On November 27, Russian sailors successfully tested the unmanned nuclear submarine Status-6, capable of carrying a multi-megaton nuclear warhead. Washington Free Beacon columnist Bill Hertz reports. Participated in the tests Submarine special purpose B-90 "Sarov".

Bill Hertz calls Status-6 a revolutionary device. Since the designers of the USA and other technologically advanced countries of the world have not yet approached this idea.

Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis declined to comment on the test, saying: “We are closely monitoring the development of Russian undersea technology, but will not comment on this.” In the same time military department does not doubt the reality of the existence of “Status”, it was even assigned the NATO index - “Canyon”.

This weapon became known about a year ago, when during a televised meeting with Vladimir Putin there was a “leak of top-secret information,” which was undoubtedly planned. Thus, a signal was sent to American strategists that the new weapon was guaranteed to make a hole in the massive defense of the North American continent and cause destruction on a scale that exceeded the attack of several known intercontinental ballistic missiles. That is, this is not just an asymmetrical response to the treacherous construction of the European missile defense system, but a solution that repeatedly covers the missile defense system, NATO battalions in Poland and the Baltic states, and other potentially aggressive actions of Washington towards Russia.

Deciphering by Western experts of a slide that was “leaked” to two central Russian TV channels, gave quite a lot of information to understand what the uninhabited underwater vehicle (UUV) “Status-6”, developed at the Rubin Central Design Bureau, is. The following words were read: “The purpose is to defeat important enemy economic facilities in the coastal area and cause guaranteed unacceptable damage to the country’s territory by creating zones of extensive radioactive contamination, unsuitable for carrying out military, economic and other activities in these zones for a long time.”

It must be said that a similar project existed in the early 60s. The T-15 torpedo was developed, which had a length of 24 meters and a weight of 40 tons. It was supposed to be equipped with a 100-megaton thermonuclear charge. But at that time there were no compact nuclear reactors for a power plant, and battery-powered electric motors ensured that the torpedo could only travel 30 kilometers.

But after half a century, the problem with the reactor was solved. At the same time, significant progress has occurred not only in nuclear energy, but also in electronic components, control systems, materials, and other components torpedo weapons. In addition, the strategy and tactics of the Navy have changed. Therefore, the Status-6 NPA is a completely new development, having only a 100-megaton charge power in common with the T-15.

Moreover, the new development is not a torpedo, but an underwater robot that has elements of artificial intelligence and is capable of operating independently at a distance of several thousand kilometers from its carrier - a special-purpose submarine.

Technical parameters that circulate in open access, are, of course, not based on the top secret documents of the Rubin Central Design Bureau of Medical Technologies. They are the result of deciphering a slide from the Ministry of Defense that appeared on television, and an analysis by experts, both domestic and foreign, taking into account the scientific, technical and technological potential of the Russian military-industrial complex.

First of all, it is necessary to say not about the quantitative, but about the qualitative side of the warhead. In order to realize the goals set for “Status”, the warhead must have a cobalt section. This should lead to maximum and long-term radioactive contamination of a vast territory. It is estimated that with a wind speed of 26 km/h, the radioactive cloud will poison a rectangle of coast measuring 1700x300 km.

The Rubin device is capable of destroying naval bases, aircraft carrier strike groups, and ground air bases. All this has been experimentally tested by the Americans themselves. In 1946, the US Navy tested an underwater explosion with a yield of 23 kilotons. As a result, the completely new aircraft carrier Independence, launched in 1942, was lost. After four years of unsuccessful decontamination attempts, it was scuttled. But the Status warhead contains several orders of magnitude more radioactive cobalt fission products.

Presumably the speed of the UUV ranges from 100 km/h to 185 km/h. It is provided by water-jet propulsors powered by a reactor with a power of 8 MW. The reactor has a liquid metal coolant, which makes it possible to increase efficiency and also significantly reduce noise. What makes Status-6 practically invisible underwater. Among other things, the reactor has an excellent cost-to-power ratio. It could cost about $12 million to produce effective weapon containment, such costs are insignificant.

When analyzing the strength of the Status-6 hull, it was found that it has a working depth of 1000 meters. All of the above qualities indicate that UUVs are extremely difficult to detect even at maximum speed. For the SOSSUS hydroacoustic anti-submarine system, which monitors the US coast, the new device is much less noticeable than the world's quietest submarine, Varshavyanka. It is estimated that Status-6 at a cruising speed of 55 km/h can be detected no further than at a distance of 2-3 km. If detected, it will easily evade any NATO torpedo on maximum speed. In addition, the UUV, possessing intelligence, is capable of performing complex maneuvers.

