Comments and corrections welcome.
Poseidon (Посейдон)
NATO: KANYON
Aka: Multi-purpose system 'Status-6' (Статус-6)
Aka: 'Skif' (Скиф) - seabed launched variant (tbc)
Russian super weapon wrongly reported as Supercavitating
Poseidon Intercontinental Nuclear-armed Autonomous Torpedo
Russian state news agency TASS has recently reported that the Poseidon weapon uses supercavitation, and claimed a maximum speed in excess of 200 kmph (108 knots). (ref. https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/5974747)
Original artwork - CLICK IMAGE FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION:
The incredibly large nuclear-powered torpedo presents a real challenge to NATO, but this latest information is almost certainly misleading for the following reasons:
a) Poseidon uses a pumpjet propulsor. This is clearly seen in the original leak (9th Nov 2015), in July 2018 video of a prototype and the various CGIs published by the Russian Ministry of Defense since March 2018. The pumpjet would not work in the cavity created by supercaviation. Instead a rocket motor (e.g. Nuclear thermal rocket) would be required.
b) Poseidon has relatively short control surfaces (‘fins’) mounted at the aft of the weapon. These do not appear to be long enough to pierce the cavity created by a super-cavitating vehicle. Therefore they would be of no use and an additional means of steering would be required.
c) Poseidon’s fins are not a logical shape for a super-cavitating weapon. Even if the tips pierced the cavity, most of their surface area is at the base, well within any cavity.
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d) Poseidon’s nosecone is too blunt for a coprecipitating weapon and lacks the gas generators required.
e) There is no need for Poseidon to be supercavitating. Even at a more realistic 60 knots, at 1,000 meters depth NATO will anyway have difficulty enough countering it. Supercavitation adds an extra layer of complexity, cost and ambition. Read More >....
f) other reasons
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