Has Russia confirmed its status? Media: Russia tested a giant nuclear torpedo Status 6 secret weapon

another one thundered interesting news about “no arms race” until 2020 and about the supposedly secret “Status 6” system, I would like to leave the news in history and understand that after all, this is something from the forgotten old (the developments of Sakharov’s T-15),

info from the wiki, everything is more or less interesting:

PS: yes, so far, no one has even been able to repeat “SHKVAL” (serially!), what else can we say about this miracle, we’re waiting....

up: I'm not me, my butt is not mine...just a random epicfail:

Dmitry Peskov admitted that the camera lenses of federal channels were unauthorized secret materials on the creation in Russia of a military oceanic multi-purpose system"Status-6". The Kremlin promised to take action

Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov confirmed to reporters during a conference call on Tuesday evening that Channel One and NTV showed footage on November 9 showing the secret concept and timing of the development of the ocean-going multi-purpose concept "Status-6".

“Indeed, some secret data was caught on camera, so it was subsequently deleted. We hope that this will not happen again in the future,” the presidential press secretary said.

Peskov clarified that he is not yet aware of anyone being punished for this incident, but promised that the Kremlin will take preventive measures to ensure that such leaks do not recur.

We are talking about television reports from NTV and Channel One on November 9 from a meeting on the development of the military-industrial complex with the participation of President Vladimir Putin. The TV clips (now deleted) included footage of the concept and implementation time frame for the development of the Status-6 system, which was noticed by Russian bloggers.

As can be seen from the screenshot that appeared on the blogs, the developer of the system is OJSC Central Design Bureau MT Rubin. 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.”

TsKB Rubin designs Russian submarines equipped with both ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. As stated on the Central Design Bureau website, a series of nuclear submarine cruisers are currently being built according to the project developed by the bureau. strategic purpose fourth generation of Project 955, “which will become the basis of the maritime component of the strategic nuclear forces Russia of the XXI century".

We are talking about a project of unmanned underwater vehicles (guided torpedoes) with a nuclear warhead that can literally wash away the coast of the United States, explained an RBC interlocutor close to the military-industrial complex. According to him, the concept similar weapons back in the 1960s, academician Andrei Sakharov put forward. It is a small externally controlled submarine converted into a torpedo, capable of carrying a 100 Mt warhead. In military-industrial circles it is known as the “Sakharov torpedo.”

“This is not already existing, but only promising project. If you look carefully at the slides, they indicate the time frame for the project’s implementation - until 2025,” added the RBC interlocutor.

The slides show two nuclear submarines as proposed carriers: a nuclear submarine under construction special purpose"Belgorod" and the special purpose submarine "Khabarovsk" of project 09851 under construction.

The press services of NTV and Channel One were unable to provide RBC with an immediate comment.

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 then the president said that Russia would develop strike systems capable of overcoming any systems missile defense.

“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 battery life.

"Orenburg" and AGS are part of the mysterious 29th separate brigade submarines 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. Note also that former commander 29th Rear Brigade Submarine Northern Fleet Rear Admiral Vladimir Dronov and more than ten officers bear the rank of Heroes 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 preparing for a hunt).

Now regarding the “Status-6” system. At the beginning of September this year, the American publication The Washington Free Beacon reported that Russia was allegedly creating “ 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 a thing is disgusting to him mass murder».

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 Project 627, 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 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. And as a result, they were created nuclear submarine project 627A.

Military historians claim that Soviet admirals, having become acquainted with the project in 1954, they confidently stated that the submarine would certainly be destroyed on the approach to the American base. Especially that 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 batteries, the T-15 would lie on the ground, that is, it would become an intellectual 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 clean water disinformation. If only because no additional development is required to create “zones of extensive radioactive contamination.” The existing ones can do this anyway intercontinental missiles, 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, captain 1st rank reserve Konstantin Sivkov, commenting on this “leak” in the media, suggests that, apparently, we are talking about what special-purpose submarines will solve in the future 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 concept of a "Prompt Global Strike" " 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 may be, first of all, an impact on the Yellowstone supervolcano to initiate powerful eruption, and also - undermining 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.

A self-propelled underwater vehicle from the Status-6 ocean multi-purpose system, designed to “defeat important objects of the enemy’s economy,” has become one of the most discussed topics in the world over the past 24 hours. The drone “accidentally” demonstrated on federal channels has turned into a bone of contention for experts, some of whom consider it a subtle Kremlin “duck,” while others see in it a new embodiment of Professor Sakharov’s ideas. FlotProm tried to understand the real state of affairs around promising apparatus using official sources information.

What became known from the “exposed booklet”?

The “Status-6” system is designed to “destruct 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.” .

The carriers of the system are nuclear submarines of projects 09852 Belgorod and 09851 Khabarovsk, the first of which is being rebuilt into a special-purpose submarine from a carrier of cruise missiles, and the second is being built from scratch. Both ships are on the slipways of the Severodvinsk Sevmash.

The striking force of "Status" should be a self-propelled underwater vehicle with a range of 10,000 kilometers and a running depth of 1,000 meters.

Central was chosen as the main executor of the system design department marine equipment "Rubin".

What are the Rubin designers famous for?

