Russia’s Poseidon nuclear drones threaten to annihilate American cities via biblical end of times-style scenarios and give cause to questioning Moscow’s commitment to international law, the US assistant secretary of state for international security and non-proliferation Christopher Ford has alleged.. Russia is testing a nuclear-powered mega-torpedo called Poseidon and a nuclear-powered cruise missile called Burevestnik. Russia needs the influx of money from foreign sales if they ever hope to secure adequate funding for their notably promising (but sorely under-funded) programs like their T-14 Armata main battle tank. Malaysia ‘Holds Back’ Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Passenger Jet Over legal dispute According to The Moscow Times, the construction of required infrastructure to maintain and carry out […] Burevestnik, which NATO designates as SSC-X-9 Skyfall, is a nuclear-powered cruise missile with global reach and the ability to counter future missile defense systems. It was followed by Trident I in 1979, and Trident II in 1990. More intriguing is the suggestion that Poseidon could be used against U.S. aircraft carriers. Submarines use the same strategy in silent running mode. Russian MoD: Tsirkon Hypersonic Missile, Poseidon Nuclear Torpedo Trials Close to Completion Work to develop and produce the latest naval weapon systems, such as the underwater unmanned Poseidon craft and hypersonic Tsirkon missile is successfully nearing completion, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Russia is also working on other new weapons, including an unmanned water vehicle called Poseidon, an air-launched ballistic missile called Kinzhal and a secret laser weapon called Peresvet. India To Sign Defence Deal With Israel Amid Rising Tensions With China "In the sea area protected from a potential enemy’s reconnaissance means, the underwater trials of the nuclear propulsion unit of the Poseidon drone are underway," an unnamed Russian defense official told the TASS news agency. Russia’s Poseidon strategic underwater drone will frustrate US efforts to create the global missile shield and its sea component, retired Rear Admiral Vsevolod Khmyrov said in late February. “Poseidon is meant to further strengthen the already existing second-strike capability, providing Russia additional options to inflict “unacceptable” damage on the enemy,” Zysk said. Russia’s dreaded nuclear torpedo, designed to nuke entire coastal cities into oblivion and trigger tsunamis, ... limiting a defender’s options against an incoming Poseidon missile. The Russian Navy will soon get the Poseidon underwater nuclear drone and Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile. ", "Russian Navy to put over 30 Poseidon strategic underwater drones on combat duty - source", "Key stage of Poseidon underwater drone trials completed, says Putin", "A bungled leak about Russia's nuke plan or a leak to show its military might? 13 November 2015. [44] The seabed launch option was patented (RU 2135929 patent) by the Poseidon designer Alexander Shalnev. [34], Russian designers estimated the radius of detection of the drone will be about 2–3 km (1.2–1.9 mi) for 55 km/h (34 mph). On the poseidon i have seen the 100 MT claim and also 2MT. The missile was reportedly tested at Novaya Zemlya in 2017, 2018, and possibly also this winter. But even in the unlikely event that the U.S. could intercept 500 or more Russian ballistic missiles, a delivery system that could take days or weeks to reach its target seems hardly an efficient deterrent. Russia is also working on other new weapons, including an unmanned water vehicle called Poseidon, an air-launched ballistic missile called Kinzhal and a secret laser weapon called Peresvet. The Poseidon is one of the six new Russian strategic weapons announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on 1 March 2018. [9][10][11][12], In March 2018, the system was officially named "Poseidon", following a public vote. Russia suggests the Poseidon is a retaliatory weapon that would revenge a U.S. first strike even if American missile defenses were capable of stopping hundreds of Russian ICBMs. Russia’s Poseidon Nuclear Torpedo Base to be Ready by Summer 2022 The coastal base for strategic unmanned underwater Poseidon craft will be ready in the summer of 2022. USNI News. The Poseidon (Russian: