a brand new restaurant.
At the very back of the ship sits The Dock, an outdoor lounge and casual small plates eatery that feels extremely relaxed. Forget clunky plastic sunloungers, here you sink into comfortable modern seats and huge beds and look out to the incredible views.
It was here that I started to think ‘I could get used to this’, as a helpful waiter handed me my third sangria and delivered our snacks. Think charred octopus and hanger steak, all included in the fare.
That brings me to one thing I’d heard about cruising – ‘it’s a constant sales pitch’. That may be the case on other cruise lines, but based on what I experienced, it could not be further from the truth on Virgin.
Standard WiFi and soft drinks are free, and every single restaurant on board is included. The majority of dishes are included in the fare, although some venues have one or two premium menu items at an extra cost. We never felt compelled to try these as there were so many appealing options which were included.
In fact, the food is one point that I heard so much about. Replacing the traditional buffet, you have The Galley, a food market style venue with multiple cuisines offered – all made to order. Imagine lots of street food stalls, including tacos, burgers and sushi.
Then there are the sit-down restaurants, which feel like trendy London eateries that I’d genuinely want to eat at on land. There’s no traditional ‘main dining room’ here, and no strict dress code to boot.
Highlights on-board included Ariya, the new Indian restaurant which, for me, blew Dishoom out of the water with its tender lamb shank biryani, and The Wake, a high-end steak restaurant nestled at the bottom of a glamorous, cascading staircase.
There were, of course, things I didn’t love. The pool area is relatively small, and although not an issue on our chilly UK cruise, I could see it becoming more of an issue on a sunnier trip.
There is honestly so much more I could write about this ship. I haven’t even touched on the spectacular Scarlet Night, where the entire ship transforms into a massive bright-red pool party.
I left this holiday feeling fully converted into a ‘cruise person’, so much so that I even booked two more trips before we pulled back into Portsmouth.
If you’ve spent your whole life swearing you’d never set foot on a cruise ship, it might just be time to eat your words. I certainly did, and luckily, the food was spectacular.
LOOKING to bag a bargain at sea? Now is THE time to embark on a booking.
The UK’s annual CLIA Cruise Week runs until Sunday and there are great deals to be had.
Now is THE time to embark on a booking and bag a bargain at seaCredit: �Christopher Ison.https://christopherison.photoshelter.com/contactExplora Journeys’ Explora II departs for Malta from Barcelona on March 14, 2027, with 30 per cent discounts on offer
After a record 2.54million Brits headed up the gangway in 2025, it is time to join the party.
Nigel Thompson shares his pick of the offers to book now.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
EASTERN CARIBBEAN – 14 nights from £1,349pp
JET away from selected UK airports on November 13 to join P&O’s newest ship Arvia in Barbados for a round-trip visiting Martinique, Saint Kitts, Tortola (British Virgin Islands), St Maarten, Antigua, Saint Lucia and Grenada.
Includes transfers and gratuities — and on applicable Select Price bookings up to December 17, get extra on-board spending up to £350 per cabin.
PORTUGAL, MOROCCO & MEDITERRANEAN – Seven nights from £449pp
Visit València and the city’s Plaza Redonda (centre)Credit: Getty
SAVE £111pp on a winter warmer itinerary on Celestyal Discovery, sailing from Lisbon (overnight) to Tarragona (for Barcelona) via Tangier, Valencia, Majorca and Sete.
Soft drinks, wifi and gratuities are included, although flights cost extra. Departs on December 12.
FRANCE, SPAIN & PORTUGAL – 14 nights from £1,115pp
It’s adults-only on the Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition which sails a no-fly Easter trip from Tilbury, EssexCredit: Ambassador PR
ADULTS-only Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambition sails a no-fly Easter trip from Tilbury, Essex, on March 24, 2027 visiting Honfleur, Le Verdon (for Bordeaux), Vigo (for Santiago de Compostela), Cadiz, Malaga, Lisbon and Leixoes (for Porto).
Use code CLIA10 during Cruise Week to get ten per cent off, with up to £400 on-board credit per cabin also on offer.
BOUTIQUE brand Explora Journeys’ Explora II departs for Malta from Barcelona on March 14, 2027, with 30 per cent discounts on offer.
Visit La Spezia (for Pisa/Florence), Civitavecchia (for Rome), Naples and Sicily (Syracuse), with passengers enjoying benefits such as nine culinary experiences, in-suite dining, unlimited drinks, wifi, spa access, wellness activities and gratuities.
The Tauber at the scenic medieval village of Wertheim in Bavaria, GermanyCredit: Getty
IT is never too early to start thinking about Christmas — and you can get a festive fix on a four-night sailing aboard Viva Cruises’ Tiara, departing on a round trip from Frankfurt on December 14.
The itinerary ticks off Wertheim, Wurzburg and Miltenberg and comes with a £100 flight credit offer, selected premium drinks, one complimentary high tea, welcome bottle of prosecco, wifi and gratuities.
MEDITERRANEAN & PORTUGAL – Nine nights from £2,515pp
Take in the stunning views from a typical terrace in LisbonCredit: Getty
GOT cash to splash? Grab a half-price luxury voyage on adults-only Oceania Sirena, sailing on January 4, 2027 from Civitavecchia (Rome) to Lisbon via Livorno (for Pisa/Florence), Genoa, Nice, Marseille, Barcelona, Alicante, Motril (for Granada), Cadiz and Lisbon.
The deal includes a balcony cabin, speciality dining, gratuities, wifi and either wine and beer by the glass or shore excursion credit.
RIVER RHINE AND DUTCH WATERWAYS – Seven nights from £1,299pp
Cologne Cathedral with Hohenzollern BridgeCredit: Getty
SAVE up to £750pp on an all-inclusive voyage from Rotterdam (overnight) to Mainz, Germany, aboard Saga River Cruises’ Spirit of the Rhine, departing on October 26, 2027.
En route, it visits Zaandam and Arnhem in the Netherlands and Germany’s Cologne and Rudesheim.
Bonus extras include flights, nationwide return chauffeur service to the UK airport, transfers, excursions, wifi and gratuities.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense has included an intriguing description of the ASM-3 Kai missile in its record fiscal year 2027 defense budget request, referring to the weapon as an “air-to-surface/anti-air missile.” Until now, the ASM-3 family has been publicly associated with the air-launched anti-ship (anti-surface) mission, and the wording potentially hints at an additional capability or intended role for the upgraded weapon.
The reference appears under a sub-section entitled Durability and Resilience, which calls for funds to “secure ammunition and fuel, increase the number of operational units (by addressing parts shortages, etc.), enhance the resilience of facilities (through facility upgrades associated with the formation of new units and the introduction of new equipment, etc.), and strengthen the operational infrastructure (by enhancing manufacturing capabilities, etc.).”
— 因幡のよっちゃん（稲葉義泰 Yoshihiro Inaba） (@japanesepatrio6) August 31, 2026
In terms of securing ammunition, the document highlights the breadth of weapons systems involved, ranging from 5.56mm small arms ammunition and 30mm cannon rounds, via 155mm precision artillery rounds, up to advanced missiles including the Type 23 ship-launched air defense missile and the ASM-3 Kai.
The Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) ASM-3 is Japan’s domestically developed supersonic air-launched anti-ship missile, originally intended to arm the Mitsubishi F-2 fighter. The improved ASM-3 Kai (“Kai” meaning modified or revised) represents a significant evolution of the weapon, although the full nature of its capabilities and performance have not been officially revealed. The missile has already been observed undergoing testing on F-2s.
The ASM-3 program has also gone through a number of different configurations over its development history, with at least five distinct external configurations identified in previous reporting. The existence of multiple iterations leaves open the possibility that the newly identified “anti-air” designation could ultimately correspond to a dedicated air-to-air variant or derivative of the ASM-3 family, rather than simply a secondary capability of the baseline ASM-3 Kai.
Reportedly, the ASM-3 Kai is capable of flying more than 400 kilometers (about 250 miles), although the exact range of the operational weapon remains classified. It is powered by a ramjet engine, giving it sustained high-speed performance — reportedly around Mach 3. If it indeed has an air-to-air capability, this would be an advantage in some scenarios, compared to relying solely on a brief but very powerful rocket boost as many air-to-air missiles do.
A Mitsubishi F-2 launches an ASM-3 anti-ship missile. (JASDF)
The weapon is also understood to employ an active/passive radar seeker, providing it with both an active radar mode for detecting and engaging targets and a passive mode that can home in on their electromagnetic emissions. While an active radar seeker is common on long-range air-to-air missiles, the latter passive capability could also be of extreme value in an air-to-air application.
The ASM-3 is also a substantially larger missile than typical fighter-launched air-to-air weapons. While that imposes obvious carriage and aerodynamic penalties, it also allows for a larger propulsion system, seeker, and warhead than would be practical in a smaller missile.
A weapon capable of traveling hundreds of miles at high speed, while carrying an active/passive radar seeker, could potentially be especially useful against high-value airborne assets such as airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. These platforms provide vital wide-area surveillance, battle management, and targeting capabilities. At the same time, their powerful radars are necessarily emitting, potentially making them detectable and trackable by a missile employing a passive seeker.
