China is building a torpedo with a nuclear reactor and nuclear warhead capability that could go from Shanghai to San Francisco
Chinese specialists have developed a torpedo with a nuclear propulsion system.
What we know
The new missile does not have a name yet. It will have a disposable nuclear reactor that can maintain a cruising speed of up to 30 knots (55.55 km/h) for 200 hours. After dropping the nuclear reactor, the torpedo will receive energy from the battery to launch an attack on an enemy object.
The basic concept developed assumes a conventional, compact-sized warhead that can be produced in large volumes. The possibility of installing a nuclear warhead is not excluded, but the developers currently view their project as a nuclear attack submarine rather than a nuclear missile.
Chinese engineers have discarded much of the shielding materials, leaving only radiation protection for the main components. In addition, rare-earth elements inside the reactor core were spotted on graphite and other relatively inexpensive materials.
The nuclear power system is capable of generating more than 1.4 MW of heat. Engineers note that only 6% of the generated heat will be used to convert it into electricity, but even that is enough to power the torpedo.
Chinese developers also spoke about the safety of their rocket. The chain reaction will start only half an hour after launch, so that the torpedo can move a safe distance from the launch pad. The engineers estimate that the nuclear reactor will be able to provide a launch range of up to 10,000 km, which is comparable to the distance between San Francisco and Shanghai. After separation from the torpedo, it will fall to the bottom and activate the safety mechanism to complete the chain reaction.
Source: The Drive
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