Indeed, the chances of destroying Status-6 even if it is detected are minimal. The fastest US torpedo, the Mark 54, has a speed of 74 km/h, that is, according to minimal estimates, 26 km/h less. The deepest-sea European torpedo with the formidable name MU90 Hard Kill, launched in pursuit, is capable of traveling no more than 10 km at a maximum speed of 90 km/h.

When assessing the capabilities of “Status-6”, one should take into account the “intelligence” of this NPA. As a deterrent weapon, it can arrive at its destination and lie low, waiting for a signal to detonate the warhead. The signal can be sent through an ultra-long wave channel, since ultra-long waves penetrate the water column. In this case, we will have a deterrent weapon ready to work instantly. Without wasting time on approaching and “swimming”.

It can be assumed that the tasks of this system also include solving other problems. Using such a powerful platform, capable of acting independently for a long time, including making tactical decisions, Status-6 can also obtain invaluable intelligence information.

And finally, about the carriers of “Status-6”. The Project 20120 diesel-electric submarine Sarov, built in a single copy, is designed to test the latest deep-sea technology. Therefore, she is not a carrier. However, at Sevmash, in secrecy, two special-purpose boats are being built - Belgorod and Khabarovsk, which, judging by a number of indirect data, will serve Status-6. Presumably, they will be commissioned this decade.

“Status-6” (ocean multi-purpose system) is a domestic unmanned aerial system designed to deliver deadly cargo to the enemy’s shore. The innovative development is a new milestone in the concept of combat operations, designed to nullify the system missile defense supposed enemy. After all, the “rocket” will fly not through the air, but under water.

First mentions

Back in 2012, references surfaced in the media about the US desire to create a missile defense system that would serve as a shield against intercontinental ballistic missiles Russian Federation. The domestic military was asked to develop an alternative method of delivering a projectile in the event of a proposed war. A weapon system using a high-yield nuclear warhead was mentioned, but not a dirty bomb.

Thus, in some places on television, certain drawings flashed, which in some places were passed off as innovative developments, and in others as prototypes of outdated weapons models. It was not possible to find out which of this is a lie and which is true.

Danger zones

The Western press has already dubbed new project as a "weapon of retaliation". In 2015, the BBC aired a report that stated that Russia was creating a robotic submarine capable of transporting a nuclear charge over a distance of up to 10,000 kilometers at a depth of up to 1,000 meters. An underwater torpedo is capable of creating zones in the waters of the supposed enemy that are unfavorable for life, fishing and military-economic activities.

Skeptics' opinions

The reaction from critics was immediate. The harm from intercontinental ballistic missiles is obvious. But they start in hard-to-reach places all over the planet and make their way to enemy territory through the air, where they are met by a missile defense system.

Project “Status-6” of the ocean multi-purpose system “sneaks” into enemy territory underwater at a depth of about 1 kilometer. There is an opinion that it would be necessary to develop a navigation system in such an “atmosphere”, because a torpedo can crash into underwater rocks, stumble upon reefs or get lost in underwater caves.

On the other hand, it is assumed either remote control of such a system, or import of seabed maps, which are successfully used in the operation of floating oil platforms.

The logic of defeating the enemy

The developer of this system is the Central Design Bureau for MT "RUBIN". Many bloggers, imagining themselves as experts in the military industry, tactics and military affairs, boldly rushed to claim that the news was one hundred percent true, and to refer to imaginary sources that were not subject to disclosure. The logic of using such torpedoes is to contaminate the ports of the perceived enemy with radioactive waste, thereby depriving the opponent of the fleet and shipping industry. Such measures, if they do not lead to the collapse of the economy, will force it to significantly reconsider.

This assumption does not tolerate any criticism (even if the author refers to specific individuals from the Central Design Bureau for Medical Technologies "RUBIN"). The declared power of weapons in different sources varies from 10 to 100 megatons. For comparison: the bomb dropped on Hiroshima had only 20 kilotons, and the well-known “Kuzkina Mother”, also known as the “Tsar Bomba”, had 58.6 megatons.

It is worth recalling that based on the results of the last mentioned test, the following conclusions were made:

• the fireball from the explosion reached a radius of 4.6 km;
• the seismic wave generated by the explosion bypassed Earth three times.

The two points mentioned are enough to understand that retaliation weapons with a figure of 100 megatons will either put an end to all humanity, or are nothing more than a tool of information warfare.

References to the T-15 project

It should be said that in the fifties something similar was already proposed by Academician Sakharov. According to literary sources, it was proposed to equip torpedoes with cobalt shells to enhance the blast wave. The idea was to explode off the coast of the United States, thereby generating giant waves that could significantly damage enemy infrastructure.

The project was rejected due to the high cost and the lack of underwater vehicles capable of transporting a charge of a similar design.

