Preparations to test the underwater drone Poseidon aboard a Russian Project 09852 nuclear-powered submarine named Belgorod are underway, the Russian newspaper Izvestia reports.
The submarine is expected to be the first experimental carrier of the top-notch Poseidon drones, which were described by the US magazine National Interest last year as "the ultimate doomsday weapon".
The Izvestia report comes after Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu announced the successful completion of Poseidon's sea range tests involving a diesel-driven submarine.
The announcement followed Mikhail Budnichenko, Director General of the Russian shipbuilding company Sevmash, telling reporters about tests on the submarine Belgorod in early January 2021.
The tests were conducted amid reports that the Russian Navy is due to receive about 30 Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicles by 2027.
According to the president, the underwater drone is capable of travelling at great depths, has an intercontinental range, and can reach speeds several times greater than most submarines and modern torpedoes.
