Russia’s MAD Design…the Fielding of the Ocean Multipurpose System Status-6 Doomsday Weapon

Russia’s MAD Design…the Fielding of the Ocean Multipurpose System Status-6 Doomsday Weapon

By E. Stanley Ukeni

In the past couple of months, a number of my readers have asked me about developments regarding an article that I published in 2015. Initially, I responded with a shrug, to the inquiry, because during my research for my November 12^th, 2015 article on this weapon system, I read that US intelligence analysts had predicted that the Russians would probably possess an operational prototype of the weapon by 2019—at the earliest.

With that in mind, I did not think it necessary to write a follow up piece on the subject since I did not think that I had any substantive insight to add to this article http://fringehorizons.blogspot.com/2015/11/russias-secret-new-super-weapon.html that I published in November 2015, at least until 2019.

But then, while I was reading a news article about North Korea’s recent technical advances in missile technology, I decided, on a whim, to research the story.  To my amazement, there was something of consequence to report on the Ocean Multipurpose ‘Status-6’ weapon system.

It was reported by several news sources, that U.S. Military Intelligence officials confirmed that a new top-secret Russian unmanned underwater remotely guided nuclear-capable drone submarine weapon system was indeed real.

According to the report, several unnamed military intelligence officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the Russian military did in fact conduct a test of an unmanned underwater weapon system that the Pentagon had code named Kanyon, on November 27, 2016—a good three years earlier than US intelligence analysts had predicted that a prototype of this weapon system would be operational.

If these reports of the testing of the Ocean Multipurpose system ‘Status-6’ underwater weapon proves true, it means that the weapons engineers at Russian Rubin Design Bureau has advanced the development of this weapon technology much faster  than western intelligence agencies had anticipated.       

It should be recalled that, in November 2015, Russian State-owned TV Channel One, seemingly accidentally broadcasted a glimpse at what was purported to be ‘a top secret weapon system’ unlike anything the world had ever seen before. This was later acknowledged by Russian officials to be an unauthorized leak of the plan for the Ocean Multipurpose System Status-6, which is under development.

This purported accidental breach occurred while Russian State Television news service televised a meeting that took place in the Russian city of Sochi, where President Putin was being briefed by high ranking military officials on how Russia’s Strategic Forces where progressing in the nation’s nuclear deterrence strategy.    

At the time of the accidental broadcast of the weapon’s design information, many United States’ media commentators, pundits and even intelligence officials suggested that the leak was not at all accidental, but a deliberate propaganda ruse by the Russians—intended to create an impression that the Russian military was developing the means to thwart any strategic advantage that the Americans would gain by deploying strategic anti-Ballistic Missile air-defense systems against Russia.

In fact, many within the United States, and indeed the European, intelligence community refused to believe that the weapon system was real, and could ever become operations—insisting that the leak was a trick to intimidate the American into reconsidering deploying their proposed deployment of anti-Ballistic Missile air-Defense systems in Eastern Europe and elsewhere.

Unfortunately for humanity, it appears that—with the testing of the Kanyon weapon system by the Russian Navy, the expressed skepticism of cynical pundits and analysts were dangerously flawed. This doomsday weapon appears to be very real.   

Based on what the world knows about this horrifying weapon system, this unmanned mini-submarine is designed to travel underwater for distances of up to 10,000 km (6,200 miles) from its launch destination.  It is believed to be capable of submerging to the depths of 1,000 meters (approximately 3,280 feet).

It is purported to be capable of travelling at speeds of up to 56 knots, which is faster than any torpedo that NATO member States possess in its weapons arsenal. This means that it would be highly unlikely that any of America’s current torpedoes can intercept and destroy the Status-6 weapon once it’s deployed—perhaps future U.S. torpedoes would be able to catch-up with and destroy this menacing weapon.

The ‘Status-6’ weapon system is said to be nuclear powered—making it capable of stealth propulsion. It is highly maneuverable, and can be controlled remotely from a Navy ship or submarine using ultra-long waves. It can literally circumvent missile defense systems’ defenses since it can effectively maneuver underwater to reach an enemy’s naval base undetected.   

I imagine that the Russians named this weapon system the Ocean Multipurpose System Status-6 because it was not designed to be a mere nuclear torpedo. In fact it is equally a robotic submersible that is run by artificial intelligence computer core. This means that the weapon is capable of autonomously executing a pre-programed command. The system can equally be tasked to gather intelligence deep inside an enemy territory.

There are estimates that mini-submarine drone could be armed with a multi-megaton thermonuclear payload or an equally devastating Colalt-60—which could spread high-levels of radioactivity around the area of impact, in the event of war. The thought of the potential destructive power of this weapon makes me cringe with revulsion.  

My emotional response to the possible existence of such a despicable weapon of mass devastation was one of disgust. I wondered why anyone would even contemplating developing such an insane weapon. But then, the logical side of me reasoned that the Russians contemplated fielding such an unthinkable doomsday weapon after they concluded that the United States leadership was determined to deploy advanced ground based, and possibly space based, anti-Ballistic Missile air-Defense systems that could conceivable neutralize their nuclear retaliatory strike capability, which underpins the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). Although I don’t support this line of logic, it’s genuinely understandable on a strategic level.  

The Russians have suggested that Status-6 provides their military an effective asymmetrical response to a possible scenario where the effectiveness of their missile systems are neutralized by US missile defense systems. They said that the Status-6 is designed to deliver a devastating retaliatory strike in the event of a US nuclear first strike. If this argument holds true, then this doomsday weapon is meant to guarantee the balance of military power—as such ensure peace in our world. I honestly hope this is the case here.  

I was hoping that this weapon system never gets developed, but now that it appears to be operational, I hope it is never used. The slogan, ‘let there be peace on earth’ begins with us…all of us.

  

Authored by E. Stanley Ukeni, © 2017. All Rights Reserved. This material and other articles or stories posted on this blog site may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed, in whole or in part, without prior expressed written permission from the author, E. Stanley Ukeni.

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