Many discussions of the article and reviews of Internet bloggers are full of references to this project. Nevertheless, the damaging factors for “Status-6” assume contamination of an area with radiation 1700 km deep, as well as 300 km wide, taking into account a wind speed of 26 km/h. The information was modeled using the NukeMap program. And this does not take into account cobalt reinforcement.

The second factor is the colossal wave. Presumably, such an explosion is capable of generating a tsunami from 300 to 500 meters in height and affecting a land area of ​​500 kilometers.

Invisible "Status-6"

It is not for nothing that the oceanic multi-purpose system moves at such a depth (1 km) - it is so difficult to detect even with the help of a modern echolocation system. The only way out is for the enemy to revive the defense naval program from World War II, which involves the use of deep-sea sonars, but they are capable of covering a distance within a radius of 18 kilometers.

However, until the project is officially presented, it is difficult to judge how the stealth technology of the new torpedo is implemented. Experts suggest that upon reaching a certain speed, Status-6 will become invisible to detection systems, and at maximum speed it will be able to successfully evade NATO torpedoes.

Scheme "Status-6"

The design, or rather its free interpretation, was made by newspapers WBF and Russian Forces based on the same screenshot that accidentally surfaced in the press. And all assumptions about the structure of the new weapon are exclusively made by Western experts trying to make any guesses about the “Status-6” system.

The ocean multi-purpose system, according to their assumptions, is equipped with a high-strength hull. This goes without saying, because at a depth of 1000 meters there is high pressure.

Nuclear reactor. Of course, there is no reliable information about the type and power of such.

The stealth technology of this product is this moment is shrouded in mystery and consists solely of speculation as described above.

And the drone is probably equipped with communications and remote control. Although, according to another version, the route to the target is laid out even before launch, then the product moves towards the target autonomously.

Considering that the stated speed is approximately 95 km/h, the retaliation weapon will take 5 or 6 days to move towards the enemy coast. During this time, the situation in the world may change, but the “death machine” will continue to carry out its combat mission.

Western opinion

A number of American analysts caught the implication. After all, it was within the framework of the discussion of the anti-missile system that information about “Status-6” surfaced. The ocean-based multi-purpose weapon system is a deterrent weapon against the Western missile defense deployment program around the world.

NATO even assigned its own classification to this innovation, calling it Kanyon. According to The Daily Mirror, "S Tatus-6" is a weapon for a retaliatory strike, capable of restoring the balance of power in the event of the outbreak of war and tilting the scales in favor of the Russian Federation.

The popular science publication New Scientist notes that a torpedo will become an unambiguous guarantee of the destruction of the United States, as well as humanity as a whole. There are already too many nuclear weapons of various capacities in the world. The recycling program starts and then pauses. Therefore, with the advent of new doomsday weapons, the balance of power in the world is approaching a dangerous point.

Meanwhile, former adviser Steven Pifer argues that this is more like paranoia. After all, the US missile defense system is capable of containing up to 40 warheads, while Russia (according to Pifer) has more than one and a half thousand of them. Therefore, the development of such weapons is an excess, at least according to the principle of Occam’s Razor - if you have everything you need, then adding something else will be superfluous. In view of the above, it is believed that there is no urgent need to implement this project in the near future.

Export version

Bye western world froze in anticipation, the Taiwanese publication China Times expressed an expert opinion on the possibilities of exporting a new ocean-going multi-purpose system to China and India. This does not contradict the security concept of the Russian Federation for a number of reasons:

• technical implementation of supplies is possible no earlier than 2029, when the project will pass all stages of testing and the implementation of “Status-6” will be officially announced;
• the ocean multi-purpose system does not pose a threat to Russia, since settlements located far from the coast (which cannot be said about the USA);
• deliveries to India and China do not contradict international law if the system does not carry a nuclear charge.

Alex Calvo, an expert in the field of international law, having analyzed information on the supply of a new torpedo, came to the following conclusions:

• international law prohibits uninhabited nuclear systems, but here we are talking only about those that are based on the ocean floor, “Status-6” no longer falls under this definition;
• if it is not legally proven that the new multi-purpose system carries a nuclear charge, then in fact such a torpedo can enjoy the “right of innocent passage” into the territorial waters of another state;
• a number of countries that try to ban the passage of Status-6 into their waters will face another legal problem: the passage of manned submarines can be banned, but nowhere is there any talk of uninhabited controlled (or autonomous) drones;
• if the United States decides to strictly limit the passage of the system into its waters, this will provoke a conflict with China, since the latter insists on unquestioning implementation by the States international agreements for freedom of navigation.

Conclusion

Weapons such as Status-6 have historically always been considered a kind of guarantor of deterrence, rather than a weapon that is used almost every day. The very prospect of any state using such weapons will entail a retaliatory nuclear strike.

