Russian Poseidon Nuclear Underwater Vehicle Called a Guaranteed Retaliatory Strike Weapon
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Yury Knutov says Russia’s Poseidon underwater vehicle is a Doomsday weapon for nuclear deterrence, capable of hitting fleets and coastal cities.
Russian unmanned underwater vehicle Poseidon, equipped with a nuclear power plant, is a weapon of guaranteed retaliatory strike. Military expert Yury Knutov told aif.ru that the system is capable of hitting not only enemy aircraft carrier groups, but also coastal megacities.
Earlier, Asia Times wrote that deploying the newest Poseidon nuclear torpedo aboard the Khabarovsk submarine could sharply change the balance of power in global underwater defense.
Knutov stressed that Poseidon has no direct analogues in the world. Thanks to its compact nuclear reactor, the vehicle has effectively unlimited range, while on the final section of its movement, according to the expert, its speed can approach 150 km/h. At the same time, the main danger of the system is linked not only to its speed, but to the power of its warhead.
According to Knutov, Poseidon’s warhead may have different configurations, while Western estimates allow for a yield of up to two megatons. He called such a munition extremely powerful and noted that an underwater explosion of this level can trigger destructive tsunamis.
The expert explained that such a wave could have especially severe consequences for major cities located at river mouths. He cited London and Paris as examples: according to him, a giant wave could move dozens of kilometers upstream and cause total destruction. An even more devastating effect, Knutov noted, could be achieved by a salvo launch of several vehicles, when the waves overlap each other.
At the same time, the expert considers the use of Poseidon in the Ukrainian conflict absolutely pointless. According to him, this system was not created for such scenarios, but as a strategic deterrent against nuclear powers.
Knutov called Poseidon a Doomsday weapon designed for an adversary that itself has a nuclear arsenal or threatens to use it. First of all, according to him, this refers to the United States, Britain and France.
Moscow, the expert believes, may use such an argument only in the event of a direct threat to the existence of the state. As a hypothetical example, he cited an attempt by NATO forces to seize Kaliningrad Region by force. For the Ukrainian direction, in his assessment, Russia has other, more proportionate means of inflicting critical damage.