President Vladimir Putin during his state-of-the-nation address to the Russian Federal Assembly in
March, showcased several weapons.
One of them was Poseidon (Status-6) unmanned underwater drone.
It will be carried by a new nuclear-powered submarine currently under construction.
Poseidon is one of a kind and poses a real challenge to Russia’s rivals.
In this video, Defense Updates analyzes WHY RUSSIA’S POSEIDON UNMANNED UNDERWATER DRONE
IS A DOOMSDAY WEAPON?
Let's get started.
The torpedo-shaped robotic mini-submarine can travel at speeds of 100 knots (185 km/h).
It has a range of 6,200 miles (10,000 km) and can travel at a maximum depth of 3,280
feet (1000 m).
This underwater drone is perceived to have stealth technology to avoid detection.
As per Russian sources, Poseidon is armed with a mammoth 100-megaton warhead.
To give viewers a perspective here is a comparison.
Trinity Test in New Mexico in July 1945, which ushered in the nuclear age, had a yield of
20-kilo tons.
Hiroshima’s “Little Boy" bomb had a yield of 13-18 kilotons whereas Nagasaki's "Fat
Man" bomb had a yield of 20– 22-kilotons of TNT.
Poseidon has the potential for multiple strategic uses.
These could be some of its mission.
1. Making nuclear tsunamis to flood and radioactively contaminate rivals coasts.
This weapon could create a tsunami wave up to 500 m tall that will radioactively contaminate
large parts of a enemies coastline.
Poseidon could be armed with a cobalt bomb.
A cobalt bomb is a type of “salted bomb": a nuclear weapon designed to produce enhanced
amounts of radioactive fallout, intended to contaminate a large area with radioactive
material.
Upon detonation, cobalt-59 would be transmuted into cobalt-60, a highly radioactive particle
with a half-life of more than 5 years.
It will cause massive devastation, rendering large areas unusable for years.
No country in the world has yet tested a cobalt bomb due to the devastating radiation it would unleash.
2. Destroying naval bases.
Being much smaller than a traditional submarine, the Poseidon could sneak very close to enemies
naval bases and detonate itself causing tremendous damage to enemies naval assets like warships
or submarine fleet.
3. Destroying U.S. aircraft carriers.
Russia’s main rival, U.S has about 10 supercarriers in active service.
These have been used to project power much beyond the American homeland.
Poseidon could be assigned to neutralize U.S carriers.
Russian could quietly preposition a few of these on the floor of the oceans then remotely
activate when in strike distance of a U.S carrier group.
4. Destroy U.S. SSBN fleet.U.S currently has an Ohio SSBN fleet of 14 vessels.
This is scheduled to decline to 12 Columbia SSBNs in the future.
On any given day, half of U.S. SSBN are in port, and other half patrolling at sea.
So, the most credibly survivable leg of the entire U.S. nuclear Triad is only about 6-7
submarines.
Poseidon could be used to tail these submarines and attack them on command.
Even a robust submarine of Ohio class may not survive a 100 megaton warhead even when
denoted 100 kilometers away.
The U.S and NATO members are developing multiple anti-missile defense systems.
The U.S missile defense systems like Ground-Based Midcourse Defense, Aegis Ballistic Missile
Defense System or Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) are designed to take out traditional
missiles.
Though Russia is developing offensive systems capable of penetrating the US air defense
shield, Poseidon would be an alternative mechanism.
Poseidon will be able to bypass these missile defense systems altogether
as it will travel underwater.