Russia tests nuclear capable 'drone submarine', claims US daily

Washington : Russia has conducted a test of an unmanned nuclear capable drone submarine to enhance its nuclear capability. It is said that this Russian submarine has the capacity of completely devastating an area as large as the size of England. According to the claims made by ‘The Washington Free Beacon’, this drone-submarine poses a major threat to the security of the Navy ports and the commercial ports of the US.

Last month, a submarine of the ‘Sarov’ class from the Russian Navy, had participated in a test. According to the information published by US intelligence agencies, the nuclear-capable drone submarine was tested from the ‘Sarov’ submarine on 27th November. However, the location of the test conducted was not revealed and Russia also has avoided to disclose any details regarding the test.

But, Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis has said that the underwater nuclear military activities of the Russian navy are closely monitored by the US. The production plan of this nuclear drone submarine is code named as ‘Ocean Multipurpose System-Status-6’ in the Russian Navy documents. It is claimed that the company, named TsKB MT Rubin, which develops submarines for the Russian navy, has produced this submarine. Pentagon has codenamed this Russian nuclear-drone submarine as ‘Kanyon.’

This Russian drone submarine is capable of carrying megaton-class TNT warheads. The nuclear-capable submarine has the capacity to submerge 3280 feet deep and travel at a speed of 56 knots and has the range of 6200 miles. According to the Russian Navy documents, the Drone submarine is launched from a ‘Sarov’-class submarine and then the nuclear-capable drone submarine is controlled by a designated warship.

The nuclear-capable submarine poses an increased threat to the naval bases and the commercial ports of the US. The intelligence agencies of the US are claiming that the bases of the ‘ballistic missiles-carrying’ submarines of the US Navy, are on Russian Navy’s radar. More specifically, the security of ‘Kings Bay’ naval base in Georgia and ‘Puget Sound’ naval base in Washington is in danger, warn the US secret agencies.

Russia had carried out a test of this nuclear-capable drone submarine for the first time in the month of September last year. The development was first disclosed by the US newspaper. The Russian Army confirmed the same after two months. However, the Russian officials had claimed that the information about this secret program was disclosed mistakenly.

But according to the US secret agencies, the information about its nuclear-capable drone submarine was not ‘mistakenly disclosed’ by the Russian army, but it was leaked purposely. The US secret agencies claim that Russia leaked the information about the submarine, as a warning to the US. Russia had disclosed the information about the first test, to express its displeasure about the deployment of the anti-missile system by the US in the European countries.

The US also is developing unmanned submarines. The US, in the last few months, has started conducting tests of its drone submarines and it is claimed that some of the tests were unsuccessful. But unlike Russia, the US drone submarines are not nuclear-equipped; whereas Russia has been adopting a policy of building up its nuclear capability.

Few weeks ago, it was disclosed that Russia is developing one of the most destructive nuclear bombs. The missile ‘RS-28 Sarmat’ is estimated to carry upto 40 tons warheads, with a capacity of devastating an area of the size of France. At the same time, Russia has also developed a missile capable of attacking the Eastern US cities within 20 minutes.