And the outbreak of a nuclear war will lead to the complete destruction of the planet’s atmosphere and make it uninhabitable for many years.

Meanwhile, it is worth considering that all of the above information is 80% based on the opinions and conclusions of Western experts. The remaining 20% ​​are excerpts from numerous forums, blogs and online reviews of innovations in military equipment. The only hint that the said Status-6 torpedo is being developed in Russia is a photograph that appeared on the news on the central channel (photo below), accidentally snatched by a journalist’s camera from behind an officer’s shoulder.

This is where all the discussions about creating a new “Doomsday Weapon” began. There are no longer any officially published documents indicating the reliability of this information. For many years, the topic has been fueled exclusively by those who like to discuss the topic of confrontation between Russia and the United States. In such discussions, essays from the Cold War times (of course, in a free interpretation) and materials from semi-fiction works of various writers often come up. The discussion, as a rule, comes down to theses like “Yes, we will give the Pindos a light!” or “Finished it, America.”

It should also be recalled that Russia inherited an information protection system from the Soviet Union, which consists of four stages.

The first stage is the so-called documents for official use (DSP), which do not contain any secret information, but it is assumed that this information is exclusively for certain persons (for example, for employees of an enterprise), and for outsiders there is no information are of no value.

The second stage (first level of secrecy) is documentation marked “secret”. This information has serial numbers starting from zero. As a rule, these are some orders from the military “tops” to carry out certain operations. Such documents provide for the presence of information not for disclosure, but there is no information that falls under the category of “state secret”.

Third (second level of secrecy) - numbering with two zeros and the stamp “top secret”. An example could be operating instructions for new experimental types of weapons, which are still listed under the GRAU index (an example of wording is “product No. 13”). Instructions for the use of nuclear weapons, as well as torpedoes, fall under this category.

The fourth stage (third level secrecy) is information of particular importance that can affect the security of the state. In the era of the USSR, minutes of meetings of the CPSU Central Committee fell under this category.

The meeting of the President with representatives of the military command of the Russian Federation is, of course, an event of particular importance, and therefore falls under the last specified category. Therefore, leakage of classified information is completely excluded.

This leads to the conclusion that a document that allegedly accidentally fell into the camera lens can be nothing more than a “stuffing”. Still, an information war is also a war.

Considering all of the above, it is impossible to say with one hundred percent certainty that such a project is being developed. It is also impossible to say with complete certainty that it is not being developed, since the domestic military-industrial complex has all the necessary means the implementation of such a torpedo has been around for several decades.

It is quite possible that the release of this information was done deliberately with the aim of generating a reaction in the Western media and observing it in order to analyze it (or just laugh).

In conclusion, it is worth noting that there is a minimum of reliable information about the project. A single frame from the news does not say anything; the vast majority of information about the project is based on the opinions of Western analysts and Russian bloggers.

If all this is true, then Western defense structures will have to significantly reconsider their systems for countering such complexes and make adjustments to a number of points of international law regarding the import of weapons and the presence of foreign ships and submarines in territorial waters. And this must be done as quickly as possible.

What, in general, will happen in the end is difficult to say. But only one state cannot have the weapon of deterrence. It is “doomed” to appear in someone else. Every action causes a reaction. And for every weapon, its own “shield” is developed. And so this arms race rushes endlessly through history, giving rise to ever new terrifying types of weapons that threaten at one time or another to wipe out all life from the face of the earth.

I can’t help but remember the scene of complete disarmament from the film “X-Men: Apocalypse,” when rockets from all countries of the world are launched and launched into outer space. And then they explode outside the earth’s atmosphere. Whether this will remain just a fantasy or will one day come true - time will tell.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen.
I am surprised. This is difficult to achieve, but it can happen.

Today they are doing PR like the Darkest One, they started waving a vigorous loaf

I already wrote about how scary it was 2 years ago - September 7, 2013

Tepericha ento

Ocean multipurpose system "Status-6"

http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1572614.html

Tama's most reasonable comments
- Today there will be a holiday at the Pentagon. Generals and admirals will drink whiskey for the glory of Putin. Why, I gave them such a gift. Now you can go to Congress, shake this photo and demand more money for some projects. So today is a holiday for the girls..........

The United States and its allies are convinced that there really is a maniac in power in Russia and something needs to be done about it.

You can, of course, try to crush the adversary with the mosh of reason on the remnants of the USSR, and the military budget to the detriment of future generations. But the experience of the WHOLE rest of the world shows that with a bare ass... ugh, a budget the size of Apple, you can only launch Iskanders accompanied by Petrosyan... And after all, China is nearby, which has long understood this, and for the last twenty years, without much regard the fifth column in the USA was quietly putting together the clamps, but our managers are still not happy...

