According to the US Nuclear Posture Review, Russia's Status-6 intercontinental autonomous nuclear torpedo is a real weapon that poses a real threat. At the same time, analysts assess the reality of this threat differently.

“This is clearly a threat to America that needs to be taken into account,” says former U.S. submarine officer Brian Clark, now a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

Provided that the torpedo is created, main danger for Washington lies in its ability to bypass the US missile defense system.

“The US military will begin to fear that Status 6 could fool the ballistic missile defense system,” Clark notes. “However, the new torpedo will be comparable in noise level to submarines or will be even more noticeable in this regard. Like a submarine, the torpedo is powered by a nuclear propulsion system consisting of a small reactor and turbine, but there is not enough room for noise-reducing design features like floating decks and sound insulation. The US Navy must monitor these unmanned submarines using anti-submarine defense systems, including SOSUS.”

American sonars can easily detect a torpedo, but the United States has no effective defense against weapons like Status-6.

“The problem is finding a way to destroy the torpedo,” Clark says. – A submarine may abandon its plans after an unsuccessful torpedo attack or as a result of detection by sonar. But Status-6 has no crew, and will continue to move towards the target until it is physically stopped. Today, America does not have the weapons or technology to stop an underwater drone.”

"Status-6", despite all its innovation, is unlikely to become an effective weapon.

“In general, Status-6 is not considered an effective weapon,” Clark says. - Bomber with nuclear bombs or cruise missiles are controlled by a pilot who, in the event of an escalation or de-escalation of the conflict, may be ordered to abandon the operation or adjust his actions. In theory, the torpedo can also be recalled, but due to technical problems or communication problems, the activation or deactivation of the projectile may fail.”

“Status-6” is unlikely to be used in connection with balancing on the brink of nuclear war. “A torpedo is not as effective in terms of escalating a conflict, while bombers and ballistic missiles can signal to the enemy that a conflict is escalating, but without irreversible consequences,” Clark reports. “Status-6 does not give the enemy any signals other than an explosion or appearance in enemy waters, which makes it vulnerable.”

If U.S. intelligence reports about the weapon's existence are correct, perhaps the greatest danger is that the Status-6 warhead could be lost or stolen.

“Equipping Status 6 with a nuclear warhead could expose this type of Russian nuclear weapon to loss or theft,” Clarke said. “Even with protections against tampering, the Russian government is unlikely to want to lose control of its nuclear weapons, especially given its emphasis on escalation and self-policing.”

Former Soviet-Russian arms control negotiator Nikolai Sokov, now a senior fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, called the concept an echo of the Soviet era.

“The concept is very old and dates back to a time when intercontinental ballistic missiles and sea-launched ballistic missiles were few and considered unreliable and vulnerable,” Sokov told The National Interest. – Today it is difficult to understand why to create a slow projectile with a power of 100 megatons. When a presentation slide was shown on Russian television a few years ago, I thought it was a ploy to alarm American intelligence. The authenticity of intelligence information about recent tests raises questions. Russia is actively working on the creation of small submarines. I readily believe that a carrier submarine is being developed with small submarines on board capable of diving to significant depths. But why equip them with 100 megaton warheads?”

Director of the Nonproliferation Program in East Asia James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies Geoffrey Lewis suggested that the slow torpedo would be used to attack coastal targets such as naval bases. “It could explode in a port, destroy ships, or simply threaten coastal cities like New York,” Lewis said. “In my opinion, America can create a defense against such attacks, although I am not sure whether it will be effective.” In my opinion, this will be easier than intercepting a missile.”

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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. A submarine took part in the tests 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.” At the same time, the 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.

The transcript by Western experts of the slide, “leaked” to two central Russian television channels, provided enough 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 of 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 sonar anti-submarine system, which monitors the US coast, new device much less noticeable than the quietest submarine in the world, 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, at a maximum speed of 90 km/h is capable of traveling no more than 10 km.

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.

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 the crisis point. But behind all these woes, which mostly help newspapers increase circulation and cable television increase their ratings, lurks a deeper and more serious threat: the accelerating pace of the nuclear arms race 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 are now shouting 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. Bear Cave conducts a brief analysis of what Russian commentators say about the "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 reactor and has a cruising speed of 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 the fairly new Orca Ultra Large Underwater Unmanned Vehicle (XLUUV) is a system capable of "local 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 struggle for The White house, who was occupied by a political newcomer, may well stand under the American banner and declare that they are more patriotic because they openly talk 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.

