🔱 Russia’s ‘Poseidon’ Nuclear-Powered Underwater Drone: Full Details
The Poseidon (NATO reporting name: Kanyon), previously known by the Russian codename Status-6, is an autonomous, nuclear-powered, and nuclear-capable unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) currently under development and testing by Russia.
It is considered a strategic “second-strike” or deterrent weapon, designed to bypass modern missile defense systems by operating deep underwater.
⚙️ Key Specifications and Capabilities (Based on Public and Reported Data)
| Feature | Details |
| Type | Nuclear-Powered, Nuclear-Armed Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) / Super Torpedo |
| Designer | Rubin Design Bureau |
| Propulsion | Miniature Nuclear Reactor (gives it virtually unlimited range) |
| Size (Estimated) | Up to 20 meters (65 ft) long; Up to 2 meters in diameter |
| Mass (Estimated) | Up to 100 metric tons |
| Maximum Speed | Reported to be up to 100-200 km/h (54-108 knots), significantly faster than conventional torpedoes or submarines. |
| Maximum Depth | Up to 1,000 meters (3,300 ft) |
| Warhead | Nuclear; Speculated to be in the multi-megaton range (e.g., 2 Mt or more), potentially larger. |
| Stealth Features | Designed to operate in a low-speed stealth mode at depths of 50-100m to evade acoustic tracking devices. Its speed and depth make it exceptionally difficult to detect and intercept with current Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) technologies. |
🎯 Strategic Purpose and Role
The Poseidon is intended as a new, asymmetric countermeasure to the U.S. and NATO missile defense systems. Its primary roles include:
- Assured Retaliation: Its ability to operate deep underwater and at high speed, coupled with an unlimited range, is intended to guarantee that Russia can deliver a devastating nuclear strike even after suffering a first strike that might cripple its land-based or submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
- Coastal Destruction: Russian state media reports suggest the primary purpose is to detonate a large nuclear warhead off the coast of an enemy city or naval base. This would aim to create a massive, radioactive tsunami (or contaminated sea swell) to inundate and render vast coastal areas—including major population and economic centers—uninhabitable for decades.
- Attacking Naval Assets: It could also be used to target and destroy fortified naval bases, aircraft carrier battle groups, or fleet anchorages.
🗓️ Development Status
- Announcement: First publicly mentioned by President Vladimir Putin in his 2018 state-of-the-nation address.
- Carrier Submarines: It is designed to be launched from specially modified submarines. The first of these, the K-329 Belgorod, has been commissioned, and another carrier submarine, the Khabarovsk, is reportedly under construction.
- Testing: In October 2025, President Putin announced a successful test in which the UUV was not only launched from its carrier but also successfully activated its nuclear propulsion unit for a period of time, calling it a “huge success.”