China’s rapidly expanding AEW&C fleet is an increasingly important part of its ability to generate situational awareness, coordinate fighters, and extend its sensor coverage well beyond its immediate borders. The force, which already numbers dozens of increasingly capable fixed-wing aircraft, is a growing operational challenge for Japan and other regional air forces.
The second example of the Chinese KJ-3000 AEW&C aircraft, still painted in primer. via X
The ability to threaten such aircraft from well beyond the range of conventional air-to-air engagements could force an opponent to operate its AEW&C fleet even further from contested airspace, reducing the effectiveness of its sensors and command-and-control architecture. Although a passive seeker could also offer an avenue for homing in on relevant radar emissions, exactly how the ASM-3 Kai’s seeker would operate against airborne targets is not publicly known. Equally, a different variant of the missile, optimized for anti-air missions, could incorporate both passive and active seekers specially adapted for that mission set, although it is very possible a single configuration can accomplish both missions. As well as AEW&C aircraft, such a missile would be just as relevant for other high-value, non-maneuvering targets at long ranges, including intelligence-gathering platforms, tankers, and other support aircraft.
The budget language by itself falls short of establishing whether the ASM-3 Kai has been tested or validated against aircraft. The designation could reflect a broader classification within the budget documents, or it could point toward a genuine expansion of the weapon’s intended target set.
XASM-3 Supersonic anti-ship missile test launch
Such a weapon would not necessarily be a replacement for Japan’s existing air-to-air missile arsenal. Instead, an “anti-air” ASM-3 Kai could occupy a specialized niche focused on high-value or otherwise particularly important airborne targets at extended ranges.
The possibility is consistent with Japan’s broader effort to expand the flexibility and reach of its air-launched weapons. Tokyo is pursuing a growing family of standoff weapons as part of a major expansion of its counterstrike and deterrence capabilities, including longer-range missiles capable of striking targets well beyond the immediate vicinity of Japan.
Other air-to-air missiles mentioned in the same section of the document comprise the U.S.-made AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) and the domestically developed AAM-4B, another medium-range weapon, thought to be the first of its kind to be fitted with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) antenna.
Between the exclusive AESA radar and Japan’s labour cost, Mitsubishi’s AAM-4B might be the most expensive air-to-air missile on the planet pic.twitter.com/rfBnXB8RzS
The FY2027 defense budget request also mentions another apparently new air-launched weapon for Japan, the AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER). Japan has not previously been publicly documented as an international AARGM-ER customer, but the weapon would be an obvious candidate for integration with its F-35 fighters if it wishes to bolster their suppression/destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD) capabilities.
An AARGM-ER seen under the wing of an F/A-18F Super Hornet during a test. U.S. Navy
In terms of F-2-related developments, the document calls for the upgrade of an initial 10 of these aircraft to make them compatible with the air-launched version of the Upgraded Type 12 anti-ship guided missile, a significant new weapon that you can read more about here.
A pair of new missiles slung beneath the wings of an F-2, understood to be the air-launched version of Japan’s Upgraded Type 12/Type 25 anti-ship missile. @bibabibabibary @bibabibabibary
TWZ has contacted Japan’s Ministry of Defense seeking clarification on the “air-to-surface/anti-air” designation and what it means for the ASM-3 Kai’s intended capabilities and target set. It could also be the case that the description is an error in the budget document.
However, the emergence of such a capability would also come at a time when very-long-range air-to-air weapons are becoming increasingly important as anti-access/area-denial challenges make it harder for fighters to get close to enemy aircraft and the high-value assets supporting them. China has fielded weapons such as the PL-15 and the much larger PL-17, while the United States is developing the AIM-260 and has just revealed the AIM-424 Malice, a U.S. Navy missile reportedly capable of reaching more than 250 nautical miles. The U.S. Navy is also fielding the AIM-174B, a very-long-range weapon developed very much with the Chinese threat in mind, and which we discuss in the video below.
How The Navy’s New Very Long-Range AIM-174 Will Pierce China’s Anti-Access Bubble
For now, exactly what prompted the “air-to-surface/anti-air” designation for the missile is unclear, but if it reflects a genuine expansion of the ASM-3 Kai’s mission set, it would represent a particularly interesting development in Japan’s rapidly evolving air-launched weapons portfolio.
Hat-tip to Yoshihiro Inaba for bringing this development to our attention.
