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21st September 2021 | 08:07

#228 (permalink)

ORAC

Ecce Homo! Loquitur...

Joined: Jul 2000

: Spotter

Posts: 24,645

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From: Peripatetic

Quote:

The UK may then be the nuke engine.

Production of the PWR2 ceased with the construction of the last 2 for the Last current Astute class.

The Dreadnaught class under construction uses the PWR3 which is reportedly based on a S9G used in the Virginia class.

The latest US reactor is the S1B for the new Columbia class SSBN, and the SSNX, (which have a 42ft beam as opposed to the 38ft if the Virginia class*)

(* The Astute has a 42ft beam, a feature which was driven by having to use the PWR2 reactor designed for the Trident Vanguard class. That seems to have proved serendipitous with better stealth than the Virginia, a route the USN now seem to be following.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_PWR

https://news.usni.org/2020/11/02/bwx...columbia-class

If a design based on the Astute was chosen it would therefore need either the production of the PWR2 to be restarted in future years, or a redesign to accommodate one of the above.

All hedging around current non-proliferation treaties.

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/li...ubmarine-deal/

https://thebulletin.org/2021/09/the-...ration-regime/

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