Status-6 Oceanic Multipurpose System
The Status-6, also known as Kanyon, is a purported nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed unmanned underwater vehicle developed or being developed by the Russian Federation. It would supposedly be able to deliver a thermonuclear cobalt bomb of up to 100 megatonnes against enemy's naval ports and coastal cities. "Kanyon" is the name given this drone by the Central Intelligence Agency.[1][2]
Operation
The Status-6 weapon is designed to create a tsunami wave up to 500 metres (1,600 ft) tall, which would radioactively contaminate a wide area on an enemy's coast with cobalt-60, as well as being immune to anti-missile defense systems such as anti-ballistic missiles, laser weapons, and railguns that might disable an ICBM or a SLBM.[3][4][5][6]
Two potential carrier submarines, which would carry the Status-6 externally,[7] the Project 09852 Oscar-class submarine Belgorod, and the Project 09851 Yasen-class submarine Khabarovsk, are new boats laid down in 2012 and 2014, respectively.[8][4][9][10]
Status 6 appears to be a deterrent weapon of last resort.[6][9][10] It appears to be a torpedo-shaped robotic mini-submarine which can travel at speeds of 185 km/h (100 kn).[6][9][11] 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).[12] This underwater drone is cloaked by stealth technology to elude acoustic tracking devices.[9] Its size appears to be 1.6 metres in diameter, and 24 metres long.[7] The warhead shown in the leaked figure is a cylinder 1.5 meters in diameter by 4 meters in length, giving a volume of 7 cubic meters. Comparing this to the volumes of other large thermonuclear bombs indicates that the yield is at least several tens of megatons, generally consistent with early reports.
History
The first public report about the Kanyon was in September 2015 and cited Pentagon sources.[13] On November 10, the Russian television station NTV "accidentally" showed a document in the hand of a Russian general during a report in which Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced American plans concerning defensive missiles. There was debate afterwards about whether this was a warning to the West or disinformation.[1]
A Pentagon draft Nuclear Posture Review report leaked in January 2018 stated that the Status-6 was under development.[14][15]
See also
References
- ^ a b "CIA: Leak of Nuclear-Armed Drone Sub Was Intentional". The Washington Free Beacon. November 19, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-11-20.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Pentagon Confirms Existence of Russian Doomsday Torpedo". Popular Mechanics. 2018-01-16. Retrieved 2018-01-21.
- ^ "What Is The Purpose Of Russia's Deadly Status-6 Torpedo". ValueWalk. 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2017-12-16.
- ^ a b Russian Mystery Submarine Likely Deployment Vehicle for New Nuclear Torpedo. USNI News. [1]
- ^ "What Is The Purpose Of Russia's Deadly Status-6 Torpedo". 8 December 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ^ a b c Steven Pifer S. Russia's perhaps-not-real super torpedo. Brookings Institution. November 18, 2015 [2]
- ^ a b Insinna, Valerie (12 January 2018). "Russia's nuclear underwater drone is real and in the Nuclear Posture Review". DefenseNews. Gannett. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
- ^ Franz-Stefan Gady. "Revealed: Russia's Top Secret Nuclear Torpedo". The Diplomat. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ^ a b c d Oliphant R. Secret Russian radioactive doomsday torpedo leaked on television. Telegraph. 13 November 2015 [3]
- ^ a b 'Assured unacceptable damage': Russian TV accidentally leaks secret 'nuclear torpedo' design — RT News [4]
- ^ Lockie, Alex (24 December 2016). "Trump questions the US's nuclear arsenal: Here's how the US's nukes compare to Russia's". Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ^ "Pentagon Confirms Russia's Thermonuclear Submarine Bomb Is Real". 8 December 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ^ "Russia Building Nuclear-Armed Drone Submarine". The Washington Free Beacon. Sep 8, 2015. Archived from the original on Nov 20, 2015.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Russia has underwater nuclear drones, newly leaked Pentagon documents reveal". 14 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
Russia is also developing at least two new intercontinental range systems, a hypersonic glide vehicle and a new intercontinental, nuclear-armed undersea autonomous torpedo.
- ^ Farley, Robert. "Russia's Status-6: The Ultimate Nuclear Weapon or an Old Idea That Won't Die?". The National Interest. Retrieved 21 January 2018.