The USSR built 244 nuclear submarines. And the rest of the world together built 240. The world lives on. But the USSR died.
- the USSR’s nuclear filament was longer and thicker, which did not prevent it from sinking into oblivion
we need to start with the economy to build superiority

What ridiculous and even childishly funny nonsense! Those. They do not recognize the terrorist attack, nor do they recognize the absolutely obvious worsening of the crisis, unemployment, collapse, collapse and sale of everything. But they admit such an annoying “leak” of secret information about the super-mega secret weapon, turning Russia into the coolest power. But the most important thing is that this story is not even directed at the “enemy”, who is essentially the employer and partner of the Russian elite and the darkest. Therefore, these supposed enemies know more about our army than its military personnel. This stuffing is aimed at Russian TV viewers, so that they are in the next stream of incredible pride in their great country, did not notice that the Motherland had long since come to an end. The herd supports the principle - even if there is no money in the country for kindergartens, medicine, pensions, roads, agriculture and opening our own production, we can build a mega-crap with which we will destroy all enemies! Adherents of Putin's sect get very excited when they imagine themselves victorious over the USA and NATO, but do not understand that their carcasses will burn in a nuclear apocalypse, while their leader and his retinue will be holed up in bunkers.

They shouldn't have thrown this crap in. Everyone understands perfectly well that a cobalt torpedo can be built.
It is also clear why they did this - to intimidate their partners so that they would not touch their accounts.
BUT they made a serious mistake. They decided to intimidate without having such a doomsday weapon.
And therefore there will be a reaction - they will not be fooled into creating it.

Putin is scary. Leak))) about the marine system of “extensive radiation contamination” of the US coast
http://vg-saveliev.livejournal.com/1222530.html

Tama's most reasonable comments
- The most interesting thing is that this system simply does not exist. Fake. But God bless her. We are no match for America, and everyone understands this. This fake is for internal consumption and only for internal consumption. It is necessary to maintain the degree of hatred in cotton heads. First they supported him with an airplane, now with fake weapons. Expect more to come soon. In Syria it’s a bummer, in Ukraine it’s a bummer. We need to come up with something else. They will come up with the most outright nonsense, but they will come up with it.

Citizen Putin openly declares that if they start to attract him to The Hague, he does not intend to sit on one Boeing. He needs at least an article for aggravated mass murder.

In addition, the very concept of “extensive radioactive contamination” somewhat does not fit into military strategy, but it completely falls under the ideology of terrorism with its “dirty bombs” and other methods. Nuclear land mines at traffic intersections were planned with full military purpose- stop the advance of Soviet tank armies. And Putin’s “extensive contamination of coastal territories” has only a secondary military component; what is primary here is pure terrorism - the impact on civilians, given the densely populated American coast. The American Navy is based in the ports. And in this Putin bullshit we are clearly talking about “extensive contamination of territories,” which clearly implies not only ports but also the coast in general and clearly looks like terrorism aimed at civilians.

To strike targets on the US coast: the oceanic multi-purpose system "Status-6"
http://i-korotchenko.livejournal.com/1199471.html

Tama's most reasonable comments
- We still have to hold out until 2025.
- Where is the stamp “Soviet Secret, Ex. No.”? Why are people without security clearance nearby? This is a picture from the magazine "Murzilka".
- This is an information leak designed to scare opponents. It must be admitted that the arms race is in full swing. The Russian Federation does not have the resources to confront a coalition of democratic states, and our country also does not have allies. Russia is gradually being turned into a rogue country. From this situation, leaders are forced to prove to the world that they are capable of instilling fear in the enemy. That's how it goes North Korea That's what Iran did. This news is directed not only externally, but also internally: the people are forming the opinion that we have a deadly club capable of destroying the enemy and making his land uninhabitable.
- we look at the timing of the adoption of the system into service and think why the idiots gave time for any preventive strike against the supposedly the system being created despite the fact that in 5 years both the Shah and the donkey will die more than once!
- A cobalt bomb is a theoretical modification of a nuclear weapon that produces increased radioactive contamination and contamination of the area with a relatively weak explosion. It is a radiological weapon.

It is a thermonuclear weapon in which the last shell contains not uranium-238, but cobalt-59. During the explosion, this shell is irradiated by a strong neutron flux, and the cobalt is transmuted into the radioactive isotope cobalt-60. The half-life of cobalt-60 is 5.2 years; as a result of the beta decay of this nuclide, nickel-60 is formed in an excited state, which then passes to the ground state, emitting one or more gamma rays.
The activity of 1 gram of cobalt-60 is estimated at 41.8 TBq (1130 Ci). To ensure contamination of the entire surface of the Earth at a level of 1 gram per square kilometer, about 510 tons of cobalt-60 are required.
It is officially believed that cobalt bombs have not yet been created and no country has them in its arsenal.
Now apparently there is.

