Poseidon, Apocalyptic Torpedo

What is Poseidon?

Russia’s “intercontinental, nuclear armed, nuclear-powered, undersea autonomous torpedo.”

Poseidon is intended to serve as a response to U.S. withdrawal from the ABM treaty and to increase the Russian capability to overcome the US missile defense systems, like anti-ballistic missiles, railguns, laser weapons, etc.

Poseidon’s warhead can contaminate a large area with radiation. For this reason, the Poseidon is speculated to be equipped with a cobalt bomb and could be used as a radiological second-strike weapon.

Propaganda

In 2022, Russian propaganda stated “Poseidon will be able to plunge Britain into the depths of the sea” (assume via Apocalyptic torpedo-caused tsunami?).

History

10 November 2015: A page of a document containing information about a “secret oceanic multi-purpose system” called Status-6 was “accidentally” revealed on Russian television. The “leak” happened during Vladimir Putin‘s speech denouncing American plans concerning defensive missile technology.

CIA claims the “leak” was intentional.

Per the Pentagon, Russia conducted the first test-launch of Poseidon on 27 November 2016 in the Arctic Ocean, using the B-90 Sarov special purpose submarine.

In early 2018, the Pentagon’s Nuclear Posture Review publicly acknowledged development of Russia’s “new intercontinental, nuclear armed, nuclear-powered, undersea autonomous torpedo.”

Timeline

• March 2018, the system was officially named “Poseidon.”
• January 2019, the Russian navy announced plans to procure at least 30 Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicles, deployed on four submarines, two of which would serve in the Russian Northern Fleet and two in the Pacific Fleet.
• February 2, 2019: Vladimir Putin announced completion of the key stage of trials of Poseidon.
• February 20, 2019: Russian Defence Ministry released video showing a Poseidon being test-launched by a B-90 Sarov special purpose submarine.

Reactions

Following Vladimir Putin’s statements during his presentation of several new Russian super-weapons in March 2018, he specifically referred to Poseidon “as a weapon which could also target and hit American port cities in the US.

Response: Defense Secretary James Mattis stated Russia already had the potential capability of targeting certain port cities on the American coastline with missiles, saying “thus Poseidon does not change at all the strategic balance.”

Excerpts from Wikipedia.