According to analyst Peter Suciu writing for National Interest (NI), many may doubt Russia’s military strength due to the issues they have encountered. However, Status-6 (Poseidon), referred to by NATO as Kanyon, is a remarkably distinct weapon.
In Greek mythology, Poseidon is not only known as the “God of the Sea” but is also famous for his certainty to retaliate when offended, causing earthquakes and storms. The significance of this name seems quite fitting as the Kremlin chose it for one of its newest and most advanced underwater weapon systems.
Poseidon is one of six strategic weapons publicly announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his State of the Nation address in March 2018. It is an unmanned underwater vehicle powered by nuclear energy and equipped with nuclear weapons. It is a product of the Rubin Design Bureau.
Unmanned nuclear submarine Poseidon inside mother ship Belgorod. (Photo: The Times).
Unveiling in a Strange Manner
The Poseidon nuclear torpedo is designed to operate alongside Russia’s K-329 Belgorod submarine – a heavily modernized version of the Oscar-II nuclear submarine (Soviet Union).
Russia first hinted at the existence of this weapon through a strange document leak in 2015. A document mistakenly revealed on Russian television displayed images of Poseidon’s schematics and specifications.
Its existence was confirmed by the Pentagon in 2016, two years before President Putin officially announced it in the State of the Nation address. Since then, Poseidon has undergone periodic testing.
During a hearing on May 17 of this year, Admiral John Aquilino – commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command stated that Russia was likely to deploy Poseidon along with the Belgorod submarine in 2022.
Nuclear Tsunami
Poseidon has been propagated by Western media as a “doomsday” weapon, capable of generating tsunamis over 90 meters high, sufficient to wipe out coastal cities.
Experts say that a 50-megaton nuclear bomb detonated underwater could create a tsunami exceeding 97 meters, while Poseidon is believed to be capable of carrying a 100-megaton nuclear warhead.
Additionally, Poseidon has an operational range of nearly 10,000 kilometers with a maximum speed of 56 knots and the ability to carry nuclear warheads.
Image depicting Poseidon launched from the Belgorod. (Photo: Daily Mail)
During his speech on March 1, 2018, President Putin stated that this unmanned vehicle could traverse continents and deliver nuclear warheads targeting enemy aircraft carriers and coastal installations.
The Kremlin chief proudly asserted that Poseidon’s speed and deep-sea operational capabilities would leave adversaries with no way to intercept it. “This is truly extraordinary,” Mr. Putin emphasized.
Business Insider quoted physicist and nuclear weapons researcher Rex Richardson, who remarked that the nuclear warhead from Poseidon could devastate coastal cities.
According to the expert, an underwater explosion from this weapon system could create a catastrophic rain of radioactive fallout near the targeted area.