Посейдон, "Poseidon", NATO reporting name Kanyon), previously known by Russian codename Status-6 (Russian: Статус-6), is an autonomous, nuclear-powered, and nuclear-armed unmanned underwater vehicle under development by Rubin Design Bureau, capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear payloads. Besides Poseidon, President Vladimir Putin announced another five weapons of strategic deterrence in March 2018. If either are to blame, […] [25], The Poseidon appears to be a torpedo-shaped robotic mini-submarine which can travel at speeds of 185 km/h (100 kn). [15], On 20 February 2019, the Russian Defence Ministry released a video, showing a Poseidon being test-launched by a B-90 Sarov special purpose submarine. The second submarine to carry the Poseidon is the Khabarovsk, a special prototype submarine based on the hull of Russia’s fourth-generation ballistic missile subs of the Borei class. It succeeded the UGM-27 Polaris beginning in 1972, bringing major advances in warheads and accuracy. It was followed by Trident I in 1979, and Trident II in 1990. [23][24][26] More recent information suggests a top speed of 100 km/h (54 kn), with a range of 10,000 km (5,400 nmi; 6,200 mi) and a depth maximum of 1,000 m (3,300 ft). Russia has begun underwater tests of its Poseidon thermonuclear torpedo. The UGM-73 Poseidon missile was the second US Navy nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) system, powered by a two-stage solid-fuel rocket. They will guarantee powerful Russian retaliation to any nuclear surprise attack and will make the US global missile defense senseless, the Izvestia said.-End- [37][38] However, supercavitation devices have not been observed on the available footage of Poseidon. Avangard and Poseidon: Russia’s 15,000mph missile and sea drone are too quick for the West Matthew Campbell Sunday November 18 2018, 12.01am , The Sunday Times The source also said the “the reactor is installed in the hull of the operating drone but the tests are being held as part of experimental design work rather than full-fledged sea trials at this stage.”. Its high-speed mode activates upon reaching a short finish range (2–3 kilometers), when the probability of detection of the drone is considerably higher. [19][20] For this purpose, the Poseidon is believed to be equipped with a toxic cobalt bomb, containing cobalt-60. [27], Typical depth of the drone may be about 50–100 meters for increased stealth features in low-speed stealth mode. Russia suggests the Poseidon is a retaliatory weapon that would revenge a U.S. first strike even if American missile defenses were capable of stopping hundreds of Russian ICBMs. Russian has launched the first of several submarines designed to carry thermonuclear-armed robot torpedoes. The Poseidon is a nuclear-powered, nuclear-tipped underwater mega-drone. Poseidon, which was previously dubbed Status-6, was officially announced in March along with other upcoming weapon systems, meant to counter the development of anti-ballistic missile technologies by the US. General John Hyten, during his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee in February 2019, has expressed his worries about new Russian nuclear delivery systems, namely the Poseidon underwater drone, the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile, Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missile, and the Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile. It’s believed to have a diesel-electric propulsion system. [34] Russian submarine designers say that a low-power reactor is preferred for Poseidon because a smaller reactor is less noisy. Photo by Nolan Peterson/Coffee or Die. Citing a military insider source, TASS reported earlier this week that It’s a long-range submersible drone capable of travelling at high speed deep underwater thanks to a miniaturized nuclear reactor. Russia plans to complete a storage and maintenance base with warehouses and workshops where the Poseidon will assume combat duty and conduct launches by June 2022, Izvestia reported. Put simply: Russia’s massive nukes aren’t really about strategic capability, so much as they’re about perception, intimidation, and economics. Comparing this to the volumes of other large thermonuclear bombs, the 1961 Soviet-era Tsar Bomba itself measured 8 metres long by 2.1 metres in diameter, indicates that the yield is at