A bunch of Ukrainian engineers settled abroad are testing an armed submarine prototype they claim can incapacitate a large ship with one of its six Black Scorpion torpedoes.
Featuring an agile design, the Kronos submarine can make an instantaneous 180-degree turn at full speed, a world first, according to its developers.
“If someone shoots a torpedo at us, Kronos can avoid it because of this sheer maneuverability and small size,” Fast Company quoted a spokesperson of the vessel’s developer Highland Systems.
Features
The electrically-power sub is built to operate in waters as shallow as 50 feet (15 meters) and as deep as 820 feet (250 meters) at a speed of 27 knots (31 miles/50 kilometers per hour), higher than most modern submarines.
The vessel boasts an operational range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and a single charge endurance of 54 hours.
It can accommodate eight divers and a pilot and can be operated through remote control.
Invasion-Spurred Development
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine spurred Ukrainian engineer Alexander Kuznetsov, founder of Highland Systems, to redesign the submarine he had been developing for military operations.
His original idea was to develop the vessel in two versions: one to carry workers for underwater infrastructure repair and another for leisure travel for the ultra-rich.
Following 36 iterations, the developers sealed the manta ray-shaped aerodynamic design, a complete departure from the classic cigar shape.
Possible Roles
The sub’s electric engine and sonar-absorbing coating enhance its stealth characteristics, enabling hit-and-run operations, Fast Company wrote, citing the vessel’s UAE-based developer.
Apart from launching torpedoes, it can “sneak next to the belly of an enemy ship” to attach and detonate magnetic mines from a safe distance, according to the outlet.
Mines could work only on slow-moving and moored ships, the outlet underlined.