The St. Petersburg Design Bureau specializes in the design of submarines and deep-sea special equipment. In the depths of the bureau were born the Russian strategic Borei, the diesel-electric Varshavyanka operating all over the world, and the Lada submarine with an air-independent engine operating on the principle of an electrochemical generator is in the process of development.

According to official data from the annual reports of Sevmash and government contracts, the developer of Belgorod and Khabarovsk is also Rubin.

Igor Vilnit’s subordinates also have experience in creating autonomous underwater vehicles. Back in 2007, the AUV “Harpsichord”, an almost 6-meter, 2.5-ton deep-sea robot for examining bottom objects, saw the light of day. He is able to dive into depths of the sea 6 km and travel 300 km without returning to the surface.

Is there evidence of the development of a "self-propelled underwater vehicle"?

There is no doubt that in the depths of Rubin they are indeed creating a promising autonomous uninhabited underwater vehicle. This is evidenced by tenders for holding components development work on the creation of a “promising current source for an AUV”, a high-pressure pumping unit for the buoyancy control system of a promising AUV”, “information and control systems and IO of a promising AUV complex”.

However, more can be gleaned from the procurement documentation detailed information there is no information about the work being carried out at the bureau, so it cannot be reliably stated that the results of all the above-mentioned R&D will help Russia create that same “self-propelled underwater vehicle.” We may well be talking about a new incarnation of the Juno drone.

Who does “Status” report to?

If the information demonstrated to the whole world does not turn out to be a deliberately launched “duck”, then be happy for the addition Navy Russia new technology it still won't work. Because it will not be the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy who will give orders to the commanders of “Belgorod” and “Khabarovsk”, but the head of the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research of the Ministry of Defense, a structure separate from the fleet within the military department. Nowadays this position is occupied by Vice Admiral, Hero of Russia Alexey Burilichev.

This formation's own fleet, subordinate directly to the Minister of Defense, is very large. In addition to submarines, nuclear deep-sea stations and uninhabited underwater vehicles, the GUGI operates the oceanographic research vessel "Yantar", the experimental vessel "Seliger", the rescue vessel "Zvezdochka", and tugboats. Several more vessels for the department and the Sviyaga covered floating transport dock are under construction.

Let us recall that yesterday, in the stories of a number of Russian television channels about a meeting with President Vladimir Putin on defense topics, footage of the Status-6 system was shown. Its secrecy was confirmed by the president's press secretary, clarifying that the information had been removed from the TV channels' websites.

The “collateral damage” of the Russia investigation is becoming increasingly clear. Russia tried to split the legislative and executive powers in the United States, undermine institutional norms, and 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 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 its conventional 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?

The National Interest 01/23/2018

A new nuclear race between Russia and the United States?

The National Interest 01/18/2018

How America Could Accidentally Push Russia into Nuclear War

The National Interest 02/08/2018
But first of all, it must be said that National Interest has already published several articles that provide a good analysis of this new weapon. In particular, Dave Majumdar has prepared excellent research material on this topic. He quotes an undersea warfare expert from Analytical Center strategic and budgetary assessments by Bryan Clark, who explains that this device is far from perfect a weapon, the creation of which may face very real technical difficulties, since a 100-megaton munition can be extremely heavy, and operating such a weapon it'll be hard. Monterey nuclear weapons expert Jeffrey Lewis says, "I think we can create defensive system to protect against it. It will be easier than intercepting a missile, for sure.” We must state the obvious from the very beginning: the main advantage of the Russian device is that it bypasses the entire missile defense system. Naturally, this is a formidable symptom, indicating the approach and constant acceleration of cold 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 a potential 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 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 to other aggressive actions by Washington against Russia.” Discussion participants note that for the first time this project was developed at the beginning of the Cold War, however due to technical difficulties it was impossible to fully realize 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 conducting reconnaissance, searching and destroying mines, as well as delivering 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. The military-industrial complex, which was first brought to the attention of President Eisenhower in his farewell speech in January 1961, probably noticed that countering Russia (and China) brings 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 has been occupied by a political newcomer, may well stand under the American banner and claim that they are more patriotic because they speak openly about the “full spectrum” of the 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 foreign media and do not reflect the position of the editorial board of InoSMI.

According to the US Nuclear Posture Review, the Russian Status-6 intercontinental autonomous nuclear torpedo is a real weapon that represents 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, the main danger for Washington lies in its ability to bypass the American missile defense system.

“The American military will begin to fear that Status-6 may deceive the defense system against ballistic missiles, notes Clark. - However new torpedo will be comparable in noise level to submarines or even more noticeable in this regard. Like a submarine, a torpedo is propelled by nuclear power. power plant of a small reactor and turbine, but there is not enough room for noise-reducing design solutions such as “floating” decks and sound insulation. 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 does not have effective way protection from 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 due to balancing on the brink 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 if tamper-proof Russian government unlikely to want to lose control nuclear weapons, especially given its emphasis on conflict escalation and self-control.”

Former Soviet and Russian representative at arms control negotiations Nikolai Sokov, who is today the senior research fellow The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies called the concept an echo of the USSR era.

“The concept is very old and dates back to the times when intercontinental ballistic missiles and ballistic missiles sea-based there were few, they were considered unreliable and vulnerable,” Sokov told the publication 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.”

Follow us