Cameramen from Channel One and NTV “accidentally” broadcast documents about a new Russian development capable of destroying the United States from the ocean abyss. This is the most striking shot from the television report of the NTV channel about the event chaired by Russian President V.V. Putin on November 9, 2015, at a meeting on the development of the defense industry.

So what is known on this moment? Ocean multipurpose system “Status-6”. Developer – OJSC “TsKB MT “Rubin”. Purpose – “Destruction of important enemy economic targets in the coastal area. Causing guaranteed unacceptable damage to the territory of the country by creating zones of extensive radioactive contamination, unsuitable for carrying out military, economic and other activities in these zones for a long time.”

The proposed carriers are shown at the top left of a special-purpose nuclear submarine under construction “Belgorod” project 09852. On the right is a special-purpose nuclear submarine under construction “Khabarovsk” project 09851.

Retaliation weapon concept

Main damaging factor new torpedo is not the creation of a tsunami, but massive nuclear contamination of the coast, making it impossible to conduct it there economic activity and accommodation. Academician Sakharov also proposed using a cobalt bomb warhead as a weapon of retaliation against US ports and the coastal zone. This is an option atomic weapons with an unusually high yield of radioactive material. (So, to ensure radioactive contamination of the entire surface of the Earth, only 510 tons of cobalt-60 are required).

Previously, it was believed that the cobalt bomb was only a theoretical weapon and no country actually possessed it. However measurements from the Research Institute of Radiation Hygiene named after. Ramzaeva near the site of testing nuclear charges in 1971 as part of the Taiga project, near Perm with the officially declared legend of explosions to create the Pechora-Kolva canal, radiation contamination with cobalt-60 isotopes was revealed. It can only be obtained artificially.

According to The Daily Mirror

The fact that the “Status-6” demonstration was carried out during a meeting of the Russian Ministry of Defense dedicated to the US missile defense system, this weapon is considered as an asymmetric response to the US missile defense system - it is helpless against strategic nuclear torpedoes. Making a comparison, American sources note that the diving depth and speed of the Status-6 significantly exceed the capabilities of the US Mark 54 anti-submarine torpedoes. In addition, the Russian military design bureau is developing a whole line of .

In addition, it is very likely that the ideas of Academician Sakharov are involved in the project. He proposed using an armored version of the torpedo to reduce the likelihood of being hit by anti-submarine weapons and to ensure a breakthrough of anti-torpedo networks without damaging the nuclear carrier.

The Washington Free Beacon (WFB) received

Even before the publication of the TV report about “Status-6”, sources in the Pentagon provided information that a “high-speed, long-range nuclear torpedo with nuclear weapons of tens of megatons” was being created. The goal is to cause “catastrophic damage” to US ports and coastal areas. According to Pentagon experts, such a torpedo cannot be intercepted. And the use of such weapons violates the idea of ​​humanity and customs of war.

The Washington Times polled

leading American military analysts. How do they evaluate the design of a nuclear torpedo capable of destroying a wide coastal strip? Jack Caravelli, who previously worked for the CIA in the intelligence department against Russia, assessed the weapon as “extremely aggressive.” He believes that it can cause irreparable damage to the coastal cities of the United States and its allies.

Mark Schneider, former Pentagon analyst

on nuclear strategy, noted that he noticed RIA Novosti publications where an engineer for the development of underwater systems was interviewed, which he classified specifically as this weapon. General Robert Kehler, former manager strategic nuclear forces and US missile defense, assessed the development of a nuclear torpedo as extremely alarming for US security.

The Washington Times notes

Also, the head of the US Navy, Ray Maybus, in his speech in April 2015, mentioned “revolutionary undersea systems” that are capable of attacking the most protected waters of the United States.

Business Insider and The Washington Time s

also stated that previously authoritative analysts from the Jane’s 360 portal noted a change in the naval doctrine of the Russian Federation with the advent of certain uninhabited underwater vehicles strategic purpose. Special purpose submarines have already been accepted for combat duty. Thus, 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. Now it is a boat designed to work with nuclear deep-sea stations (AGS) and uninhabited underwater vehicles in the interests of top-secret Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research (GUGI) Russian Ministry of Defense . This boat has yet to undergo mooring and then factory sea trials. After this, the BS-64 Podmoskovye will replace the Orenburg boat in the fleet. (In 1996-2002, also converted from a Project 667BDR missile carrier).