least several tens of megatons, generally consistent with early reports of 100 megatons. The test was reportedly carried out in the Arctic Ocean. No less is doubtful is Poseidon the Carrier-Killer. [16][17][18], The Poseidon warhead can contaminate a large area with radiation. Russia will launch its first nuclear-powered submarine capable of carrying the nuclear-capable underwater drone ‘Poseidon,’ alternatively referred to … Putin publicly announced Russia has been working on a nuclear-armed unmanned undersea vehicle. [7][8], In early 2018, Pentagon's Nuclear Posture Review publicly acknowledged development of Russia's "new intercontinental, nuclear armed, nuclear-powered, undersea autonomous torpedo". Poseidon is Putin’s showpiece. [citation needed], The Poseidon is intended as an asymmetric counter to U.S. missile defense systems, such as anti-ballistic missiles, railguns, or laser weapons, ensuring Russia's capability to overcome such systems. An aircraft carrier battle group would have reduced chances of defending itself against it. Russia’s top-tier unmanned nuclear-powered submarine Project ‘Poseidon’ seems to be on track as the country is set to establish a dedicated coastal base for this by next year. MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Tests of Russia's Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone were for the first time shown on Wednesday by the Rossiya 24 TV channel. [4], On 10 November 2015, a page of a document that contained information about a secret "oceanic multi-purpose system" called "Status-6" was "accidentally" revealed by Russian NTV television channel. These are part of a range of new ‘super weapons’ unveiled by President Putin on March 1, 2018. Russian Mystery Submarine Likely Deployment Vehicle for New Nuclear Torpedo. Russia plans to complete a storage and maintenance base with warehouses and workshops where the Poseidon will assume combat duty and conduct launches by June 2022, Izvestia reported. The 50MT claim on the new Rus missile comes from fact that it can carry up to 15 warheads, w/an avg yield of 3.33 MT per. It appears to be smaller than Russia’s Poseidon. Russia suggests the Poseidon is a retaliatory weapon that would revenge a U.S. first strike even if American missile defenses were capable of stopping hundreds of Russian ICBMs. The combination of speed, manoeuvrability, and altitude of hypersonic missiles, capable of travelling at more than five times the speed of sound, makes them difficult to track and intercept. There is simply nothing in the world capable of withstanding them.”, Putin added that Poseidon’s “nuclear power unit is unique for its small size while offering an amazing power-weight ratio. Moscow has repeatedly criticized the establishing of a U.S. missile defence system in Europe, calling it a “direct threat”. The Poseidon UUV is carried by a new version of Russia's massive Belgorod submarines (Image: GETTY) Related articles This is Russia’s 9M729 nuclear missile that Putin says doesn't exist [39] Pentagon estimates maximum speed of the Poseidon about 56 kn (104 km/h; 64 mph) without the supercavitation option. The Poseidon is an 80-foot-long nuclear-powered submersible robot that is essentially an underwater ICBM. It could travel for weeks toward enemy port cities, reaching high-speed only in the final stage. Russia is testing a nuclear-powered mega-torpedo called Poseidon and a nuclear-powered cruise missile called Burevestnik. According to NukeMap simulations, the size of the radioactive area will be about 1700×300 kilometers. Russian has launched the first of several submarines designed to carry thermonuclear-armed robot torpedoes. [21][22] Poseidon appears to be a deterrent weapon of last resort. [28], A U.S. intelligence officer told CNBC that the Poseidon is difficult to detect and difficult to target in stealth mode. [3], The first public appearance of Poseidon dates back to September 2015 and cites Pentagon sources. - ВПК.name", "Russia's nuclear-armed underwater drone may be ready for war in 2027", "Источник: стратегический подводный беспилотник "Посейдон" получит скорость более 200 км/ч", "Who's Afraid of Russia's Apocalypse Torpedo? Comments and corrections welcome. Boeing says it will be about 15.5m long and 2.5m wide, weighing up to 50 tons. Whether Poseidon adds much to Russia’s strategic nuclear forces is