Top Russian hypersonic missile designer Leonov dead

MOSCOW: (Apr 6) A top Russian missile designer, Alexander Leonov, linked to the development of hypersonic missile Zircon and new generation Indo-Russian Brahmos NG, died at the age of 74 on Sunday, local media reported.

Leonov was CEO and Chief Designer of NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOMASH), the Russian JV partner in New Delhi-based BrahMos Aerospace.

His press service did not disclose the cause of his death or where he died immediately, according to the RBC news portal. Leonov was credited for designing Russia’s Zircon (Tsirkon) - a ship-based hypersonic cruise missile designed to destroy surface and land targets and is part of the 3K22 missile system, which entered service in January 2023.