During trips to sea for sea trials and state trials, the BS-64 will presumably interact with the AGS of the Sperm Whale, Halibut and Losharik projects. It will serve as a mother boat, which secretly delivers an underwater special object for autonomous operation. "Orenburg" and AGS are part of the 29th separate brigade of submarines of the Northern Fleet, which performs tasks in the interests of the GUGI.

For reference:

Until 1986, the “kids” were not included in the Navy. They were part of a General Staff unit associated with the GRU. Note that at the beginning of September this year The American publication The Washington Free Beacon reported , that Russia is allegedly creating an “underwater drone” codenamed “Canyon”. He is believed to be able to carry nuclear weapon with a capacity of tens of megatons and threaten 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 yield of 100 megatons (the idea of ​​Academician Sakharov). It was designed in the 1950s to attack coastal targets in the United States.

Academician Igor Nikolaevich Ostretsov

talked about the T-15 concept like this: “ A young nuclear physicist from Arzamas-16, Andrei Sakharov, suggested that the curator of atomic projects, Lavrentiy Beria, “wash America off the face of the earth.”

What did the scientist suggest? Send a powerful tsunami onto the United States. To do this, blow up a super torpedo with a hot filling off the coast of America.

He painted picture after picture: a giant wave more than 300 m high comes from the Atlantic and hits New York, Philadelphia, Washington. The tsunami washes away the White House and the Pentagon.

Another wave hits the West Coast in the Charleston area. Two more waves hit San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Just one wave is enough to wash away Houston, New Orleans and Pensacola to the Gulf Coast.

Submarines and aircraft carriers have been thrown ashore. Ports and naval bases destroyed... Sakharov considered such a project to be completely justified from a moral point of view.”

One should not, of course, accuse Academician Sakharov of being particularly bloodthirsty. Although he was definitely not a humanist, proposing such a plan. You cannot take a person’s actions out of historical context. Then there was a time of greatest instability and danger in the world - the USA and the USSR were one step away from nuclear war.

For security reasons, as well as taking into account other factors, the “Sakharov torpedo” (T-15) was developed without the participation of the Navy.

The Navy learned about it only through the project of the first nuclear submarine. At one time, it was precisely for such a large torpedo that the first Soviet nuclear submarine of Project 627 was specially created. It 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 use a super-powerful charge of several tens of megatons to 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. As a result, Project 627A nuclear submarines were created.

There is information that Soviet admirals, having familiarized themselves with the project in 1954, stated that the submarine could be destroyed on the approach to the American base. Moreover, the entrances to American bases are blocked many kilometers away by the winding shores of bays, islands, shoals, as well as booms and steel nets.

How said military expert and historian Alexander Shirokorad , in 1961, the T-15 idea 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 a nuclear explosion...

In accordance with the project, the torpedo weighed 40 tons, had a length of 23.55 meters and a caliber of 1550 mm.

Ongoing the objections of the Navy leadership had an effect in 1955, when the technical design of 627 was adjusted. The submarine's ammunition load was 20 torpedoes, eight of which were 533-mm T-5 torpedoes carrying tactical nuclear weapons. After this, work on the T-15 torpedo was stopped...

Deputy Director of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis Alexander Khramchikhin I am convinced of the following. In principle, there cannot be a scenario of an unplanned leak of information about developments classified as “Top Secret” in the media. “There is no doubt that this is a deliberate hoax. The goal is to make a known adversary think about his actions.”

Corresponding member of RARAN, captain 1st rank reserve Konstantin Sivkov commenting on this “leak” in the media, suggests that, apparently, it may be that special-purpose submarines in the future will solve combat missions. “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 “Fast” concept 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 the idea (I voiced it at the international military-technical forum "Army-2015") that Russia needs to develop asymmetrical mega weapon, which will eliminate any threat of a large-scale war against Russia, even in conditions of the enemy’s absolute superiority in traditional defeat systems. Apparently, this development is in the same paradigm.

From a geophysical point of view, the United States is a very vulnerable country.

