Solution to help the US neutralize Russia's 'Sea God' super torpedo
Setting up underwater hydroacoustic reconnaissance stations and using hypersonic weapons are solutions the US can use to deal with Russian super torpedoes.
The nuclear super torpedo "Poseidon" (God of the Sea) is one of five cutting-edge weapons announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin in his federal message in early March. It is designed to attack coastal targets, creating radioactive tsunamis that can wipe out entire areas, making it impossible for humans to live for many generations to come.
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| Russia's 'Sea God' super torpedo. Photo: Internet |
Experts say that with the destructive power equivalent to 100 million tons of TNT of the Poseidon torpedo, the US will have to stop this weapon at all costs if a conflict breaks out with Russia in the future, according toPopular Mechanics.
"Russia has tested the Poseidon torpedo and is building submarines to deploy them. This is a challenging target for the US Navy, because it is faster and dives deeper than conventional submarines. However, it is likely that the Poseidon will be loud enough for hydroacoustic sensors to detect," said defense expert HI Sutton.
According to this expert, to neutralize Poseidon, the US needs to build a network of fixed underwater sonar reconnaissance stations and drop them from anti-submarine aircraft. They are tasked with detecting signs of Poseidon activity, such as engine noise or air bubbles from the torpedo propulsion system. Each reconnaissance station needs to be equipped with guided torpedoes, ready to launch to intercept Russian torpedoes.
The power of Poseidon forces the US Navy to take various measures to ensure its ability to destroy the target. As soon as this Russian super weapon is detected to be launched, the combat-ready Virginia-class submarine must also launch.Hypersonic warhead launched to intercept.
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The Virginia-class submarine USS Illinois goes to sea for testing in 2016. Photo:USNI. |
Equipped with a nuclear engine, Poseidon can attack targets from thousands of kilometers away at a depth of more than a kilometer, reaching speeds of about 110-130 kilometers per hour. Washington and its allies will likely need to develop a new generation of torpedoes, carrying multiple smaller torpedoes to increase the hit rate.
The final solution to the Poseidon is to go after the submarines that carry it. When it enters service in 2027, the Russian super-torpedo could be equipped on Project 949A Antey attack submarines. The US would have a hard time neutralizing them, especially since they can launch attacks from under thick Arctic ice. The best weapons for this task would be the three Seawolf-class submarines, the most expensive submarines in US service.
"The Poseidon torpedo is not an invisible weapon, it can be stopped if the US develops the right technology," said expert Sutton.