doubtful. [1], The National Interest compiled several unclassified defense sources from General Electric experts about the similar 601B project[31][32][33] and they predicted low weight and compact gas-cooled nuclear reactor in the drone. The Poseidon … [40], Two vessels that are speculated to carry the Poseidon, the Project 09852 Oscar-class submarine Belgorod and the Project 09851 Khabarovsk submarines, are new boats launched in 2019 and 2020, respectively. According to sources of "Izvestia" in the Ministry of Defense, the heavy missile "Sarmat" and the unmanned underwater complex "Poseidon"will be tested. Russia’s Poseidon strategic underwater drone will frustrate US efforts to create the global missile shield and its sea component, retired Rear Admiral Vsevolod Khmyrov said in late February. Malaysia ‘Holds Back’ Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Passenger Jet Over legal dispute According to The Moscow Times, the construction of required infrastructure to maintain and carry out […] Speculation rages on whether the engine that exploded was for a nuclear-powered cruise missile or some other weapon-related reactor. VLADIMIR Putin's underwater “Poseidon” drone capable of "destroying America with a nuclear earthquake" is in ... Putin boasted about the Poseidon and Russia's new hypersonic land nuke missile. It will not do much to deter or fight NATO. ", Pentagon Confirms Russia Has a Submarine Nuke Delivery Drone, "Russia has underwater nuclear drones, newly leaked Pentagon documents reveal", "US says Russia 'developing' undersea nuclear-armed torpedo", "Pentagon Confirms Existence of Russian Doomsday Torpedo", "Russia's Status-6: The Ultimate Nuclear Weapon or an Old Idea That Won't Die? Originally published on Forbes A recent nuclear leak may be related to new nuclear-powered strategic weapons Russia is developing. [36], The Poseidon is a family of drones rather than a single type, with some Poseidons designed only for destroying coastal cities and thus relying on "stealth" capabilities rather than on high speed,[28] and other ones primarily designed to attack carrier battle groups,[25] where the later ones may use the supercavitation, like the VA-111 Shkval torpedo, to be able to gain extremely high speed in attack mode (more than 200 km/h (120 mph)). Russia is testing a nuclear-powered mega-torpedo called Poseidon and a nuclear-powered cruise missile called Burevestnik. The Belgorod was launched in 2019 and is planned that this boat will be commissioned in 2020-2021. [28], It is 1.6–2 metres in diameter, and 24 metres long. These are part of a range of new ‘super weapons’ unveiled by President Putin on March 1, 2018. Russia suggests the Poseidon is a retaliatory weapon that would revenge a U.S. first strike even if American missile defenses were capable of stopping hundreds of Russian ICBMs. In the seabed option, known as Skif (Скиф), Poseidon can wait on the sea floor in a special container for as long as necessary. For the professional wrestler, see, Type of Nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed UUV, Oliphant R. Secret Russian radioactive doomsday torpedo leaked on television. The construction of maintenance and storage infrastructure for the new strategic weapon will be completed. SEVERODVINSK, RUSSIA - APRIL 23, 2019: The Belgorod nuclear-powered submarine (Special Project 09852), during the launching ceremony, that carries Poseidon strategic underwater drones. [5], According to Pentagon, Russia conducted the first test-launch of Poseidon on 27 November 2016, using the B-90 Sarov special purpose submarine. To improve the performance of our website, show the most relevant news products and targeted advertising, we collect technical impersonal information about you, including through the tools of our partners. TASS also reports the Poseidon, -- the name was chosen in a Web contest held by Russia’s Ministry of Defense – will be armed with a 2-megaton warhead. If either are to blame, […] [5] Speculation arose as to whether this was a warning signal or disinformation intended to mislead foreign intelligence services. ", "Pentagon documents confirm Russia is developing a nuclear submersible doomsday weapon", "Revealed: Russia's Top Secret Nuclear Torpedo", "Глубочайшая тайна России | Еженедельник "Военно-промышленный курьер, "Russia says it has successfully launched