MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. An unmanned torpedo-carrying ship capable of autonomously detecting and eliminating enemy submarines in distant waters and Arctic latitudes is being developed for the Russian Navy, a source in the domestic defense industry told TASS on Wednesday.

"Work is currently underway at the design firm’s own initiative to develop an unmanned craft designated to hunt down and eliminate adversary submarines in autonomous mode. After spotting an enemy submarine, the robotic system will on its own identify the target and make a decision on launching a torpedo," the source specified.

The robotic torpedo boat will be capable of both operating autonomously and being controlled by a small crew and also being remotely controlled by operators from a costal center or from aboard a carrier ship of these drones, he said.

"The Arctic version of the robotic torpedo craft with a reinforced hull for navigating through broken ice is also envisaged," the source said.

"Several robotic torpedo-carrying vessels will make it possible to promptly deploy a temporary anti-submarine frontier in the area of combat patrols by a naval task force without engaging basic anti-submarine forces or to reinforce defense at the fleet’s naval bases," he said.

The 14-meter-long robotic boat will be capable of accelerating to over 35 knots, sailing in rough seas of up to six points and operating for as long as three days without refueling. The robotic submarine killer will have an ammunition load of two 533mm multi-purpose electric torpedoes, the source specified.

TASS has no official confirmation of this information yet.