Russia's secret underwater weapons are causing concern in the US.
Russia has developed a super-powerful unmanned underwater nuclear weapon capable of carrying a 100-megaton nuclear warhead, according to a leaked Pentagon draft report.
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| Russia's secret weapon. |
This report was revealed amid US efforts to bolster its military capabilities. Express, citing the report, stated that Russia's secret weapon has a range of 10,000km.
Leaked reports suggest that Russian President Putin is diversifying Russia's nuclear capabilities to give the country a significant strategic advantage over the United States.
"In addition to modernizing its legacy Soviet-era nuclear system, Russia is developing and deploying new nuclear launch systems and warheads. These efforts include upgrading each branch of the Russian nuclear triad – strategic bombers, sea-launched missiles, and land-launched missiles. Russia is also developing at least two new intercontinental ballistic missile systems, nuclear-armed underwater torpedoes, and hypersonic launch vehicles."
The Pentagon report also stated that Russia's acquisition of new missiles means that the U.S. needs to make greater efforts to match Russia's nuclear capabilities. Accordingly, the U.S. needs to increase its air, land-based, and sea-based nuclear capabilities.
According to the Pentagon, the U.S. has no intention of studying Russian submarines. "The Pentagon does not intend to develop unmanned underwater vehicles capable of launching nuclear weapons."
Regarding the leak, the Pentagon could not deny it. The agency stated in a press release that "our discussions were very practical and some drafts were documented. However, the document reviewing the nuclear position is not yet complete and requires approval from the President and the Secretary of Defense."