A guaranteed source of catastrophic geophysical processes there may be, first of all, an impact on the Yellowstone supervolcano. This initiates a powerful eruption. The detonation of powerful ammunition in the area of ​​the San Andreas, San Gabriel or San Jocinto faults is also being considered. Exposure to a sufficiently powerful nuclear weapon could trigger catastrophic events that could completely destroy US infrastructure on the Pacific coast with a large-scale tsunami. Initiating giant tsunamis is also 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. Today it is possible to “fit” high-power ammunition into the weight and size characteristics of, for example, the same ICBM. The main headache and the main question that torments NATO analysts is: “what if the Russians already have an underwater drone - a means of delivering nuclear ammunition?”

After the TV report was released, The WBF newspaper and Russian Forces deciphered the data on the RF Ministry of Defense slide as follows.

The torpedo is intended primarily for radioactive contamination of coastal US cities (comments note that armament with a warhead capable of tens of megatons is quite likely).

Approximate diving depth is 3200 feet (1000m). Torpedo speed is 56 knots (103 km/h). Range – 6200 miles (10000 km). The main torpedo carriers are nuclear submarines of projects 09852 and 09851.

The torpedo is equipped with a nuclear reactor. (For the T-15, Academician Sakharov assumed the use of a direct-flow water-steam nuclear reactor). The system is controlled from special command ships.

Auxiliary vessels are being created to service the torpedo. The torpedo can also be transported by the Sarov submarine and a “special vessel”.

According to Pavel Podvig from the RussianForces portal , the first to notice the “leak”, a special vessel is used in the event of a torpedo accident.

Is the project promising? Whether there are torpedoes in stock and exactly how many are currently on combat duty is unknown. On November 11, 2015, a project of a nuclear torpedo “Status-6” with a range of 10,000 km, a travel depth of 1000 meters and a caliber of 1.6 meters, close to the T-15 and classified as a continuation of the T-15 by many experts, was “accidentally” demonstrated.

According to naval technology expert Norman Polmar published by The Washington Times Even before the “leak”, we should expect the Russian Federation to revive the T-15 project in a new capacity.

In the stories of a number of Russian television channels about a meeting with President Vladimir Putin on defense topics (held on November 9), footage of the secret “Status-6” system was indeed shown. This was stated by presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov , Interfax reports. “Indeed, some secret data got into the camera lens there. They were subsequently removed. We hope that this will not happen again,” Peskov said. When asked whether any organizational conclusions were followed in connection with such a leak of information, Peskov said: “I am not yet aware of any measures. But in the future we will certainly take preventive measures to ensure that this does not happen again.”

On television footage of a number of Russian channels one could see a printout of a slide dedicated to the “Ocean multi-purpose system “Status-6””, developed by the Central Design Bureau for MT “Rubin”. According to information shown on the slide, the system is a massive torpedo (labeled a “self-propelled underwater vehicle”). The cruising range is up to 10 thousand kilometers and the cruising depth is about 1000 meters. A certain “combat module” has been proposed as equipment.

The purpose of the system, according to the slide, is formulated as “the defeat of important objects of the enemy’s economy in the coastal area and causing 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.” .

Special nuclear submarines of projects 90852 Belgorod and 09851 Khabarovsk are indicated as carriers of the system.

Special nuclear submarine "Belgorod" project 949A\09852 in the factory workshop

2015-11-11T23:23:03+05:00 Sergey Sinenko Analysis - forecast Defense of the Fatherlandanalysis, army, atomic bomb, defense of the Fatherland, Russia, USAOcean multi-purpose system "Status-6" (new weapon of retaliation) TV operators from Channel One and NTV “accidentally” broadcast documents about a new Russian development capable of destroying the United States from the ocean depths. This is the most striking shot from the television report of the NTV channel about the event chaired by Russian President V.V. Putin on November 9, 2015, at a meeting on the development of the defense industry. So,...Sergei Sinenko Sergei Sinenko [email protected] Author In the Middle of Russia

On last week The public watched with great interest news regarding strategic weapons. Completely unexpectedly and suddenly in domestic means mass media received information about newest project a special submarine capable of seriously changing the strategic situation in the World Ocean. In connection with the publication of these data, some statements by officials appeared, which only fueled interest in the new project. The result of all this was numerous discussions, debates and debates on the possibility of such projects and their practical prospects.

The strange thing began on November 9th. On this day, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting dedicated to the development of the armed forces and the defense industry. During the event, various issues affecting various types of armed forces were discussed. The next day, Russian television channels aired their reports on the recent meeting. At the same time, the stories of “Channel One” and the NTV channel were of greatest interest, since it was in them that curious and unexpected documents “lit up”.