powerful new missile", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Status-6_Oceanic_Multipurpose_System&oldid=999334412, Articles containing Russian-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 9 January 2021, at 17:36. © Copyright 2021 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved. [29] The warhead shown in the leaked figure is a cylinder 1.5 metres in diameter by 4 metres in length, giving a volume of 7 cubic meters. Speculation rages on whether the engine that exploded was for a nuclear-powered cruise [13], In January 2019, Russian Navy announced plans to procure at least 30 Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicles, deployed on four submarines, two of which would serve the Russian Northern Fleet and two the Pacific Fleet. [45], Following the Russian President Vladimir Putin's statement in March 2018, in which he referenced to the Poseidon as a weapon that could hit U.S. port cities, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis stated Russia already has the capability to hit U.S. port cities with missiles, and said that Poseidon "does not change at all the strategic balance". And if nukes are being used, Russia has no shortage of missiles, bombs and aircraft to target American ships. Russian MoD: Tsirkon Hypersonic Missile, Poseidon Nuclear Torpedo Trials Close to Completion Work to develop and produce the latest naval weapon systems, such as the underwater unmanned Poseidon craft and hypersonic Tsirkon missile is successfully nearing completion, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Ru_Poseidon_test900.jpg. Since 2012 this incomplete Russia's Oscar II class cruise missile submarine is being converted to special purpose submarine. Let’s also leave aside the question of why, if Russia really is that advanced in reactor design, its regular nuclear submarines aren’t so blessed. The b41 mod 1 was 10 MT. Russia’s Nuclear Tsunami Apocalypse Torpedo is Named ‘Poseidon’ How worried should the U.S. Navy be? Russia’s Poseidon underwater drone currently under development will be able to carry a nuclear warhead with a capacity of up to 2 megatonnes to destroy enemy naval bases, a source in the Russian defence sector told TASS on Thursday. “The Poseidon will make it possible to frustrate all the US efforts to create the global missile shield system and, primarily, its sea component,” the rear admiral stressed. [43], According to some reports, the Poseidon may also have a seabed or mobile sites launch option. It is designed to travel autonomously across thousands of miles, detonate outside an enemy coastal city, and destroy it by generating a tsunami. According to reports, the Poseidon underwater nuclear drone is designed to be carried by submarines while the Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile will be deployed on surface ships. [30] Some reports suggest the yield of the Poseidon's warhead is as low as 2 Mt. Its main stealth feature is its very low speed before it reaches the target area. An information placard inside a Soviet-era nuclear fallout shelter in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. Drone submarine Russia claims could destroy US by ... Poseidon was said to have been developed to “destroy ... Putin boasted about the Poseidon and Russia's new hypersonic land nuke missile. The leak happened during Russian President Vladimir Putin's speech denouncing American plans concerning defensive missile technology. Russian Poseidon Intercontinental Nuclear-Powered Nuclear-Armed Autonomous Torpedo 2м39 'Poseidon' (Посейдон) / 'Status-6' (Статус-6 / 'Skif' (Скиф) seabed launched variant / NATO: KANYON Poseidon is the largest torpedo ever developed in any country. ", "Russian drone submarine would threaten U.S. coast; nuclear vessel in development", "Эксперт: создание РФ океанской системы "Статус-6" обесценит ПРО США", "Russlands skrekkvåpen er så farlig at det aldri er testet", "Trump questions the US's nuclear arsenal: Here's how the US's nukes compare to Russia's", "Pentagon Confirms Russia's Thermonuclear Submarine Bomb Is Real", "О возможностях гидроакустического обнаружения суперторпед системы "Статус-6" - ВПК.name", "Russia's nuclear underwater drone is real and in the Nuclear Posture Review", "Russia releases first video footage of new Kanyon/Status-6 nuclear torpedo | Naval Today", "This Nuclear Outboard Motor