The Russian edition of Top Gear accidentally published the photo of what appeared to be the Northern Fleet’s deep-diving AC-12, nicknamed “Losharik” – a submarine of which only low-quality photos earlier have been published on different blog-sites.

After being published in the printed magazine, the photos has attracted world-wide attention.

The submarine was sailing by as the team was making a photo session with the Mercedes of which the article is published in the magazine’s latest edition.

The secret titanium-hull submarine of project 10831 is nuclear powered, was likely launched in 2003, with reactor start-up in 2004, but likely not put into operation before 2010, according to an analyze based on different sources published on the blog site Military Russia.

“Losharik” is normally based in Gadzhiyevo on the Kola Peninsula and operates togheter with the “Orenburg” mother vessel. “Orenburg” is also a special purpose submarine based on the design of the Delta-class, but instead of missiles, she can carry other smaller submarines on her upper hull.

BarentsObserver has previously reported that “Losharik” has been used for deep diving along the Lomonosov ridge at the seabed of the North Pole, as a part of Russia’s research before submitting its claims of the continental shelf in the Arctic for the United Nation.

The submarine is said to be able to dive to 6,000 meters, it has a crew of 25 and an estimated length of 79 meters.

“Losharik” was likely on her way in or out from the yard in Severodvinsk when the photos were taken.