A new Ukrainian intelligence report details the complex production chain behind Russia’s shadowy 3M22 Zircon missile and identifies U.S.-origin electronics inside one of Russia’s most advanced weapons. New details also add weight to the theory that the weapon is a maneuverable quasi-ballistic missile rather than a true hypersonic cruise missile.
The unusually detailed new breakdown of the Zircon missile identifies 70 enterprises and 84 individuals involved in its development and production while providing a component-by-component look at one of Moscow’s most closely watched — and least-understood — weapons.
‼️DIU exposes details of russia’s 3M22 Zircon ballistic missile — including its components, production chain, 70 companies involved, key personnel, and foreign equipment used to manufacture the weapon: https://t.co/oOBqjUb8dSpic.twitter.com/VqRSSA41iV
— Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (@DI_Ukraine) August 31, 2026
The first evidence of Zircon’s combat use emerged in February 2024, when Ukrainian officials displayed recovered debris after a Russian strike. The wreckage included distinctive engine and steering-system components that Ukrainian specialists used to identify the weapon.
Russia has since employed the missile on other occasions. Ukrainian authorities reported that a Zircon was launched from occupied Crimea during a major missile and drone strike in January 2026, as we reported at the time.
While initially developed for use from warships and submarines, Zircon is understood to have been employed from ground-based launchers against Ukraine, with modified launchers from the K-300P Bastion coastal defense system considered the most likely candidate.
A standard Bastion-P mobile coastal defense missile system. Photo by Maxime POPOV / AFP MAXIME POPOV
The new entry on Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) War & Sanctions portal includes an interactive 3D model and identifies systems ranging from the missile’s radar seeker and onboard computer to its propulsion system and warhead. It also identifies foreign-origin electronics, including components associated with U.S. manufacturers.
Among them, according to the GUR report, is a TGA2704 amplifier associated with TriQuint Semiconductor, now part of U.S. company Qorvo. The GUR also identifies an Altera Cyclone II EP2C5T144I8N field-programmable gate array (FPGA) associated with Altera Corporation, now part of Intel, and lists it as originating in the United States.
An Altera Cyclone II Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a type of microchip, which the GUR says was found in Zircon wreckage. GUR
The alleged findings do not establish that either company knowingly supplied Russia’s defense industry, nor do they explain precisely how the components reached Russian production lines. The GUR says it’s seeking additional information on their origins and supply chains. Bearing in mind previous precedents, China could potentially be one source, being a known vector globally for recycled chips.
Nevertheless, the disclosure highlights the continued presence of Western-origin electronics in Russia’s advanced weapons programs despite sanctions and export controls.
The GUR lists the Zircon as approximately 26 feet long, with a body diameter of 2.2 feet, and a warhead weighing about 265 pounds.
The agency gives a maximum speed of Mach 8-9, a flight altitude of approximately 19-25 miles, and a separate “maximum fixed speed” (presumably, sustained cruising speed) of Mach 6.8. These are Ukrainian intelligence assessments and cannot be independently verified.
The database identifies the 3B222 active radar-homing head, manufactured by NPP Radar MMS, and a Baget-83 onboard digital computer produced by KB Korund-M.
Reported 3B222 active radar homing antenna recovered from Zircon wreckage. GUR
It also identifies the 3B915 guidance units, the 3G22 warhead, and the 3L2211 solid-fuel rocket motor manufactured by NPO Iskra. Other Russian companies provide altimeters, control systems, power supplies, and other components.
Reported remains of a 3L2211 solid-fuel rocket motor manufactured by NPO Iskra. GUR
The reported propulsion information is particularly significant.
Russian and other sources have consistently described Zircon as a hypersonic cruise missile, implying an air-breathing propulsion system burning liquid propellant, capable of sustaining hypersonic flight.
However, the physical evidence for such a propulsion system has always been less clear.
Open-source analysis by Fabian Hinz has highlighted the apparent absence of a conventional air intake on Zircon. A scramjet- or ramjet-powered missile requires an intake to bring atmospheric oxygen into the engine, yet available imagery does not clearly show one. A Russian patent associated with the missile’s jettisonable launch cap likewise does not reveal an obvious intake arrangement.
Just published my new OSINT investigation into Russia’s secretive Zircon missile whose combat use has risen sharply in 2026.
Available evidence suggests that Zircon is not a hypersonic cruise missile but rather a quasi-ballistic system.
More significant is evidence from recovered missile debris.
Material examined by Ukraine’s Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise included a circular metal structure interpreted as part of a solid-propellant rocket motor. The hardware appeared to be associated with Zircon’s second stage rather than simply its launch booster (which would be used on a true hypersonic cruise missile to bring it up to operating speed). This suggests a two-stage weapon, with a solid-propellant rocket in each. This would match with what we have seen during shipboard launches.
That finding is consistent with Russian patent activity involving NPO Mashinostroyeniya and NPO Iskra. Patents associated with the companies describe solid-propellant rocket motors incorporating arrangements for aerodynamic-control equipment around the motor’s exhaust system.
There is also evidence that Russian engineers developed advanced composite solid propellants specifically for Zircon.
None of this conclusively proves the missile lacks an air-breathing engine, but it certainly raises more questions about its classification. It should be noted that there are also some solid-fuel ramjet concepts, but these are much rarer applications.
In February 2024, evidence emerged that Russia had, for the first time, used the Zircon in attacks on at least one target in Ukraine. Ukrainian scientists showed a video of the Zircon wreckage — “fragments of the engine and steering mechanisms [with] specific markings,” seen here. via X
If Zircon is primarily rocket-powered, it may be better understood as a maneuverable quasi-ballistic missile that nonetheless reaches hypersonic speeds.
Such a weapon would use rocket propulsion to accelerate rapidly and climb to high altitude before descending toward its target along a trajectory that is partly ballistic but incorporates aerodynamic maneuvering — a so-called ‘porpoising’ or ‘skip-glide’ trajectory. It could therefore reach hypersonic speeds without requiring sustained cruise under the power of an air-breathing system. The combination of high speed and unpredictable trajectory also makes it notably difficult for air defenses to deal with, characteristics shared with the air-launched Kinzhal, another Russian quasi-ballistic missile.
That interpretation could also help explain reports of a highly variable Zircon speed profile.
Russian officials have claimed that the missile can reach approximately Mach 9. During a 2020 test, Russian military leadership said Zircon reached more than Mach 8 while flying to an altitude of roughly 17 miles.
A Russian Ministry of Defense video that claims to show the Zircon test in the White Sea on Oct. 6, 2020:
Первый пуск гиперзвуковой ракеты «Циркон» с борта фрегата «Адмирал Горшков»
Ukrainian assessments have described a more complicated profile, with the missile reportedly flying at around Mach 5.5, accelerating to approximately Mach 7.5 near the target, and then slowing before impact. Those figures cannot be independently confirmed, but a boost-and-glide or quasi-ballistic trajectory could produce such a profile more naturally than sustained powered cruise.
At the same time, it should be recalled that ‘hypersonic’ does not necessarily imply a ‘hypersonic cruise missile.’ A ballistic or quasi-ballistic weapon can travel well above Mach 5, which appears to be the case here. The characteristics of the Zircon, as presented by the GUR, would also help explain official Ukrainian claims that the missiles have been intercepted successfully by Patriot PAC-3 air defense systems.
There is also a relevant technological precedent. NPO Mashinostroyeniya has previously patented solid-propellant missiles using quasi-ballistic trajectories, including designs intended to maneuver at high-supersonic and hypersonic speeds. That does not establish a direct lineage to Zircon, but it does show that the concept is consistent with the company’s history.
The other major takeaway from the release is the scale of Zircon’s production network.
One of Russia’s leading missile houses, NPO Mashinostroyeniya is identified as the missile’s main designer and manufacturer and prime contractor for Russian Ministry of Defense contracts covering its development and production.
But the weapon depends on dozens of other organizations. NPO Iskra supplies the solid-fuel motor; NPP Radar MMS provides the radar seeker; KB Korund-M produces the onboard computer; and other enterprises supply guidance systems, altimeters, control electronics, warheads, power systems, and other specialized equipment.
Another video, released by the Russian Ministry of Defense in May 2022, is said to show the Gorshkov launching a Zircon, although the missile is seen only at a distance with no details visible:
Russia shows off Zircon hypersonic cruise missile
The U.S.-origin electronics claimed to have been identified by GUR are particularly notable because they demonstrate how Russia’s sophisticated weapons production remains connected to international semiconductor supply chains.
By linking specific enterprises and individuals to individual missile components, Ukraine has provided governments and investigators with new information that could be used to pursue sanctions, export-control enforcement, and efforts to disrupt Russia’s supply chain.
The report also adds weight to continued open-source assessments of what kind of missile Zircon actually is.
Regardless of its classification, Zircon remains a formidable weapon. A rocket-powered missile capable of reaching hypersonic speeds, flying at high altitude, maneuvering, and potentially accelerating during its terminal approach presents a serious challenge to missile defenses. With Ukraine’s ability to intercept even more conventional ballistic missiles already severely eroded, the weapon further complicates the country’s troubling air defense picture.