Addition
Putin-style as it is - the more saber-rattling and "patriotism" in foreign policy - the more liberalism in the economy. New episode rattling shows that well...and the economy is growing...

The media “accidentally” filmed a new Russian development capable of eliminating America from the depths.

Without exaggeration, a stunning document was captured by two federal media channels at a meeting on development of the defense industry in Sochi, which was held by Vladimir Putin on November 9, 2015. Let us recall that the president then said that Russia would develop strike systems capable of overcoming any missile defense systems.

“NTV” and “Channel One” showed stories (now deleted), where allegedly by accident, through the back of, presumably, the head of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces, Colonel General Andrei Kartapolov, the concept and timing of the implementation of the development, which, in theory, bears the stamp, was filmed “Top Secret”, namely, the ocean multi-purpose system “Status-6”.

As can be seen from the screenshot, its developer is OJSC Central Design Bureau MT Rubin. This is one of the leading Soviet and Russian enterprises in the field of designing submarines, both diesel-electric and nuclear, for example, the Borei SSBN.

The purpose of the system is “to destroy important enemy economic facilities in the coastal area and cause guaranteed unacceptable damage to the country’s territory by creating zones of extensive radioactive contamination that are unsuitable for carrying out military, economic and other activities in these zones for a long time.”

Two nuclear submarines are depicted as the intended carriers: the special-purpose nuclear submarine Belgorod, which is under construction, is an unfinished Antey-class cruiser, relaid on December 20, 2012 under special project 09852, and also a special-purpose submarine laid down on July 27, 2014 at Sevmash. "Khabarovsk" project 09851.

First, we should talk about special-purpose submarines. We have already written that on August 1, in Severodvinsk, a ceremony was held to remove the special-purpose nuclear submarine BS-64 Podmoskovye from the slipway of workshop No. 15. The submarine was converted from the K-64 missile carrier of Project 667BDRM into a boat designed to work with nuclear deep-sea stations (AGS) and uninhabited underwater vehicles in the interests of the top-secret Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research (GUGI) of the Russian Ministry of Defense. This boat still has to undergo mooring and then factory sea trials, after which the BS-64 Podmoskovye will replace the Orenburg boat in the fleet, which was also converted from a Project 667BDR missile carrier in 1996-2002.

During trips to sea on the running gear and government tests of the BS-64 will presumably interact with the AGS of the Sperm Whale, Halibut and Losharik projects. Or more precisely, to be the carrier (mother boat) of one or another “baby,” as the AGS is also called. The carrier secretly delivers a mini-submarine (AGS), which has a low speed, to the desired area, after which it disconnects it for autonomous operation.

"Orenburg" and AGS are part of the mysterious 29th separate brigade submarines of the Northern Fleet, which performs tasks in the interests of GUGI. For reference: until 1986, the “kids” were not included in the Navy, but were part of a General Staff unit associated with the GRU. We also note that the former commander of the 29th brigade submarine of the Northern Fleet, Rear Admiral Vladimir Dronov, and more than ten officers bear the titles of Heroes of the Russian Federation (read about what tasks special-purpose nuclear submarines and AGS can perform in the material - nuclear submarine "Podmoskovye": an underwater reconnaissance submarine is being prepared to hunting).

Now regarding the “Status-6” system. In early September of this year, the American publication The Washington Free Beacon reported that Russia was allegedly creating an “underwater drone” codenamed “Canyon”, capable of carrying nuclear weapons with a yield of tens of megatons and threatening US ports and coastal cities.

Then naval analyst Norman Polmar suggested that the Canyon system was based on the Soviet T-15 linear nuclear torpedo with a capacity of 100 megatons (the idea of ​​Academician Sakharov), which was designed in the 50s precisely for striking coastal targets in the territory USA.

In his memoirs, Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov said the following about this: “One of the first with whom I discussed this project was Rear Admiral Fomin... He was shocked by the “cannibalistic nature” of the project and noticed in a conversation with me that military sailors were accustomed to fighting armed enemy in open battle and that the very thought of such mass murder is disgusting to him.”

Interestingly, for regulatory reasons, as well as taking into account other factors, the T-15 torpedo was developed without the participation of the Navy. The Navy learned about it only through the project of the first nuclear submarine.

Let us note that at one time it was precisely for such a large torpedo that the first Soviet nuclear submarine of Project 627 was specially created, which was supposed to have not eight torpedo tubes, but one - with a caliber of 1.55 meters and a length of up to 23.5 meters. It was assumed that the T-15 would be able to approach the American naval base and with a super-powerful charge of several tens of megatons, destroy all living things. But then this idea was abandoned in favor of a submarine with eight torpedoes, which could solve a whole range of tasks. And as a result, Project 627A nuclear submarines were created.

