A video showing Russian destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov test-launching a Kalibr cruise missile has been shared on social media. In the video, you can see that the test launch goes horribly wrong. Instead of accelerating up to the intended height and zooming off, it twirls up, then down into the Pacific Ocean.
Rob Lee, a PHD of war studies shared the video on Twitter.
The reason that the missile failed was because the booster had a malfunction. Kalibrs are launched from armored missile silos using a rocket booster. The booster accelerates the missile to the proper altitude and speed, and then the booster burns out and falls away. After that, the missile’s turbo jet is supposed to take over.
Because the booster had a malfunction, we can see that the point in which it’s supposed to fall off never happens. Here’s what it’s supposed to look like from the same ship.
It’s unclear when this failure occurred, but it sure is interesting to watch!
