Russia has reportedly commissioned its first Kabarovsk-class nuclear submarine, a 10,000-ton submarine developed to deploy the Poseidon nuclear drone, indicating an important development in its naval nuclear policy. The submarine will need to undergo an extensive sea trial period before it can enter service, but HSW’s capabilities have already garnered attention from both Ukraine and NATO.
The Kabarovsk-class submarine employs robotic and fully autonomous capabilities that will reduce crew numbers, enhance safety, and take on extended missions. The robots on board are able to inspect the hull, identify microdamage, autonomously repair damage, and deploy underwater mini-drones for covert reconnaissance deep into enemy territory. The Kabarovsk’s autonomous drones can access enemy waters, map enemy naval assets, and transmit data in real-time, giving Russia an asymmetric intelligence advantage in their conflict with NATO.
Poseidon, a nuclear-powered underwater drone capable of an unlimited range and low visibility, is at the center of Kabarovsk’s arsenal. Poseidon can cruise at high speed without being detected and is able to destroy a coastal city or port by launching a nuclear warhead underwater, creating a radioactive tsunami. The targeting mechanism is uncertain as well, leaving unpredictability.
The underwater drone adds to the Kremlin’s expanding weapons stockpile that includes the Burevestnik (Skyfall) nuclear-powered cruise missile with unlimited flight and evasive maneuvering capabilities. All of these advancements are concerned with global security and will force NATO and the US to consider defensive countermeasures.