Military historians claim that Soviet admirals, having familiarized themselves with the project in 1954, confidently declared that the submarine would certainly be destroyed on the approach to the American base. Moreover, the entrances to all American bases are covered many kilometers away by the winding shores of bays, islands, shoals, as well as booms and steel nets. They say that the T-15 torpedo cannot overcome such obstacles on the way to the object.

However, as military expert and historian Alexander Shirokorad said, in 1961 the idea of ​​the T-15 was again revived at the suggestion of academician Andrei Sakharov.

The fact is that in fact the tactics of using such a super-torpedo could be completely different. The nuclear submarine was supposed to secretly fire a torpedo at a distance from the coast much greater than 40 km. Having used up all the energy of the batteries, the T-15 would lie on the ground, that is, it would become an intelligent bottom mine. The torpedo fuse could remain in the waiting mode for a long time for a signal from an aircraft or ship, through which the charge could be detonated. The point is that damage to naval bases, ports and other coastal facilities, including cities, would be caused by a powerful shock wave - a tsunami - caused by nuclear explosion…

That is, based on from the leaked in the media document, Russia decided to revive the idea of ​​academician Sakharov?

Deputy Director of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis Alexander Khramchikhin is convinced that such a scenario of an unplanned leak of information about developments classified as “Top Secret” in the media cannot exist in principle.

There is no doubt that this is a deliberate hoax. The goal is to make a known enemy think about his actions. But, to be honest, I highly doubt that the development under discussion will be implemented in hardware. That is, this leak is most likely pure misinformation. If only because no additional development is required to create “zones of extensive radioactive contamination.” Existing intercontinental missiles can already do this, the expert concludes.

Thus, the purpose of displaying a document in front of a camera lens is with top secret system - to frighten and puzzle Western “partners”.

However, if we assume that the development of such a system is really being carried out by the Rubin Central Design Bureau for MT? What does this mean?

Corresponding member of RARAN, reserve captain 1st rank Konstantin Sivkov, commenting on this “leak” in the media, suggests that, apparently, we are talking about the fact that special-purpose submarines will solve combat missions in the future.

If the ocean multi-purpose system "Status-6" is really being developed, then this, in my opinion, can only indicate one thing - our leadership is aware of the likelihood of a military clash with the West and is taking measures to counter the American threat of a military-technical nature - the concept of "Fast global impact" etc. Moreover, apparently, the threat is quite serious, since we're talking about about this option of guaranteed deterrence.

At one time I put forward an idea (voiced it and internationally military-technical forum “Army-2015”) that Russia needs to develop asymmetrical mega-weapons that will eliminate any threat of a large-scale war against Russia, even in conditions of the enemy’s absolute superiority in traditional weapons systems. Apparently, this development is in the same paradigm.

The fact is that from a geophysical point of view, the United States is a very vulnerable country. A guaranteed source of catastrophic geophysical processes there could be, first of all, a blow to the Yellowstone supervolcano to initiate a powerful eruption, and also an explosion powerful ammunition in the area of ​​the San Andreas, San Gabriel or San Jocinto faults.

Exposure to a sufficiently powerful nuclear weapon could trigger catastrophic events that could completely destroy US infrastructure on the Pacific coast by large-scale tsunami. Initiating giant tsunamis is the idea of ​​academician Sakharov. When several munitions are detonated at design points along the Atlantic and Pacific transform faults, according to scientists, a wave will be formed that will reach a height of 400-500 meters or more off the US coast...

It is quite possible to initiate such large-scale geophysical processes. Since today it is possible to “fit” high-power ammunition in weight and size characteristics, for example, of the same ICBM.

The “collateral damage” of the Russia investigation is becoming increasingly clear. Russia tried to split the legislative and executive branch in the USA, undermine institutional norms, sow distrust in law enforcement agencies and intelligence services in matters of regional crises, for example, in Syria, where the situation is increasingly out of control. This investigation brought American foreign and domestic policy to a crisis point. But behind all these ills, which mostly help newspapers increase their circulation and cable television increase their ratings, lurks a deeper and more serious threat: the acceleration of the race. nuclear weapons between Moscow and Washington.

