Putin’s superweapon “Poseidon” produced for the first time – which means French coastguard saves 45 people in the English Channel

What is the status of production?

Russia has produced a first batch of Poseidon torpedoes, Russian state media reported this week, citing a source close to the Russian military. The underwater weapons designed to create radioactive, tsunami-like waves would soon be sent to the Belgorod submarine. Belgorod is the world’s largest submarine and the first underwater nuclear torpedo carrier.

The Russian state news agency “TASS” reported last week that throwing tests with dummy Poseidon had been completed. The purpose of the tests was “to verify the operation of the Poseidon launch system”. That worked. For this purpose, dummies of Poseidon were uncovered at various depths.

The submarine was handed over to the Navy last July for experimental use by the Northern Fleet. The Khabarovsk submarine is still under construction and will eventually serve as a fixed platform for the Poseidon weapons.

Following the throwing tests, it was said this week that testing of the main weapon components of the Poseidon weapon had also been completed. The nuclear power plant, which supplies the torpedo with its own energy source, was also checked.

Nuclear torpedoes have been in the works in Russia for years. The first images of the Poseidon weapon leaked as early as 2015, but the construction of the weapon was not officially confirmed by Kremlin boss Putin until three years later.

What can the gun do?

In his 2018 announcement speech, Putin stressed that no weapon exists that can stop or destroy the nuclear torpedo:

The weapon is primarily designed for attacks on aircraft carriers and land installations. According to Russian information, the unmanned torpedo can descend to a depth of 1,000 meters and travel thousands of kilometers at a speed of 200 km/h. However, this statement is questioned by several experts.

The warheads can reach an explosive force of up to 100 megatons. In comparison, the atomic bomb that the US dropped on Hiroshima had an explosive force of between 12 and 16 kilotons.

The explosive power of the Poseidon torpedo can irradiate the ocean and shores of a continent for decades, rendering it uninhabitable. Following Putin’s announcement, The Insider called Poseidon one of the most inhumane and terrifying nuclear weapons ever developed.

Nuclear expert Stephen Schwartz told the magazine at the time that nuclear weapons would only produce significant amounts of radioactive atomic dust if they detonated in, near or underground. Because in this kind of nuclear explosion, soil or water would be sucked up, contaminated with the debris from the bomb, and then thrown into the atmosphere. As a result, the deadly, radioactive atomic dust could be spread thousands of miles, Schwartz continued. If the Poseidon weapon does not detonate in too deep water, it can achieve exactly this effect. She is also capable of causing a tsunami wave.

This is exactly what was boasted on Russian television last year:

When will the Poseidon weapon be operational?

The big question that now arises: when would Poseidon’s torpedoes be ready for use?

Moscow has been leaking information about Poseidon’s developmental status for years. The project lives mainly on all the uncertainty and speculation, says Ina Holst-Pedersen Kvam, researcher at the Norwegian Naval Academy against “The Barents Observer”. The Poseidon is primarily a psychological weapon. However, according to the researcher, it is still too early to pass judgment on the actual development status of the weapon.

According to Holst-Pedersen Kvam, it made sense from a Russian point of view that the tests with the Belogrod submarine were carried out only with dummy Poseidon. Even if the technical capabilities of the Belgorod were mature enough, the Russian armed forces might still have wanted to keep the available prototypes.

A live ammunition test would then likely take place at a time when the potential deterrent effect was most needed. However, without such tests, it is not possible to assess the full damage potential of the nuclear torpedo.

The Poseidon weapon probably won’t be operational any time soon. The first deliveries are scheduled for 2027 at the earliest. However, Holst-Pedersen Kvam doubts that and is likely to annoy Putin with her estimate: