Russia’s nuclear drone carrier submarine to float out in late June

The second submarine to serve as a basic carrier of Russia’s Poseidon nuclear-capable underwater drones will be floated out approximately in late June, the Russian TASS agency reported.

The vehicle, Khabarovsk [Project 09852], is expected to be floated out in late June at the earliest. Yet, there is no exact date so far.

The Russian Navy’s press service did not comment on the information. The Sevmash shipyard where the submarine is being built was not immediately available for a comment.

The first basic carrier of Poseidon drones, a Project 09852 special-purpose nuclear sub, the Belgorod, was floated out on April 23, 2019 and is expected to enter service with the Russian Navy in September. The Belgorod and the Khabarovsk are expected to carry six Poseidon drones each.

In his state-of-the-nation address to both houses of Russia’s parliament on March 1, 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin mentioned for the first time the country’s efforts to develop a nuclear-powered unmanned underwater vehicle that can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads and is capable of destroying enemy infrastructural facilities, aircraft carrier groups and other targets.

Poseidon drones together with their carriers – nuclear-powered submarines – make part of the so-called oceanic multipurpose system. According to the rumours, the Poseidon drone would be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead with a yield of up to 2 megatonnes to destroy enemy naval bases.
The Poseidon will feature an intercontinental range capability and an operational depth of over 1 km.