Russian Researchers Hand Over Nuclear Underwater Drone Documentation to Rosatom

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russia's FPI is submitting technical documentation on the Iceberg nuclear-powered robotic submarine designed to explore hydrocarbons deposits under the ice floe in the Arctic region to Russia's State Nuclear Corporation Rosatom, the head of the foundation's project group told Sputnik.

"We are handing over the documentation on the project to federal executive bodies. There were five large-scale preliminary projects, which in the future will help us build new equipment for exploring the Arctic seas in harsh climate conditions," Viktor Litvinenko said.

According to Litvinenko, the next step should be the creation of a structure that, in cooperation with Rosneft, Gazprom, United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), Rosatom and possibly with Rostec in the future, will implement the project and build the "real vehicle."

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Since 2013, the FPI (Foundation for Advanced Research Projects), along with Russia's Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering, the Defense Ministry, energy companies Gazprom and Rosneft, as well as Rosatom and the USC have been working out the possibility to create equipment that would allow research of hydrocarbons in the Arctic region.