One of the report plans showed a high-ranking military leader looking at a presentation slide. It was this paper that attracted the attention of specialists and the public. On slide number 3 (on the table of the unknown army general there were several bound sheets) information was provided about the project of the ocean multi-purpose system “Status-6”. The Central Design Bureau of Marine Equipment (TsKB MT) Rubin was indicated as the developer of this project. In addition, the slide had general information about the purpose of the project and several drawings.

The emergence of information about new projects of military equipment, including submarines, always causes excitement. This time, increased public attention was caused by another factor - the intended purpose of the Status-6 system. It was clearly written on the slide that the goal of the promising development 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.” During a long time".

Images from television reports instantly spread across the media, specialized resources, blogs and other platforms. An active discussion of the published information immediately began. Experts and military enthusiasts immediately remembered some proposals of this kind that were made several decades ago, and also began to speculate about the prospects for such projects at the present time. In addition, suspicions arose that this was indeed an accidental leak of information, and not a “leak” planned by the military.

The situation required urgent comments from officials. Already on the evening of November 11, statements by presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov appeared. According to the official, recent television reports actually demonstrated classified data that has not yet been made public. Secret data was captured by television cameras, which is why government officials demanded that TV channels re-edit their stories. Thus, in the following news releases there was no footage of the military leader getting acquainted with the presentation on the promising project.

D. Peskov expressed the hope that such misunderstandings will not happen again. The president's press secretary noted that he does not know whether any measures were taken related to the data leak. At the same time, he stated that preventive measures will be taken in the future aimed at eliminating such situations.

After government officials drew attention to the data leak, the frame with the presentation slide disappeared from the reports. However, it was already too late. Footage from NTV and Channel One stories went viral on the Internet, and no statements from the presidential press secretary or other officials could stop the discussion. Due to the lack of new high-profile news, discussions of the Status-6 project are still ongoing and are unlikely to end in the very near future.

It should be noted that the increased interest in the Status-6 project is associated not only with the sudden appearance of information about it. Despite the poor quality of the picture, some of the information presented on the slide could be seen in the reports. Information about the project can also be an excellent reason for controversy.

According to slide number 3, the main element promising complex is a self-propelled underwater vehicle. As follows from the available data, it should be submarine with a set of special equipment. The slide indicates that the device will be able to dive to depths of up to 1000 m, cover distances of up to 10 thousand km and move with high speed. The exact meaning of the latter is difficult to establish, but there is clearly a three-digit number on the slide, which could be a topic for a separate discussion.

The dimensions of the device, with the exception of the diameter, remain unknown. The caliber of “Status-6” can be more than 5 (or 7) m. The length and displacement remained on the part of the slide that was not included in the frame.

The presentation identifies special submarines “Belgorod” of project 09852 and “Khabarovsk” of project 09851 as potential carriers of a self-propelled underwater vehicle. In both cases, the device must be transported under the bottom of the carrier submarine.

According to the slide, the first stage of project development should be completed by 2018 (or 2019). Until 2025, specialists will be conducting various tests and fine-tuning the project. Plans for later periods turned out to be closed in the truest sense of the word.

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the project concerns its purpose and some of the layout nuances. The diagram shows that a relatively large compartment with a warhead is provided in the bow of the underwater vehicle. The purpose of the device, in turn, is to destroy enemy targets on the coast and create a zone of radioactive contamination. Such features of the project made specialists and amateurs recall projects proposed several decades ago.

Back in the fifties (according to some sources, since the late forties), preliminary development of a promising large-sized torpedo was carried out in our country, which was supposed to carry a high-power nuclear warhead. It was assumed that the carrier submarine would have to launch this in the direction of the enemy coast. The destruction of enemy coastal targets, as conceived by the authors, was supposed to occur due to a large wave formed after a deep nuclear explosion.

Such a proposal remained at the preliminary research stage. Its implementation was associated with a number of serious difficulties, and its effectiveness left much to be desired. As a result, the idea of ​​a heavy torpedo capable of causing a tsunami was abandoned, focusing on real and promising projects.

