MONTREAL — The Security Service of Ukraine claimed the first strike by a Russian submarine using an underwater strike drone in footage apparently from compromised enemy security cameras.
On December 15, the SBU published a video on its official government-affiliated website showing the Sub Sea baby drone striking part of the Kilo class submarine stationed at the Russian naval base in Novorossiysk.
The available recording shows a major explosion around the rear area of the Russian submarine, which likely resulted in notable damage to the platform's components. However, details have not been independently confirmed.
“For the first time in history, 'Sub Sea Baby' underwater drones detonated the Russian 636.3 class submarine (Kilo classified by NATO) – as a result of the explosion it suffered critical damage and was decommissioned,” the SBU wrote in a statement. statement.
The submarine was forced to stay in the port of Novorossiysk due to the effective use of Sea Baby surface naval drones, which displaced Russian ships from the Sevastopol Bay, the statement added.
The Russian Defense Ministry says the attack failed and all ships at the naval base are intact.
The footage appears to have been taken by cameras located around the port, suggesting that the Ukrainian military likely managed to infiltrate the network to monitor Russian activity inside the naval base.
Very little information is known about the capabilities and operation of the Sub Sea Baby underwater drone; other than that, it was specifically designed for the SBU. Language included in the SBU announcement describes the attack as having included multiple units of these drones.
According to a Ukrainian industrial source, who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons, almost no one was aware of the operation, because the naval drone is part of non-public projects with extremely restricted access. For example, the source noted that the maker of the Sea Baby hasn't even made its identity public yet.
As Naval News noted, the drone appears to function as a sort of autonomous torpedo, which, if true, could allow it to be guided in the direction and proximity of the target using waypoints before its own systems take over and steer it independently.
“This could explain how the Sub Sea Baby was able to navigate inside the naval base and towards the submarine enclosure, a route that requires several turns in confined spaces,” indicates the online platform. declared in a report.
Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo is Europe correspondent for Defense News. She covers a wide range of topics related to military procurement and international security, and specializes in reporting on the aviation sector. She is based in Milan, Italy.