Even in the rather calm and cloudless 1990s, the Kremlin always kept its finger on the nuclear button. This was partly due to the weakness of his nuclear forces, but on the other hand, it was a reaction to NATO’s awakened interest in conducting operations outside its area of ​​​​responsibility. Successive waves of NATO expansion, beginning in 1999, have predictably led to a significant increase in strategic tensions, with missile defense programs further exacerbating an already explosive situation. Thus, when the Obama administration began talking about a “reset” of Russian-American relations, the Kremlin had already begun a large-scale modernization of its nuclear forces. But this dam was finally broken by the Ukrainian crisis that began in the spring of 2014. The Cold War is back with new strength, and the investigation into Russia’s actions continues, having entered a new phase, and it has a stranglehold on Washington and has an extremely negative impact on Russian-American relations. Numerous anti-Russian hawks on Capitol Hill and in Washington today shout louder and shriller from the left than from the right flank. And the result of this belligerent nonsense can be considered the emergence of a truly terrifying naval nuclear weapon in Russia called “Status-6”.

This megaton-class nuclear weapon, as one Russian source calls it, is delivered to its target by an unmanned submarine, and is capable of wiping out a large portion of the US population in one apocalyptic strike against east coast America. This source explains: “The main task of the Status-6 unmanned underwater vehicle is to destroy important coastal elements of the enemy’s economy and cause guaranteed unacceptable damage to the country’s territory by creating vast zones of radioactive contamination that are unsuitable for carrying out military, economic and other activities in these zones.” for a long time." In addition, this source explains that this device is capable of destroying naval bases, carrier strike groups, and land-based air bases. The Bear Cave publication conducts brief analysis what Russian commentators say about Status-6.

Context

What is the Russian “Status-6” capable of?

A new nuclear race between Russia and the United States?

How America could accidentally push Russia to nuclear war

It is worth noting a few more details provided by a source associated with the military-industrial complex. "Status-6" is driven by a liquid metal coolant reactor and has cruising speed 55 kilometers per hour. But it is possible that it can develop a sprint speed of up to 100-185 kilometers per hour, which will allow it to evade all known torpedoes that are in service with probable enemy. This device has a working diving depth of 1,000 meters, its length is 26 meters and its width is 1.6 meters. The words of this source are confirmed by the assessment of American intelligence, which reports a successful test launch of a nuclear torpedo on November 27, 2016 from the Sarov submarine. Obviously, the development of this project is being carried out by the Rubin design bureau, specializing in marine technology. "Status-6" is called "a deterrent weapon with a 100% operational guarantee."

Reflecting on Brian Clark's comments in the above article, another Russian source said in January 2018: "Unfortunately for those who dream of destroying America with a giant tsunami, Project Status 6 is not as scary as it is made out to be." Another The Russian analyst is less frivolous in his statements, noting that Status-6 is not only an “asymmetric response” to the deployment of missile defense facilities in Eastern Europe, but also a reaction to “the deployment of NATO battalions in Poland and the Baltic states, as well as other Washington's aggressive actions against Russia." Discussion participants note that for the first time this project was developed at the beginning of the Cold War, but due to technical difficulties it was impossible to fully implement it. But “half a century later, the problem with the reactor was solved,” and now this project is completely feasible.

In December 2017, an article was published entitled “The United States is preparing a response to the Russian nuclear torpedo.” It says that the fairly new Orca Extra Large Underwater Unmanned Vehicle (XLUUV) is a system capable of “bringing about a localized nuclear apocalypse.” The author of the article acknowledges that the stated purpose of this American program is to conduct reconnaissance, search and destroy mines, and deliver cargo. However, he notes that Russian experts doubt the veracity of such statements. Apparently, they believe that the development of the Orca was intensified after the Americans learned about Russia's program to create the Status-6 underwater vehicle. Thus, the American system “may well influence the strategic balance of power between Russia and NATO.”

This view may make Russian strategists think that there is no point in accelerating the arms race again. At least one of the above-mentioned Russian analytical articles speaks of this sad reality: “There is no point in such weapons. Therefore, we will continue to scare the Americans with Soviet skeletons, and they will pretend that they are scared. The main thing is... funding has been allocated.”

Naturally, there are many interested individuals and groups in both countries that could benefit from a new Cold War. Military-industrial complex, which was first brought to the attention of President Eisenhower in his farewell speech in January 1961, must have noticed that countering Russia (and China) brought much greater (and stable) profits than fighting terrorism. An increasingly aggressive left, humiliated and irritated by its defeat in the race for the White House to a political newcomer, may well take up the American banner and claim that it is more patriotic because it speaks openly about the “full spectrum.” Russian threat. The right is unlikely to resist this call to return to the “good old days” when the country was ruled by Ronald Reagan and accepted that its main enemy was the Kremlin. But as a result of such limited and frivolous machinations, America and Russia will be much less prosperous and much more dangerous, especially if they encourage the crazy plans of military strategists and weapons developers in Moscow and Washington.

InoSMI materials contain assessments exclusively of foreign media and do not reflect the position of the InoSMI editorial staff.