It should be noted that the old proposal has noticeable differences from the Status-6 system in its current form. Published information clearly says that the new self-propelled underwater vehicle should not create a large wave. To engage targets, it should be equipped with a “conventional” nuclear warhead. It should be recognized that such a method of application, despite its complexity and limited range of potential targets, turns out to be much more effective than detonating a warhead under water with the expectation of creating a large wave.

It must be recalled that this is not the first time that a promising underwater vehicle with the ability to carry a nuclear warhead has become a topic of discussion. Just a couple of months ago, foreign, primarily American, media were actively discussing rumors about the new Russian project “Canyon”. It was argued that Russia could build new unmanned submarines that would be armed with nuclear warheads with a yield of several tens of megatons.

The lack of confirmed data about the hypothetical Russian underwater weapons project, as well as the emergence of new relevant topics, gradually led to the fact that the Canyon project was almost forgotten. Now the Russian military has allowed (or deliberately caused) a leak of information, which has already become a reason for resuming discussions among foreign experts and journalists. Various analytical articles have already appeared in a number of foreign publications, the authors of which are trying to study the unexpectedly appeared data, draw some conclusions, and also “link” them with recent rumors about the Canyon project.

Testing of the Status-6 system - if the project reaches this stage - will be completed no earlier than the middle of the next decade. This fact, however, does not prevent experts and amateurs from making predictions about the consequences of the appearance of such weapons. It is easy to see that a self-propelled underwater vehicle with remote or automatic control, capable of traveling up to 10 thousand km, can be a very formidable weapon. By equipping such a device with a nuclear warhead, it is possible to plan operations to destroy the naval bases of a potential enemy almost all over the world. The device will be able to approach the base and destroy it or cause serious damage.

Assumptions are already being made about the real prospects of such systems. In particular, an opinion has emerged that underwater vehicles with nuclear weapons could render all existing anti-submarine systems useless. In addition, the appearance of such weapons will force a potential enemy to begin full-scale development of promising defense systems against underwater attacks. Due to some of the features of Status-6 or similar devices, the construction of a protection system will be extremely difficult and expensive.

For effective protection against similar weapons it is required to build a system for monitoring the underwater situation along the entire maritime border. In addition, means are required for a timely response to a detected threat and its subsequent destruction. All this will require the implementation of a mass of new projects, which, in turn, will be associated with colossal expenses.

This feature of a promising project may perhaps even be useful for some structures and enterprises. It is quite possible that after the first reports about the Status-6 system appeared, some American generals and heads of defense enterprises began to happily rub their hands, anticipating the start of new projects and their financing.

The program for the construction of protection systems against advanced Russian weapons can be extremely expensive and complex. However, not all responsible persons from foreign countries This fact worries me. Publication of data about new Russian weapons will once again allow them to call Russia an aggressor and therefore demand additional funding to protect against it.

Similar consequences of the Russian project have already given rise to a version according to which there was a deliberate “leak” of information last week. The purpose of such an “operation” could be the intention of provoking potential adversaries to launch expensive programs that could hit military budgets and cause some damage to their defense capabilities.

In general, the situation around the Status-6 project looks extremely interesting and unusual. It all started with an accidental leak of information about secret project, the result of which was a massive discussion of a new topic on domestic and foreign platforms. A little late press secretary Russian President stated that there was a publication of secret data that is still closed to the general public, but such statements did not in any way affect the nature of the disputes. The image of the slide from the presentation continues to spread across the Internet, involving more and more participants in the discussion.

A variety of versions have been expressed about the project itself and the emergence of information about it, receiving one confirmation or another. Participants in the discussions suggest that the Status-6 system is capable of seriously influencing the situation in the world, not only due to its high characteristics, but also due to its mere existence. In addition, doubts have been expressed about the feasibility of such a project. Supporters of this version believe that an attempt to “stuff” false information by the Russian military in order to influence foreign specialists cannot be ruled out. Finally, officials claim that this was an accidental leak of information about a secret project.

It is not difficult to guess that the military or the defense industry will not comment on the current situation in any way after D. Peskov made his statement. One can only rely on unconfirmed data obtained by the press from anonymous and other dubious sources. Therefore, anyone who wants to know the real details of the new project will have to wait. Judging by the slide, we will have to wait at least until the middle of the next decade.

Based on materials from sites:
http://ria.ru/
http://tass.ru/
http://interfax.ru/
http://vz.ru/
http://freebeacon.com/
http://bmpd.livejournal.com/