Navy

Russian special-purpose sub to be first carrier of Poseidon strategic underwater drone

The Project 09852 special-purpose submarine Belgorod that will be floated out in the second quarter of this year will be the first carrier of Poseidon nuclear-capable underwater drones, a source in the domestic defense industry told TASS on Wednesday.

"The Project 09852 special-purpose nuclear-powered submarine Belgorod will become the first carrier of Poseidons. It will be launched from the Sevmash slipway and floated out in the second quarter," the source said, adding that the submarine’s further construction afloat will be completed and its dockside trials will be carried out throughout 2019. The Belgorod is expected to assume combat duty in 2020.

The special-purpose submarine Belgorod will be capable of carrying six Poseidon strategic underwater drones. The second basic carrier of Poseidon underwater drones, the Project 09851 submarine Khabarovsk, is expected to the floated out in the spring of 2020 and be made operational in the Russian Navy in 2022, the source added.