US says Russia is developing nuclear torpedo
Report makes case for new weapons to deter other nations
It sounds like the stuff from a Cold War novel: A Russian intercontinental nuclear-armed torpedo that can travel thousands of miles and strike U.S. coastal cities with minimal warning.
But that weapon isn’t just a work of fiction. It’s being developed in Russia, according to a new Defense Department report that assesses the arms advancements being made in other countries.
Such weapons research is a wake-up call for the U.S. to strengthen its own arsenal, the Defense Department’s Nuclear Posture Review said Friday. The report calls for the U.S. to develop two new additional nuclear weapons to keep other world powers at bay.
Called the “Status-6 Oceanic Multipurpose System,” the Russian torpedo is reported to be able to deliver a thermonuclear cobalt bomb of up to 100 megatons.
The weapon could trigger a tsunami wave of radioactive water that would blanket a coastal city. Politicians have called the torpedo a “doomsday” weapon.
It was just one weapon highlighted in Friday’s report, which focused heavily on current and future capabilities of U.S. weapons, along with the advancements made in countries like Russian, China, North Korea and Iran.
Russia is developing at least two new intercontinental-range systems: A hypersonic glide vehicle, which are harder to detect after fired, and the torpedo.
North Korea also has increased its missile capabilities and its chances of reaching the U.S. mainland.
The report calls for the U.S. to add new lowyield weapons, which would allow for a limited nuclear strike. The thought is with the low-yield weapons, other countries with the weapons would not use them for fears of retaliation from the U.S.
The report also calls for a modern nucleararmed sea-launched cruise missile, which President George H.W. Bush stopped using and President Barack Obama officially retired.
The report notes the weapon “for decades had contributed to the deterrence and the assurance of allies” and the U.S. will “immediately begin efforts to restore this capability.”