Was a Really Terrible Idea", "Why Russia's Status-6 Torpedo Is Really a 100-Megaton Cruise Missile", "Есть ли в России современное гидроакустическое вооружение? Low depth in stealth mode is preferred because sound waves move to ocean floor and reduce radius of detection. It has been unclear where and how testing of the Poseidon nuclear-powered drone takes place, but a previously published photo shows the Akademik Aleksandrov , a ship sailing special missions for the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research, en route out of Severodvinsk with the mega-drone onboard. The Poseidon is intended as an asymmetric counter to U.S. missile defense systems, such as anti-ballistic missiles, railguns, or laser weapons, ensuring Russia's capability to overcome such systems. If the goal is to sink a U.S. carrier, couldn’t Russia saturate a carrier’s defenses with a volley of conventionally-armed hypersonic missiles like the Mach 5-plus Khinzal? Michael Peck is a contributing writer for the National Interest. The Belgorod, recently launched from the Sevmash shipyard in northern Russia, is designed to carry the Status-6 Poseidon, an 80-foot-long robot sub with intercontinental range and armed with a 100-megaton warhead that to create a tsunami that will bury enemy coastal cities. Originally published on Forbes A recent nuclear leak may be related to new nuclear-powered strategic weapons Russia is developing. Here's What You Need to Remember: The puzzle is why a giant robot submarine would be needed to detonate a nuclear warhead near a U.S. aircraft carrier (presumably Poseidon is too expensive to waste by arming it with a mere high-explosive warhead). Its main role will be to carry the Poseidon UUVs. It appears to be smaller than Russia’s Poseidon. "Video Suggests Russia's Poseidon Nuclear-Powered Drone Has A Seabed-Launched Version", "The Truth Behind Russia's 'Apocalypse Torpedo, "Russia Releases Videos Offering An Unprecedented Look At Its Six New Super Weapons - The Drive", "Russia Building Nuclear-Armed Drone Submarine", "Russia reveals giant nuclear torpedo in state TV 'leak, "CIA: Leak of Nuclear-Armed Drone Sub Was Intentional", "Did Russia test doomsday weapon in Arctic waters? The Zircon and Poseidon missiles are more advanced projects. It is really fantastic. Boeing says it will be about 15.5m long and 2.5m wide, weighing up to 50 tons. They are quiet, highly maneuverable and have hardly any vulnerabilities for the enemy to exploit. [46], "Kanyon" redirects here. It is a hundred times smaller than the units that power modern submarines, but is still more powerful and can switch into combat mode, that is to say, reach maximum capacity, 200 times faster.”. It’s believed to have a diesel-electric propulsion system. He can be found on Twitter and Facebook. [28], The development includes also use of stealth technology, to elude acoustic tracking devices. First revealed in 2015, this nuclear-powered underwater drone—one of Russia's next-generation nuclear weapons—is nicknamed the … [24][29][41][42] Oscar-class submarines could carry four Poseidon torpedoes at the same time for a total yield of up to 400 megatonnes. In 2021, at least two promising domestic weapons systems will reach the finish line — the beginning of testing. The announcement about the addition of the Poseidon nuclear drone and Tsirkon missile was made by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia is testing a nuclear-powered mega-torpedo called Poseidon and a nuclear-powered cruise missile called Burevestnik. [6] The CIA has concluded the leak was intentional. The drone could detonate its very large warhead at standoff range, and anti-submarine warfare units would have very little time to react because of the speed at which it travels. Russia launches sub that will carry doomsday nuke drone torpedo Russia’s top-tier unmanned nuclear-powered submarine Project ‘Poseidon’ seems to be on track as the country is set to establish a dedicated coastal base for this by next year. the most powerful nuclear warhead ever fielded by the US was the b41 mod 0, a 25 MT gravity bomb. This year, an underwater drone and the latest rocket will reach the finish line. [28] A second important stealth feature of the drone is the special design of the pump-jet for clearance of the drone's acoustic signature to imitate the noise of civil ships.